Sausage and Mushroom Topping

 Sausage and Mushrooms served over Mashed Potatoes with Lemon Steamed Spinach

This recipe is great as a meal on it's own or to top baked potatoes, use as a pizza topper, put in tacos, burritos or taco salad, enchiladas, pasta sauce...the list goes on.  Can you tell I loved it?

I made this last night and it was really easy.  Here's how:

1 1/2 to 2 cups my Roasted Vegetable Stock or any other you may have on hand
3 Tbl liquid aminos
5 cloves garlic (minced)
1 1/2 cups dry Textured Soy Protein (TSP)
1 1/2 cups dry mushrooms
4 cups boiling water
1 tsp dry thyme
2 Tbl Vegan Worcestershire Sauce (See my vegan Pantry)
1 Tbl Not Beef Bouillon
2 Tbl  Fennel seeds
2 Tbl Crushed Red Pepper flakes
Cracked Black Pepper

Grind the fennel seeds and crushed red pepper flakes until they're almost powdery
In separate bowls add 2 cups boiling water to the Textured Soy Protein and 2 cups boiling water to the
Dry Mushrooms.  Let them soak until they become soft then chop the mushrooms up and strain both.
In a non-stick skillet add all of the liquid and then all of the dry ingredients except the TSP and Chopped Mushrooms.  Once the liquids come to a boil, add the TSP and Mushrooms.  Continue cooking until the liquids are almost gone.  The Spinach is just Steamed or quickly boiled fresh baby spinach (about 3 cups) served with fresh lemon.  You're done.

Bulgogi (Korean BBQ)

Bulgogi is a Korean BBQ beef dish that is sweet and spicy.  I used the Soy Protein I bought the other day to attempt to make this delicious dish.  It's also popular chopped up and served on a bun with tomato and mayo (vegan of course)

2 cups dried Textured Soy Protein pieces

4 cups boiling water

1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon sherry (or cooking sherry)

3 tablespoons agave syrup

1 tsp red pepper flakes (I used this and fresh chilis and jalapeño since they were in the garden)

4 cloves garlic (crushed)

1 tsp fresh ginger (grated)

Cracked Black Pepper to taste

4 green onions chopped into 1/4 inch rings

In a large bowl, pour the boiling water on the Soy Protein pieces and let them sit for about 10 minutes.  Push all pieces under water so that they all completely re-hydrate.  After they are done soaking, remove them from the water and let them cool.  When they are done cooling, with your hand, squeeze out as much water as you can without destroying the shape of the pieces.

Mix all of the marinade together and pour into a zip lock bag.  Add the Protein pieces, remove the air from the bag and zip it shut.  Move the marinade around to coat all of the pieces.  Every now and the move everything around in the zip lock.

Marinate for at least an hour or up to 8 hours.

Heat a non stick pan until it's almost smoking (and turn on your fan if you have one).  Put the Soy Protein slices in the pan one layer thick.  They will brown really fast because of the agave syrup, so don't go anywhere.  Keep everything in the pan moving with a non stick pan friendly utensil (wooden or plastic).  

This would be great with lots of sauteed vegetables and served on brown rice.

This is the before picture when it's still in the dry state.

Grillin Time - or how to beat the heat in the kitchen

It's summer so to beat the heat, use your barbecue!  What can be more American than burgers and baked beans.

For the Potatoes:

Slice whole potatoes and sprinkle with Sea Salt and Black Pepper.  You can also add minced garlic and any kind of herbs you like for variety.  Wrap the potatoes in aluminum foil and put them over the hot coals or right on your grill rack.  They will take about 45 minutes so start these first.

For the Burger:

2 cups of re-hydrated TSP (textured soy protein.  Bob's Red Mill makes it and it's easy to find.  You just follow the instructions for re-hydrating on the back.  It's dehydrated Soy protein, a complete protein if you're looking, that has been dried.  The crumbles mimic meat, doesn't reduce like ground meat when cooked, and will remain moist)
1/4 cup oat flower (if you don't have any, put a 1/2 cup of whole oats in your food processor and mix until it