Pig on a Stick

Foods on sticks are sorely lacking from the vegan diet

This recipe isn’t too over the top for Paula Deen.   http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pig-on-a-stick-recipe/

That being said, I chose this because of the use of the word pig, as opposed to pork as a descriptor.  At first I thought it just made the food sound crude and vulgar, but at the same time, that is what you are eating if you follow the original recipe.  To actually call meat by its animal name, instead of some euphemism is almost  admirable.

More admirable than that, is replacing the meat entirely.  This recipe features homemade seitan, after it has simmered on the stove for an hour.  Any recipe will do although if it is a particularly bland seitan, it may be fun to put the marinade ingredients directly into the dough, adjusting the amount of liquid needed to compensate.  I always use the Vegan with a Vengeance seitan recipe, which uses vital wheat gluten.  The recipe is on the ppk http://www.theppk.com/recipes/dbrecipes/recipe.php?RecipeID=112

Seitan on a Stick

Ingredients:

• 1.5-2 pounds seitan
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 1TBS olive oil
• 3/4 cup broth leftover from simmering your seitan
• 2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
• 1 TBS Jerk Seasoning, recipe follows
• Carribean Dipping sauce, recipe follows

1. Cut simmered seitan into long thin strips, about 2 x 4 inches and place in large ziploc bag or on a dish to marinate.
2. To make the marinade combine soy sauce, olive oil, broth, garlic and jerk seasoning.  Pour marinade over seitan and allow to sit for 1-3 hours.
3. Soak 2 dozen wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.
4. Once seitan is marinated, thread onto skewer in an S shape if possible, otherwise thread onto skewer lengthwise.
5. Preheat broiler and lightly spray a broiler pan with no-stick spray.
6. Broil seitan for 3-4 minutes, flip and broil an additional 3-4 minutes.  Watch carefully to ensure that it doesn’t burn.
7. Serve warm with dipping sauce

Jerk Seasoning

• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp thyme

1. Combine all ingredients until well mixed.

Carribean Dipping Sauce

• 1 TBS olive oil
• 1 serrano chile pepper
• 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 1 (18 ounce) jar orange marmalade
• 3 TBS fresh lime juice

1. In a medium saucepan warm olive oil over medium high heat, add chile pepper and ginger and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
2. Reduce heat to medium low and add remaining ingredients, simmer for 5 minutes until hot, stirring frequently.

Nutrition Info

• Calories: 381
• Protein: 38 grams
• Fat: 4 grams

Red Velvet Sandwiche Cookies

I love red velvet things.  The scary color, the hint of chocolate.

I had soy free aspirations for these cookies, but my homemade almond creme of pulverized almonds whipped with water and arrowroot made the filling too soft.  Having made two variations of these diabetes bombs in one week, I didn’t want to try for a third time.  At some point in the future, I may perfect the soy free variation, and I will post it.  For now they use a very basic cream cheese frosting, with the addition of almond extract, since I love almond things.

The original recipe states that it makes 12-15 sandwiches, but in reality it makes 6 or 7 if the directions for how big to make the cookies are followed.   The frosting recipe calls for 1 pound of cream cheese, 2 sticks of butter and 4 cups of powered sugar.  I do not think it is humanly possible to use that much filling for that small of an amount of cookie.  Perhaps this means that Paula Deen isn’t human?  Discuss.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/red-velvet-sandwich-cookies-recipe/index.html

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies with Almondy Creme Filling

Makes 10 or so sandwiches.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper (these suckers like to stick, this step is important)

Cookies

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 TBS cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 TBS finely ground flax seed
• 5 TBS rice or soy milk
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 TBS red food coloring

1. In a large bowl, whip together the sugar and oil until well combined.
2. Whip in the ground flax, milk, apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract and food coloring.  Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
5. Use an even 1 tablespoon measurement to drop cookie dough onto parchment lined cookie sheet.
6. Bake for approximately 10 minutes.  Allow cookies to cool slightly on the sheet before placing cookies on cooling racks.  Do not frost cookies until completely cool.

Frosting

• 1/4 cup Tofutti cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance buttery spread, room temperature
• 2 cups powder sugar
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat the cream cheese and earth balance together until fluffy.
2. Add the powdered sugar in 1/2 cup measurements until desired stiffness.  You may need more or less powdered sugar than the recipe calls for.
3. Add vanilla and almond extract.
4. Gently frost cookies and form sandwiches.