Sunday, November 26, 2017

Thanksgiving Celebration Roast




The Celebration Roast


There have been a lot of questions about the celebration roast I made for Thanksgiving.

Full disclosure, I got the recipe from another blog, Mouthwatering Vegan, and yes I made a few adjustments.

It is a three-step process that begins as a savory dough.  You’re making seitan.  The dough consists of vital wheat gluten flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill), beets, nutritional yeast, dried mint, onion powder, soy sauce, olive oil, tahini, miso.  

After mixing the dough you mold it into a shape.  Mine looked like a big brain.  I then simmered it for an hour in a broth of water, wine, soy sauce, rosemary, sage.  I wrapped it in cheese cloth to be sure it wouldn’t fall apart.  It’s pretty dense.  It probably wouldn’t have fallen apart but better safe.  Then I removed it from the broth and let it cool.  At this point it really looks and feels like some kind of sports ball.  You really want this to simmer NOT boil.

Next step.

Cut holes in the thing and stud it with garlic.  Put it in a Dutch oven and surround it with roasting vegetables of your choice.  I had onions, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, parsnips, mushrooms, more garlic, lemon slices and some preserved lemon.  Shove in some rosemary sprigs and sage and some whole garlic bulbs cut in half.  Do I have to tell you to put some salt and pepper in there?  I think not.  Just do it.

Into the blender place a few pitted dates, fresh mint, lemon juice, more preserved lemon and its juice, pepper corms, olive oil, more soy sauce and garlic, miso and oregano.  Blend it up.  Pour some of this slurry over the “meat” and put it a preheated 350 degree oven.  

I started it covered then removed the cover after half an hour or so.  I probably roasted it for an hour and a half pouring more slurry over the roast every 20-25 minutes.  What was left of the slurry made a good gravy but there wasn’t much of it.

Speaking of gravy, I recommend a good mushroom one for the finished product.  I make a mushroom-miso-mustard one that rocks.
Regarding seitan, there are lots of recipes out there for different veggie “meat” dishes.  I will be experimenting with some sandwich slices too because the ones at the store are expensive and mostly processed unless you’re buying Field Roast, or Uptons.  More on that later.






Saturday, November 11, 2017

Golden Milk Morning Concoction

In September I promised my yogis at Red Hook Pilates that I’d share with them the recipe for my morning concoction which consists of golden milk paste, maple syrup or honey, almond milk and tea or coffee.

It took a while, but I have finally documented the process for them and anyone else who would like to know.

My son thinks I should have prettied myself up a bit for this video but, hey, sometimes you just gotta keep it real.

Turmeric has been touted for its anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antibacterial properties.  It has also been credited for curing all kinds of afflictions from cancer to Alzheimer’s.  Some of these benefits I believe, others not so much, obviously.  Honestly, I don’t know if feel better or my health has improved as a result of my making turmeric beverages almost every morning for the better part of a year but I don’t care.  I think this stuff tastes great and if improved health is the result then so be it.

One more word to the wise, turmeric requires pepper to be effective so make sure that you include it.  Coconut or another oil will also be helpful for absorption as turmeric is fat soluble.  

Enjoy,


Primula Cerebri