Upton's Naturals Recipe Blog

Chili (is Better Without Meat)

2012-01-12T15:53:00.002-06:00

This recipe for vegan chili came to us from Samantha, who says, "I love making dinner in the slow cooker in the winter...something about coming home to a warm meal you barely had to do anything to make it work." We agree!

2 packages of Upton's Naturals chorizo-style seitan
1 (16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16 ounce) can white beans (or black beans), rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 green pepper, chopped
1 small can of tomato paste
2 medium onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder

Put everything in the slow cooker for 10 hours on low or 4 hours on high. Enjoy! About 6-8 servings.

Butternut-Chorizo Mexisagna

2011-12-01T13:30:00.003-06:00

This amazing creation comes courtesy of Amey from Vegan Eats and Treats!

Butternut-Chorizo Mexisagna
serves 6

Squash Filling:

1.5 lbs butternut squash
2 tsp olive oil
.5 lbs red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced
(remove seeds for less heat)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp black pepper

Tomato Sauce:

1 lb fresh tomatoes, diced
(or 1 14-oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 tsp cumin powder
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp salt
Lime-Cashew Cream
1/4 c cashew pieces, soaked in water for at least 2 hours
1/2 package of silken tofu (6 oz)
4 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed

6 corn tortillas, cut into 2-inch wide strips
1 package of Upton's Chorizo Seitan!

Garnishes:

6 Tbsp Toasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
Avocado slices

Roast The Squash:
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut your butternut squash in half and wrap each half in foil. Put them on a cookie sheet and bake for about 50-60 minutes, until super tender when poked with a fork. Remove from oven when done. Unwrap, and once cool enough to handle, use a paring knife to remove the skin. (This step can also be done the day before.) If doing on the same day, turn the oven down to 375 F.

While the squash is baking, you can make the tomato sauce and the lime-cashew creme:

Tomato Sauce:

In a medium pot, add the diced tomatoes, cumin, oregano, and salt. Bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium for a simmer and cook for about 7-8 minutes. Once done, remove from heat and set aside.

Cashew-Lime Cream:
Drain the cashews and the tofu. Add the cashews, tofu, lime juice, salt, pepper and garlic into a blender and blend until super smooth. You may need to shove the cashew bits back down the side of the blender jar once or twice.

Once your squash is out of the oven, and the oven is heated to 375 F, you can make your squash filling.

Squash Filling:
In a large pot or skillet, add the olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Once warm, add the diced onions, and saute for about 7-8 minutes until golden and even a bit browned. Add the garlic and chipotle and saute one minute more. Add in the squash, and cook another 2 minutes or so. Use a potato masher if you need to, in order to get a mushy texture. Remove from heat and stir in the lime juice and pepper.

To assemble:
Lightly spray or rub some olive oil into an 8x8" baking dish. Put down 2-3 Tbsp tomato sauce in the bottom... and spread it thin around the bottom. It's just a tiny bit, that's okay. Now, add a layer of your corn tortilla "noodles." On top of that evenly spread out 1/2 of the squash mix. Then crumble on half of the Chorizo Seitan. Then add *almost* half of the remaining tomato sauce, and on top of that about 1/4 cup of the lime creme. Now, repeat: tortilla strips, the rest of the squash, the rest of the seitan, & most (but not all) of the tomato sauce. Then a final layer of tortilla strips, the rest of the tomato sauce spread over them, and then drizzle on some more lime-cashew creme all over the top. Tightly cover your baking dish with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Then, carefully remove the foil, and bake for another 15 minutes & remove from the oven. Serve garnished with a tablespoon of pepitas on top of each slice, and some avocado slices on the side.

Italian Wedding Soup

2011-09-02T13:35:00.002-05:00

Another delicious recipe from Vegan Miss!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients (for meatballs):

1 package (8 oz.) Upton's Naturals Italian-style seitan, finely chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup vegan Parmesan
salt and pepper, to taste
2 "eggs", made as directed by box instructions
1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 tbsp olive oil

Ingredients (for soup base):

8 cups vegetable broth
1 cup spinach, chopped
2 tbsp vegan Parmesan
pepper, to taste
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup couscous
2 tbsp olive oil

Recipe (for meatballs):

Mix all the meatball ingredients together in a large bowl.
Form into small to medium shaped balls.

Recipe (for soup):

Over medium heat in a pot, add the olive oil. Brown each side of the meatballs for about 10 minutes.
Remove the meatballs and set aside.
Add the remaining ingredients and cook for another 20-30 minutes.
When done cooking, place some broth in a bowl and add several meatballs.

Rombi con Salsiccia

2011-08-05T11:01:00.003-05:00

Here's another tasty recipe from one of our Chicago Vegan Chef Showdown contestants, Sarah McGowan! Rombi con Salsiccia, otherwise known as Rombi Pasta with Upton’s Naturals Italian Sausage-Style Seitan.

Ingredients

1 package Upton’s Italian Sausage-Style Seitan, diced
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion
1 and 1/2 cups chopped fresh basil, divided
1/8 cup chopped fresh oregano
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, or two cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (or to taste)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1-pound package rombi pasta (or any wide, flat pasta shape)

Preparation

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, heavy pot. Sauté seitan over medium-high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer seitan to a bowl and add 2 more tablespoons oil to the pot. Add onions and sauté until tender and brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chopped basil, oregano and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Momentarily turn off heat; stir in wine, turn heat back on and cook until almost absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add seitan and crushed tomatoes (including liquid). Cover and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 25 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, crushed red peppers (if using) and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; cover and simmer another 15 minutes.

(Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. If doing so, chill uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling, salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well; return to pot. (You can pre-heat your serving dish by placing it under the strainer when you drain the pasta.) Pour sauce over pasta; toss to coat. Add remaining 1/2 cup chopped basil; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to serving dish. Serves 8 to 10 as an entree.

Award-Winning “Cheese” and “Sausage” Ravioli

2011-07-28T11:06:00.004-05:00

Here's a recipe from Blythe and Meagen, the third-place winners in our first ever Chicago Vegan Chef Showdown! Meagen has a blog called Vegan Food Addict, which is also where the below photo came from. Pay her a visit and let her know how you liked the ravioli! This recipe includes two sauces at the end.

"Cheese" & "Sausage" Ravioli
Yields approximately 156 (1-3/4") ravioli

Pasta:
2 cups semolina flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups water

Filling:
1-1/2 cups roasted, unsalted cashews, soaked in water overnight then drained

1 large clove garlic

1/2 rounded teaspoon salt

1/2 - 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 package Upton's Naturals Italian-style seitan

Combine semolina flour, white flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Slowly add water, mixing until dough forms into a ball. Knead until dough becomes firm and smooth, approximately 5 minutes. Form into 2" round balls and place on a clean work surface underneath an overturned bowl for 30-45 minutes, allowing dough to rest.

Meanwhile, combine soaked cashews, garlic and salt in a food processor. Pulse to combine. Slowly add almond milk, 1/4 cup at a time, until mixture comes together. Continue to process for 1-2 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Add seitan and process an additional 30-60 seconds, or until incorporated.

Once dough has finished resting, check to see if it is sticky. If so, coat each ball with all-purpose flour and knead until incorporated and smooth. Repeat if necessary. Roll out a ball until 1/8" thick. Using a shot glass or something similar in size, cut as many 1-3/4" circles as possible. Using half of the circles, place approximately 1 teaspoon of filling onto the center of each. Using water, moisten the outer edges of each remaining circle, then place on top of the circles that have filling. Seal each ravioli by pressing firmly around the edges. Place finished ravioli in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Continue with remainder of dough until all has been used.

If consuming immediately: bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli and stir. Allow to boil for 2-5 minutes, or until all ravioli floats to the top. Drain and combine with your favorite pasta sauce.

If consuming at a later date: using the aforementioned cookie sheet, freeze ravioli in a single layer. Once frozen, place ravioli into a sealed container and store in the freezer until ready for use.

Creamy White Wine and Mushroom Sauce
Yields approximately 3 cups

3 tablespoons vegan buttery spread
1 cup chopped baby bella mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped shallots
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-2/3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup sauvignon blanc wine
¼ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and shallots, cooking and stirring often until mushrooms are tender and onion is translucent. Whisk in flour (mixture will be somewhat dry) and then add almond milk, whisking until smooth. Add wine, salt and black pepper and continue to stir until thickened, approximatey 1-3 minutes.

Marinara Sauce*
Yields approximately 5 cups

2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
¼ cup chopped fresh parsely
1 clove garlic, minced
6 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup diced white onion
½ cup syrah wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Combine stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, parsley and garlic in a food processor, processing until smooth, approximately 1 minute. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add onion, cooking until translucent, approximately 2-3 minutes. Add tomato mixture to saucepan along with wine, oregano, salt and pepper, cooking and stirring until heated through, approximately 5 minutes.

*Adapted from AllRecipes.com

Mexican Quinoa with Seitan Chorizo

2011-05-13T15:14:00.002-05:00

Here's a tasty new recipe from Matthew at Vegan Heartland! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2-3 tbsp oil
1/2-3/4 of a large onion - diced
3 cloves of garlic - minced
1 jalapeno - seeded, ribs removed, and diced
1 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper - diced
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cumin
1 package of Upton's Naturals Chorizo-style Seitan

Heat 1-2 tbsp oil in a large skillet. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and jalapeno. Saute the veggies over medium high heat until the onions have become translucent (about 7 minutes). Stir in the salt, black pepper, and cumin. Add in the quinoa and toast with the veggies for 2 minutes. Add in the diced tomatoes and broth. Stir together and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Allow the quinoa to absorb all the liquid, about 40-45 minutes.

In a separate skillet, brown the chorizo in 1 tbsp of oil. Once the chorizo has browned, mix with the quinoa and serve.

Chorizo & Mushroom Potato Skins

2011-02-24T10:54:00.003-06:00

This recipe comes courtesy of Lindsay at Cook. Vegan. Lover.

Yields 3 servings as a main, 6 as a side or appetizer.

Ingredients:

3 baking potatoes, baked at 350F for 1hr 15 min and cooled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4-5 button mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 package of Upton’s Naturals chorizo seitan
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3-1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese
Garnishes: diced tomato, arugula, thinly sliced green onions and my smoked paprika aioli from my latest e-book

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425F. Slice the cooled potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides just enough to stuff with 2-3 tablespoons of filling; place on a baking sheet and set to the side.
In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat; stir in the onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 3-4 more minutes. Stir in the chorizo, salt and pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes- vegetables should start to caramelize and everything combine.
Scoop 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into each of the potato skins; using all of the filling. Top with shredded vegan cheese- as much or as little as you like.
Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil- making sure to tent the foil so that the cheese does not stick ot the foil. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 5 more minutes until the cheese has melted and the potato skins are lightly brown.
Plate and garnish with your favorite toppings.

Spaghetti and Heart-Shaped Meatballs

2011-02-14T14:45:00.006-06:00

A perfect dinner for your Valentine any day of the year from the lovely Vegan Miss!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (for pasta sauce):

1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 large yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt, heavy pinch
4 sprigs thyme
1 tbsp fresh basil, chiffonade
3 fresh medium tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup red wine*
1 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes with herbs
1 tbsp tomato paste
pepper, to taste

Ingredients (for meatballs):

2 packages Upton's Naturals Ground Beef Style Seitan, crumbled
1/3 cup yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 tbsp vegan Parmesan*
1/2 tsp nutmeg
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
3 "egg" Ener-G egg replacer (follow according to box directions)*
1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs*
1/4 cup olive oil, for frying, add more if needed

Ingredients (for pasta):

6 oz. spaghetti, cooked by box instructions
fresh Italian parsley, to top
fresh basil, to top
vegan Parmesan cheese, to top

Recipe (for pasta sauce):

Sautee the onions and garlic in the olive oil and salt until the onions have sweat.
Add the diced fresh tomatoes, thyme, basil, and wine. Cook down until wine is reduced to half. This step may take about twenty minutes.
Lastly, add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and pepper. Simmer for about ten minutes.

Recipe (for meatballs):

Combine the first 11 ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix well.
Heat the olive oil in a medium pan.
While the oil is heating, shape the meatballs into heart-shapes.
On a plate, add the bread crumbs. Roll the meatballs in the bread crumbs.
Cook in the skillet until golden brown.

Recipe (for pasta):

To assemble, place cooked pasta on a plate. Top with the sauce and meatballs.
Add the parsley, basil, and Parmesan to the pasta plate. Buon appetito!

* Note: Make sure your red wine is vegan on Barnivore. I used Our Daily Red organic, vegan red wine. Vegan Parmesan brand I use is Galaxy topping. Ener-G is an egg replacer one can find in the baking area of health food stores. There are other means of egg replacing such as using apple sauce. For the bread crumbs, make sure to check they are vegan. Oftentimes, they will contain dairy. I used the Whole Foods brand, 365.

Chorizo Potato Skins

2011-02-10T12:05:00.007-06:00

We enjoyed these potato skins while watching the Super Bowl at home this past weekend. The amounts of chorizo, cheese, and sour cream will vary depending on the size and amount of your potatoes, so use your best judgement on how much to cook up and save the rest for another tasty recipe!

Ingredients:

Potatoes (I used Yukon Gold, but think Russets are more traditional)
Upton's Naturals Chorizo-style Seitan
Vegan Cheese (I used cheddar Daiya mixed with monterey jack Follow Your Heart)
Vegan Sour Cream (I used Tofutti)
Spray Canola Oil

Directions:

Wash your potatoes and then poke some holes in them with a fork. Bake them at 400ºF right on the rack in the oven until they are soft (time will vary depending on the size of your 'taters).
Spray some canola oil in a pan and add your chorizo. Spray a little additional oil on top and warm the canola. You can add a little water to the pan to keep the seitan from drying out and steam it as it cooks. Cook for about 5-10 minutes without letting the seitan dry out or get too crispy.
When your potatoes are fully cooked (they should give a little to the touch), take them out of the oven, cut them in half, and leave them for a few minutes to cool before handling them further. Once they are cool, scoop out the center of each half leaving about 1/4" of potato along with the skin.
Coat the potato skins on both sides with canola oil and put them back into the oven at 450ºF for 10 minutes. Flip them over and cook for 10 minutes on the other side. Make sure you use a sturdy baking dish at this temperature.
You're almost there! Stuff the potato skins with the chorizo seitan followed by your vegan cheese. Place the stuffed skins under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts.
Top your skins with vegan sour cream and ENJOY!

Jiaozi Dumplings

2011-02-04T14:07:00.004-06:00

From Alexis at Vegan Miss! Happy Chinese New Year!

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients (for dumplings):

1/2 package (4 oz.) Upton's Naturals ground beef style seitan, crumbled and cooked
1/3 cup napa cabbage, finely chopped
1/4 cup green onion, sliced
1/4 cup fresh shiitake mushrooms, finely diced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1/8 cup water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 package (16 oz.) wonton wrapper*
water, to close wontons

Ingredients (for sauce):

3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp chili oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp green onions, sliced

Recipe:

Cook the seitan according to package instructions.
In a large pot, boil water.
Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
Fill the wonton wrappers with a teaspoon of the filling. Using your fingers, wet the wonton wrapper along the edges.
Fold wonton and pinch to close.
Place 7-8 dumplings in the boiling water and boil for about 3-5 minutes.
While dumplings are boiling, combine the sauce ingredient in a small bowl. Mix to dissolve the sugar.

*Make sure your wonton wrappers are vegan. Many of them contain egg. I have a dumpling press, which is why my dumplings look so perfect in the picture. Same water around the edges applies when you use this too.

Loaded Nachos

2011-02-04T13:58:00.004-06:00

Another tasty recipe from Alexis at Vegan Miss! Just in time for the Super Bowl!

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes (with cheeze sauce)

Ingredients (for nachos):

1 (14 oz.) can vegetarian refried beans, warmed
cheeze sauce (directions below)
1/2 package (4 oz.) Upton's Naturals ground beef style seitan, crumbled
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
several dollops vegan sour cream
1/2 jar salsa
1/2 small onion, diced
2 stalks green onion, sliced thin
tortilla chips, to serve

Ingredients (for guacamole):

2 avocados, pits remove
3-4 limes, squeezed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/2 one poblano pepper, chopped fine
1/4 cup, fresh cilantro, chopped
salt, to taste

Ingredients (for cheese sauce):

1 large red pepper roasted, peeled, and seeded
3/4 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp tumeric
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
3 tbsp flour
1/4 cup margarine
1/2 cup beer (lager)*
1-2 tbsp cornstarch with 5 tsp water (combined)
soy milk (to desired consistency)

Recipe (for seitan):

Crumble your seitan and mix together the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder with it.
Brown in a non-stick pan on medium heat.

Recipe (for guacamole):

In a bowl, mash the avocados and add the lime juice. Mix.
Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.

Recipe (for cheese sauce):

Roasted red pepper on broil until it is soft.
Meanwhile, combine the rest of the ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.
Add seeded, peeled, roasted red pepper to cheese sauce mixture. Blend until smooth.
Pour mixture into pot on medium heat.
Add cornstarch and water mixture, bring to boil. Add the milk in slowly; depending on how thick or runny you want the sauce, add more or less.
Once boiling, lower heat and let simmer. Keep stirring the mixture.
Continue stirring until you pour.

Seitan-Stuffed (Wish-It-Was-Summer) Rolls

2011-01-10T12:53:00.009-06:00

Another recipe from Miss Rachel!

Just because it's snowing doesn't mean you can't make a tasty, healthy summer roll! To warm mine up, I've swapped the traditional tofu for Upton's Naturals' Traditional Seitan with Chinese 5-spice. Using traditional, fresh Asian flavors, this appetizer whips up in a flash and packs a flavorful punch.

Makes 6 rolls

Seitan Ingredients:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 8oz package Upton's Naturals Traditional Seitan, chopped
1 teaspoon diced ginger
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sriracha
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice

Roll Ingredients:

6 rice paper wrappers (and a few extra - they are delicate and you'll want more in case of rippage)
Prepared seitan (makes approximately 1 cup)
1/2 cup finely sliced cucumber
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup rice vermicelli, cooked according to the package, and the hot cooking water reserved
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped scallion (green part)

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a pan over medium heat and add the seitan. Coat well with the oil, then add the ginger and soy sauce. Brown for 5 minutes, then add the lemon juice, sriracha, agave and 5-spice. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, then remove from heat.
Take the reserved cooking liquid from the rice vermicelli and place in a wide, shallow pan (or just use very hot tap water). Submerge one rice paper wrapper at a time in the water to soften; about 15-30 seconds per piece.
Place the softened wrapper on a plate, and add 2 tablespoons of the seitan mixture, a few pieces of cucumber, 1 tablespoon of shredded carrots, 2 tablespoons (a big pinch) of rice noodles, then a light sprinkling of cilantro and scallion.
Gently and carefully roll the wrapper by first bringing sides over the mixture, then bringing the bottom up over the mixture and press down while rolling up.
Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce. I used hoisin and shriracha here, but peanut sauce would be great, too!

Green Posole Stew

2010-12-30T14:25:00.005-06:00

Submitted by Erica, who shared her recipe for Christmas dinner!

(Adapted from the cookbook "Viva Vegan" by Terry Hope Romero)

Ingredients:

1 pound tomatillos, husks removed, washed
2 Tbs peanut oil
1 package Upton's Naturals Traditional Seitan
1/4 cup pepitas
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, serranos or other green chiles, washed, sliced in half and seeded if desired
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro
1 1/2 dried oregano
1 tspn ground cumin
2 cups veg broth
1/2 cup mexican light beer or veg broth
1 15 oz can white beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can white cooked hominy, drained and rinsed
1/2 pound spinach, chopped

Directions:

Fill a large pot with enough water to allow the tomatillos to float, cover witha lid, turn heat to high and bring the water to a rolling boil. Add the tomatillos, stir them occasionally, and cook for 10 minutes or until the skins start to split and the tomatillos bright green color begins to fade. Use a slotted spoon to remove and tranfer them to a bowl to cool for about 10 minutes.
Heat 1 Tb of oil in large pot. Add the seitan. Saute until browned about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside. In cast iron skillet, toast the pepitas until lightly browned, about 4 minutes, and transfer to food processor or blender to finley grind, then set aside.
In a blender jar, pulse the cooled tomatillos with their juices, garlic, onion, chiles, cilantro, oregano and cumin to form a thick sauce. In the large soup pot, heat the remaining 1 Tb of oil over medium heat. Add the blended tomatillos and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce turns darker (no longer light green) and thickens slightly. Slowly stir in broth and/or beer, pumkin seeds and bring to a boil again. lower heat to a simmer. Add the seitan, beans and hominy. Partially cover and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in the spinach, partially cover again, and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add salt to taste.
When ready to serve, ladle into bowls and top with avocado, sour cream, tortilla chips, etc.

Movin' On Upt Chorizo-Stuffed Cornbread Pancakes

2010-12-20T11:12:00.006-06:00

Today's recipe comes from the lovely Miss Rachel of Miss Rachel's Pantry and, as breakfast food enthusiasts, we have to say that it looks DELICIOUS!

Too much fun to stuff into one pancake... makes 8!

Filling Ingredients:
1 8oz package Upton's Naturals chorizo-style seitan
2 teaspoon olive oil (canola is okay, too)- 1/4 cup crushed tomato (no basil, please)
1/2 teaspoon fresh garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon fresh jalapeno, chopped
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke (optional)
1 tablespoon Egg Replacer
1/4 cup your favorite melty vegan cheese
1 pinch of salt
Oil for pan-frying

Pancake Ingredients:
3 cups soy milk
2 cups cornmeal, medium grind
1 cup unbleached flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons Egg Replacer- 1 tablespoon agave nectar (or 1 tablespoon sugar)- 1 teaspoon salt
Oil for pan-frying

Syrup Ingredients:

1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon finely diced jalapeno

Directions:

In a food processor, combine the Upton's chorizo, olive oil, crushed tomato, garlic, jalapeno and liquid smoke, and pulse 'til ground.
Transfer to a mixing bowl, then add in the Egg Replacer, vegan cheese and salt.
Mix well, then create tablespoon-size patties (the batter will be slightly loose, but will tighten up when heated).
Place a pan over medium-high heat and pour in enough oil to lightly coat (approximately 1 tablespoon for a medium size pan). Once hot, add the patties and cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until brown. Set aside.
Next, heat the soy milk in a sauce pan until it boils.
While soy milk is heating, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, Egg Replacer, agave and salt in a mixing bowl.
Pour the milk over the dry mixture and mix well to form a thick batter (it should look like a thin oatmeal).
Heat a pan with oil like you just did for the patties, and pour the batter to make pancakes.
Once poured, lightly press a patty into the center of each cake, then top with more batter to hide the patty.
After 3-4 minutes, the edges will start to brown, and that's how you know it's time to flip. Unlike traditional pancakes, the batter doesn't really bubble to indicate doneness. Once flipped, cook for another minute.
Coincidentally, a minute is all you need to prepare the syrup! Imagine that. Simply puree the maple syrup with the jalapeno until the mixture is nice and uniform - maple-ly with little green bits.
Flip your pancakes onto a plate, pour with syrup, and enjoy the best savory-sweet breakfast, lunch or dinner you've had since you started on that mustache (which I hear takes awhile when it's not sent to you in the mail).
Then, all that's left is the eatin' part. Surprise! There's your chorizo patty! He was there all along.

Empanadas al Horno (Chilean Turnovers or Meat Pies)

2010-12-09T15:30:00.007-06:00

Another great recipe from Noelle at An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

makes 10-12
Veganized and adapted from The South American Table

Masa (Dough) Ingredients:

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup Earth Balance, cut in pieces
1/4 cup all-vegetable shortening (Spectrum)
3/4 cup warm almond milk (or non-dairy milk)

Masa (Dough) Directions:

In a food processor, put the flour, salt, and baking powder and with a fitted steel blade pulse for 5 seconds.
Add the shortening and Earth Balance and process ntil the mixture looks like coarse meal, about 15 seconds.
While the machine is running, pour the milk through the feed tube in a steady stream and process until the dough almost comes together into a ball. Remove from bowl and knewad a few times and let rest for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pino or the seitan filling.
Roll dough into a long log and cut dough into 10-12 pieces.

Relleno (Filling) Ingredients:

8 ounce package Upton's Nautrals Ground beef-Style Seitan
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, chopped (about 2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup vegetable broth1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
12 pitted black olives
1/4 cup seedless black raisin, soaked for 5 minutes and drained

Relleno (Filling) Directions:

Heat olive oil in a medium frying pan and saute' onions for 5-7 minutes until transparent.
Add seitan and garlic and cook for 5 more minutes.
Add seasonings and cook for 3 more minutes.
Add vegetable broth and simmer until liquid almost evaporates (5 minutes).
Add arrowroot powder to seitan mixture and cook until mixture thickens.

Assembly:

Take one piece of dough and roll into a 6-inch circle.
Add 1-1 1/2 Tablespoons of seitan filling.
Add a few raisins and one black olive.
Take one side of the dough and bring to the front side of dough to enclose the filling sealing the ends and folding the excess dough and sealing upwards.
Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat with the rest of the dough.
"Egg" wash over the empanadas. 1 Tbsp arrowroot powder w/ 2 Tablespoons water. Mix well and brush over the tops of each empanada.
Bake for 20 minutes and remove from oven and turn each empanada over and baking on the opposite side for 5 minutes. This is will brown the tops a little.

Eat slightly warm and serve with Pebre or my grandma's secret chimichurri sauce. Enjoy!!

Shephard’s Pie Stuffed Portobello

2010-11-22T14:15:00.005-06:00

One more from the lovely Vegan Miss.

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 large portobello caps, stems & "gills" removed
1 8-10 oz bag of frozen peas and carrots
1 lb red creamer potatoes, peeled & quartered
1 8 oz package Upton’s Naturals Ground beef-Style Seitan
½ onion, diced
Pinch of salt (to sautee onions)
4 cloves garlic
¼ cup vegan cream of mushroom soup
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vegan soy butter
½ cup almond milk
2 tbsp dried or fresh chives
Vegan Parmesan Cheese, as need
1-2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking seitan)
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

After potatoes are peeled and quartered, place the potatoes and garlic cloves in a sauce pan with water at least an inch above potatoes. Salt and bring to a boil.
Once the potatoes are soft enough to stick a fork into and they break apart, remove from heat and strain the water. In the sauce pan or a separate bowl, add the boiled potatoes, soy butter, almond milk, and chives. Mash to a smooth consistency.
While potatoes are boiling, start to prepare the filling. Heat a skillet with the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and pinch of salt; sweat until the onions are translucent. Next, crumble the seitan into the skillet and brown. Time to add the peas and carrots. Add the peas and carrots to the skillet and cook until tender.
While the vegetables are cooking, preheat the oven to 375°F.
In a cup, mix the cornstarch and cream of mushroom soup until the cornstarch is evenly mixed. Add to the seitan mixture and stir until even coated. Cook for just a few minutes until the soup has thickened and remove from the heat.Using a spoon, start stuffing the mushrooms with the seitan mixture. Be sure to pack the mixture in so that all the gaps are filled. Top the mushrooms with the mashed potatoes liberally; you are basically sealing the stuffing in. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over the top and place in the oven to 10 minutes on the top rack.
After 10 minutes, place the oven on broil and let the tops brown, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Biscuits and Gravy

2010-11-19T18:02:00.010-06:00

More comfort food from Alexis at Vegan Miss!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (for biscuits):

2 cups flour*
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup almond milk (+ 1 tbsp)*
1/4-1/3 cup soy butter
1 tsp distilled white vinegar*
1 tbsp vegetable oil

Ingredients (for gravy):

3-4 tbsp soy butter
2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 small white onion, chopped finely
1/2 cup Upton's Naturals Italian Sausage-Style Seitan (1/2 package), crumbled well
1/2 large red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup crimini mushrooms, chopped
4-5 tbsp all-purpose flour
1-1 1/2 cup almond milk, more to taste*
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sage
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground corriander
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tbsp nutritional yeast

Recipe (for biscuits):

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in one bowl. Place in the fridge.
Combine the almond milk and the vinegar in a bowl. Place in fridge and let sit alone for at least 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Combine the almond milk mixture with the dry mixture, then add in the butter. Do not over kneed! Combine to get most (if not all) of the lumps out but don't go over board. Only use a fork!
Place in the fridge until the oven is ready. In the mean time, grease a baking sheet.
In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp almond milk with 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
Form the dough into small balls and place on baking sheet. With a brush, lightly brush over the dough. This will give it a golden look when it comes out of the oven.
Bake for 8-12 minutes. Some ovens take longer. Check on them after 8 minutes and see where they are at. The biscuits should look golden brown with firm tops.

Recipe (for gravy):

In a skillet, add the soy butter under medium heat. Place the onions in the pan and stir-fry until translucent. Add the garlic, sausage-style seitan, bell pepper, and mushrooms. Cook until tender.
Add in the flour. The vegetable should look like a flour-y crumbled mess. This is good right now!
Next, add in the almond milk. If you do this step the other way around (adding the milk before flour), you'll get a lumpy disaster. Not good.
Add in all the spices and mix well. The gravy should be relatively thick, but not too much so. It also should not be like a dressing, thin. If too thin, combine a little more flour in a bowl, add soy milk, mix well (get those lumpy's out), then put it in the gravy. If too thick, add more almond milk.

* Note: It is incredibly important that the ingredients of the biscuit dough stay very cold before going in the oven. This is how they become fluffy. Make sure the dough stays in the fridge until you are ready to bake it! For the biscuits, I used all-purpose flour. Again, please use any non-dairy milk you prefer (for both biscuits and gravy). Instead of vinegar, you may also use 1 tbsp of lemon juice, if that is easier.

Deep Dish Pizza

2010-11-19T14:53:00.013-06:00

This recipe comes from Alexis at Vegan Miss. Thanks, Alexis!

Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients (for dough):

1 tsp sugar
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup finely ground yellow cornmeal
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp yellow cornmeal & flour (used to dust counter to roll out dough)

Ingredients (for pizza filling):

1 package Upton's Naturals All Natural Italian Sausage
1 package mozzarella flavored Daiya
1/2 package mozzarella flavored Teese, cut into slices
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 cup (yellow or white) onion, sliced
vegan Parmesan cheese

Ingredients (for sauce):

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp dried oregano1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a separate bowl, combine water, sugar, and active dry yeast to activate yeast and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
In a mixer, add the dry ingredients and mix on a low setting using a bread hook. When the yeast is ready, add it to the mixer with the olive oil. Let the dough form in the mixer until it forms a uniform ball and starts to climb the bread hook. (If you do not have a mixer, then combine the dry ingredients with the bowl of yeast, kneed until smooth.)
Remove and let stand for at least half an hour or until it doubles in size.
While waiting for the dough to rise, prepare the other ingredients. To prepare the sauce, add all of the ingredients in a sauce pan and let simmer on low heat until ready to use, stirring occasionally.
In a lightly oiled skillet, add the seitan and lightly brown. Prepare the mushrooms and onions now while you have the time.
Once the dough has risen, punch it down and then use the the cornmeal and flour to dust the counter. Form an even roll and cut in half. Lightly oil one half and place it in a zip lock bag in the freezer for another day.
Roll or press out the dough into a circle that will fit in a round, 9 inch cooking pan (I used a spring form pan for this). Lightly oil the baking pan and lightly dust with flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Place the dough in the pan so that it climbs up the sides to make a wall.
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Begin layering the ingredients. To keep it authentic, add the seitan sausage first, then the mushrooms and onions. Sprinkle a layer of vegan Parmesan cheese. Now for the cheese: add half of the Daiya for the next layer, being sure to spread it as evenly as possible. Then add the sliced Teese followed by topping it with the remaining Daiya. Sprinkle oregano over the cheese for a little added flavor. Add the pan to the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Remove and add a layer of the sauce. Place in the oven again and bake for an additional 5 minutes.
Remove and let cool enough that you can handle and remove from pan. Place on a cutting board, slice, and serve.

Chorizo Tacos

2010-08-20T10:24:00.004-05:00

Today's recipe for Chorizo Tacos was submitted by Sarah! She's indicated that the recipe is adapted from a Rick Bayless recipe and we think these tacos look delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 small-medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled and diced
Olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
1 red pepper, roasted and chopped (can also use canned chilis)
Fresh minced garlic
1 package Upton's Chorizo-Style Seitan
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese (we like vegan versions like Follow Your Heart and Daiya!)
Salsa
Guacamole
Chopped cilantro

Directions:

Steam or boil potatoes until tender.
Heat oil over medium heat, saute onion/potatoes until starting to brown
Add roasted pepper, garlic, chorizo - cook a few minutes more
Serve on warmed tortillas with your favorite toppings, guacamole is especially amazing!

Stuffed Portobello Seitan Burger

2010-07-22T10:00:00.006-05:00

Today's submission is an adaptation of a recipe submitted by Matt "the funisher" Franzen via email. Thanks, Matt! He says, "I just became a vegetarian and your Seitan is stacked up in my fridge. It basically rescued me from eating meat again! Just when i was about to cave in I discovered how great your products taste and am now totally satisfied with my vegetarian lifestyle. Thanks Uptons! I thought I would share a recipe with you that I first used your seitan with. It was at a BBQ and even the meat eaters thought it was great!! Totally original recipe from my brain!"

Ingredients:

Upton's Naturals Italian Sausage-Style Seitan
Portobello Mushroom
Olive Oil or Grape Seed Oil
Sherry
Minced Garlic
Tomato
Onion
Cheese (optional - we like Daiya or Follow Your Heart vegan varieties)
Toasted Bun

Directions:

Take a portobello mushroom cap and brush on olive oil or grape seed oil. Then pour a small amount of sherry into the portobello itself allowing it to soak up.
Stuff Upton's Italian sausage-style seitan (or whatever variety you prefer) into the portobello mushroom with minced garlic, and top with a thin slice of tomato, onion, and optional cheese.
Grill until bubbling and juicy.
Place on a toasted bun. I used an onion poppy seed bun. Beats most burgers that I have had and is completely delicious.

Lasagna in a Bowl

2010-07-12T12:00:00.004-05:00

aka "Lasagna Soup"

This recipe comes from Noelle, author of An Opera Singer in the Kitchen blog. We met Noelle at a demo in Ann Arbor, MI and she created this recipe and submitted it to our May 2010 Facebook recipe contest.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Upton's Naturals Ground beef-Style Seitan, crumbled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup carrots, diced
1 cup spinach, chopped (optional)
2 cups diced tomatoes, with juice
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 bouillon cube
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasonings
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
1 1/4 cups lasagna noodles, cut in 1/2 inch strips in width
1/2 cup Daiya mozzarella crumbles

Directions:

Fry seitan in 1 Tbsp olive oil along with onions and garlic for 7 minutes.
Add carrots and cook for 5 more minutes. Add water, tomatoes, tomato sauce, bouillon cube, and seasonings and bring to a light boil for 10-15 minutes.
The soup should get a little thick. Add the noodles and spinach (if desired) and simmer on medium low heat for another 10-15 minutes.
Serve while hot and top with cheese. Enjoy with a green salad!

Stuffed Shells Recipe

2010-07-02T12:29:00.007-05:00

Well after our post yesterday, Chef Kriss of Artfully Delicious was kind enough to send us the recipe for the tasty stuffed shells which were served at last weekend's Vaute Couture event! Enjoy!

Yields 24 Shells

Ingredients:

4 Packages Upton's Naturals Italian-Style Seitan
1 Large Zucchini
3 Cloves of Garlic Minced
1 Large Sandwich Tomato or 2 Plum Tomatoes
1/2 Pound Uncooked Spinach
1 Package of Fresh Basil
1 12 oz Box Jumbo Shells (ex: Barilla brand)
1 tablespoon ground fennel
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons pure cane sugar
1 teaspoon white pepper2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

Put packages of Upton's Naturals seitan into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Roughly chop zucchini into small 1/4 inch sized cubes - coat in 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil and place on a medium sized sheet of aluminum oil. Place on grill for 3 minutes. If grill is unavailable, place in oven at 375 for 5 minutes. Once finished, mix into the bowl with the seitan.
Roughly chop tomatoes into small 1/4 inch sized cubes (comparable to zucchini) - place on a baking sheet and let roast in oven at 375 for 20 minutes. While tomatoes are roasting, mince garlic and add to baking sheet with tomatoes during the last 7 minutes of roasting. Once finished, remove the sheet from the oven and add both the tomatoes and garlic to the mixing bowl.
Place 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil into a medium sized pan and allow to heat on medium over the stove top - begin adding spinach leaves and allow to cook through until wilted. Add to mixing bowl.
Bring water to boil in a medium sized pot and drop in shells. Let boil for 9 to 12 minutes.
While shells are boiling, fold basil leaves together and cut into ribbons (a chiffonade) and add to mixing bowl. Mix all contents together thoroughly before adding fennel, cane sugar, white pepper and salt.
Empty shells into a colander once they are cooked through and run cool water over them to cool down. Transfer them to a medium sized bowl and add 1/2 tablespoon of oil olive. Lightly move and mix the shells around in the bowl to coat them with oil - this will keep them from sticking together while you're stuffing them. Be gentle in mixing so as not to break them.
Begin stuffing shells by placing one full tablespoon of filling into each until all shells are completed. Serve hot with fresh marinara, a light vinaigrette or on their own. They can be served as soon as they have been stuffed or can be chilled and served cold. Another great method is to place them in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes to bake before serving as well.

Stuffed Shells

2010-07-01T12:04:00.007-05:00

No recipe available, but you could definitely recreate this one with your own twist at home!

These stuffed shells were made by Artfully Delicious for last weekend's Vaute Couture event in Chicago. Chef Kriss tells us that they were made by mixing our Italian-style seitan "with grilled zucchini and garlic, roasted tomatoes and sauteed spinach with fresh basil." Sounds amazing!

Mediterranean Lentil Soup with Pesto

2010-06-28T13:16:00.008-05:00

Submitted by Megan Duke, the author of Down Home Vegan and the winner of the Upton's Naturals-sponsored Iron Chef Seitan contest in Minneapolis benefiting Animal Rights Coalition.

(Photo courtesy of bettyminx)

serves 8-10

Ingredients:

oil for deepish frying (vegetable)
2 packages Upton's Naturals Italian Sausage seitan (divided)
handful fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp olive oil
3 small or 2 large red onions, chopped
1 (14 oz) can fire roasted diced tomatoes with roasted garlic (Muir Glen)
2 (14 oz) cans fire roasted diced tomatoes with Italian herbs
2 tbsp minced fresh oregano
3 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained
2 quarts Not Chick'n chicken stock
sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

In a dutch oven or stockpot, heat the oil. When superhot, crumble in the first package of seitan. After browning for about a minute, throw in the fresh basil. When sausage is brown, remove with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels. Set aside.
Rinse out the pan, and dry. Heat the olive oil over low heat. Add onions, and cook and stir until softened but not browned.
Add the rest of the ingredients, taste for salt, and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes or until the lentils turn yellow and soft.
While the soup is cooking, make your pesto.
When the soup is done and cooled slightly, immersion blend until smooth or add to a blender in batches.
Stir in the other package of seitan crumbles.
Serve in bowls with a swirl of pesto and crispy sausage and basil bits on top with little baguette rounds.

Pesto Ingredients:

2 big handfuls of fresh basil leaves
2 cloves fresh garlic
1/3 cup walnuts
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional; I used it to get that rotten-cheezy flavor)
1/4-1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt

Pesto Directions:

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except the oil and salt and process, scraping down the sides.
While it's going, slowly pour in the oil in a thin stream until it gets creamy. You don't want it to stiff, because you'll be swirling it into the soup.
Salt to taste.

Summery Seitanic Polenta

2010-06-21T14:02:00.012-05:00

Submitted by Brandon, a contestant in the Upton's Naturals-sponsored Iron Chef Seitan contest in Minneapolis benefiting Animal Rights Coalition.

(Photo courtesy of bettyminx)

A simple, filling, yet summery dish. Though this version of the dish is pretty mild, you should feel free to add extra cayenne and make it as hot as you'd like.

Serves 4-6.

Tomato Topping Ingredients:

2 cups Roughly chopped tomatoes
1 clove Minced garlic
1 Tbsp Finely chopped flat leaf parsley
½ tsp Sea salt

Tomato Topping Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl, let cool.

Seitan Ingredients, where the magic happens:

1 Package Upton's Naturals Italian Sausage-Style Seitan
½ Medium onion, roughly chopped
1 Red bell pepper, cut in to strips.
1 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp Tamari sauce
1 Tbsp Lime juice
½ tsp Cayenne pepper (more if you like it spicier)

Seitan Directions:

Put the olive oil in a skillet and sauté the onions over medium-high heat until transparent.
Add in red peppers and continue to sauté for 5 minutes.
Mix in the seitan and keep going until it's warm, about 3 more minutes.
Add in the tamari, lime and pepper and heat until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Polenta Ingredients:

1 tube Polenta, cut in to discs (about 8-12, depending on how many you're serving)
2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil

Polenta Directions:

Heat up a skillet and add in ½ the olive oil, sauté ½ of the polenta discs for 5 minutes, flip, and sauté 4-5 minutes more.
Repeat for the remaining polenta.

Plating Ingredients:

Large avocado
Fresh basil leaves

Plating Directions:

Put 2 discs polenta on a plate, cover with some of the seitan, then tomato salsa.
Garnish with a slice of avocado and a couple leaves of basil.
Serve right away.

Sage Stuffing

2009-11-10T20:19:00.005-06:00

Submitted by Erika

Ingredients:

1 medium onion (diced)
5 medium ribs of celery (diced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp Earth Balance buttery-sticks
1 Tbsp chopped fresh sage (substitute 1 tsp powdered if fresh is unavailable)
1⁄4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1 package Upton's Naturals Italian sausage-style seitan
1⁄4 tsp sea salt
1⁄4 tsp black pepper
10 cups cubed bread (any variety)
2 cups vegetable broth

Directions:

Begin by spreading cubed bread out on a cookie sheet and baking it for ten minutes at 350. (Note: If the bread you're working with is stale or dry, skip this step.)
Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil. When oil is hot add onion, celery and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent and celery begins to soften, about ten minutes.
Crumble Upton's Naturals Italian-Style Seitan into the skillet and continue to saute until it begins to brown, 3-5 minutes.
Create a well in the center of the skillet and add earth balance "butter" and chopped sage, as well as salt and pepper. Stir to incorporate and saute 2 additional minutes.
Place cubed bread in a large bowl and add contents of skillet and broth. Stir.
Press stuffing into a 9" by 11" casserole dish, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 min. If you would like stuffing with a crispier crust, dot the top of the stuffing with a little more Earth Balance.

Sunday Night Seitan Stew

2009-09-28T15:42:00.006-05:00

Submitted by Erika.

Miso's savory fermented character makes this stew complex and satisfying. It's awesome for chilly nights. Serves four.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup minced shallots
2 large cloves of garlic minced
1 Tbsp Earth Balance margerine
1 package of Upton's Naturals Traditional seitan
1 pound cremini mushrooms sliced
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup red wine
2 cups of vegetable broth
2 Tbsp miso
2 Tbsp flour whisked into 1 cup of cold water
2 pinches black pepper
Mashed potatoes or creamy polenta to serve

Directions:

Saute shallots and garlic in margerine at medium high heat for 3 minutes in a dutch oven.
Next, add mushrooms, carrots, seitan, salt and 1⁄2 the pepper and continue to saute for 3-5 more minutes. Brown bits should be sticking to the pot add the wine and use your spoon or spatula to dislodge them. Allow sauce to reduce for five minutes.
Add miso, vegetable broth and reduce heat. Allow stew to simmer until carrots are tender and sauce has reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
Add flour slurry and stir to incorporate. Cook for five more minutes, stirring constantly the thicker consistency can cause it to stick.
Serve over mashed potatoes or polenta.

Cremini and Seitan Stroganoff

2009-09-28T15:35:00.005-05:00

Submitted by Erika.

This stroganoff gets its creaminess from creamy homemade cashew cream rather than sour cream which makes it extra velvety and cholesterol free.

Ingredients:

1 package Upton's Naturals Traditional Seitan
1 small onion diced
1 pound Cremini mushrooms
1 cup vegetable or mushroom broth
1 Tbsp tamari
2 tsp olive oil
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp hungarian paprika
1 tsp black pepper
Your choice of pasta

Cashew Cream Ingredients:

1 cup raw unsalted cashews
1⁄2 cup of water
2 cloves garlic
1⁄2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the onion and sauté for five minutes, or until the onion is clear.
Add mushrooms and seitan, tamari and a pinch of pepper and continue to sauté until mushrooms soften and seitan browns.
Add tomato paste, incorporate and sauté for 30 seconds.
Add broth and paprika, second pinch of pepper and reduce heat and allow to simmer for ten minutes.
During this time combine cashew cream ingredients in a blender and blend until completely smooth.
After stroganoff has had a chance to simmer add cashew cream. Adjust seasonings to taste and add broth to thin if it's too thick for your taste.
Spoon liberally over pasta and enjoy.

Asian-Style Seitan and Broccoli

2009-09-28T15:32:00.005-05:00

Submitted by Erika.

Ingredients:

1 package Upton's Naturals Traditional Seitan
2 cups of broccoli florets
lots of yummy brown rice
1.5 Tbs of cornstarch
salt and pepper
2 Tbs minced garlic
vegetable oil
sesame seeds

Sauce Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tbsp vegan brown sugar
1tsp mustard
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
chili oil to taste
1/4 cup water
2 tsp of cornstarch

Sauce Directions:

Combine all but the last two ingredients and stir until homogenized.
Mix the last two ingredients separately before combining with the rest of the sauce.

Directions:

Toss seitan in cornstarch and salt and pepper. Sauté coated seitan until browned (5 minutes). Remove from the pan and keep covered in foil.
Using the same wok or sauté pan sauté broccoli in vegetable oil with minced garlic and 1 tablespoon of water for 2-3 minutes or until it turns bright green and begins to become tender. Stir in the seitan.
Reduce heat to simmer and add the sauce you lovingly prepared. Allow the sauce to thicken (2-3 minutes) and serve over brown rice. Sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds.

Chipotle-Molasses Tavern Sandwiches

2009-09-28T15:17:00.005-05:00

A haughty version of the cafeteria staple “sloppy joes.” Submitted by Erika.

Yields two large sandwiches or four ordinary sized ones

Ingredients:

1⁄4 cup finely chopped onion
1⁄4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1 large clove of garlic minced
2 tsp canola oil
1 package Upton's Naturals ground beef-style seitan
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tsp tomato paste
1 chipotle minced
1 tsp molasses
black pepper
Yummy buns

Directions:

Heat canola oil in a non-stick skillet. Add onion and green pepper and sauté until onion softens.
Then add garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add Upton's ground beef style and brown.
Add remaining ingredients through black pepper and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
Heap on buns and enjoy.

Upton’s Vegan Chorizo-Orzo Salad

2008-11-26T10:58:00.002-06:00

Serves 4

Ingredients:

.5 lb. orzo
1 8 oz. package Upton’s Chorizo-Style Seitan
1 10 oz. can corn, drained
1 10 oz. can black beans, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbs. roasted red pepper, chopped
1 Tbs. fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
Salt, pepper, crushed red pepper to taste

Directions:

Follow cooking instructions on package for orzo.
Sautee seitan chorizo with garlic, red pepper, 1 Tbs. oil. When it begins to brown, add the corn and beans. Mix well and continue to cook for a minute or two.
Remove from heat and mix with cooked orzo in a large bowl.
Toss with 1 Tbs. olive oil, cilantro, salt, pepper & crushed red pepper to taste. Can be served hot or chilled.

Vegan Empanadas

2008-08-28T10:47:00.008-05:00

Yields 4 Empanadas

Ingredients:

1 ball (about 1.5 lbs) Whole Foods pizza dough (available at their pizza bar)
2 medium potatoes
1 8oz package Upton's Naturals Chorizo-style seitan
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup diced onions
1 Tablespoon Follow Your Heart Vegenaise
1 Tablespoon Earth Balance margarine
1 Tablespoon minced garlic
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut into 4 equal portions and set aside.
Boil potatoes until soft then mash with Vegenaise, Earth Balance & garlic. Fold in other ingredients and add salt & pepper to taste.
Scoop equal amounts of filling onto each piece of dough.
Roll it all up and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Vegan Calzones

2008-08-28T10:06:00.006-05:00

Yields 4 Calzones

Ingredients:

1 ball (about 1.5 lbs) Whole Foods pizza dough (available at their pizza bar)
1 10 oz can pizza sauce
1/2 cup diced tomato
1/4 cup diced onion
1 8 oz package Upton's Naturals Italian sausage-style seitan
1/4 cup shredded Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet mozzarella-style soy cheese

Directions:

Roll out the dough on a floured surface and cut into 4 equal portions and set aside.
Mix the other ingredients together in a bowl and scoop equal amounts of filling onto each piece of dough.
Roll it all up and bake on a greased cookie sheet at 350 for about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Vegan Bolognese Recipe

2008-07-09T20:16:00.006-05:00

Submitted by Erika.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Med. Onion
2 Med. Carrots
3 Stalks Celery, diced
2 Lg. cloves Garlic, minced
1 pkg. Upton's Italian-Style Seitan
1 cup White Wine
1 28 oz. can Crushed Roasted Tomato
1 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp. Thyme
Pinch of Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 cup Silk Soy Creamer (plain)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 Lbs. Penne pasta
Nutritional yeast or Vegan Parmesan

Directions:

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet. Sautee onion, carrot and celery until the onions are translucent - about 7 minutes - then add garlic and continue to sautee for 30 seconds.
Add the Upton's Italian-Style Seitan and continue to sautee until lightly browned - about 2-3 minutes.
Add the white wine to deglaze the pan, and reduce for a couple of minutes, allowing the alcohol to cook out.
Add crushed tomatoes, balsamic vinegar and spices.
Reduce heat to a simmer for the time it takes the penne to boil.
When the pasta has cooked, finish sauce with the Silk Soy Creamer. Ladle sauce over pasta and garnish with nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan. Enjoy!