Making a vegan party cake in a pinch... and a little info on breast cancer prevention too!

Yeah, that's right, this cake has "cleve" (cleavage). You probably don't expect to see breast cancer prevention in a post about vegan cake, but here it is! One of my staff recently organized a celebration lunch pot luck for a beloved friend and team member who was nearing her 10-year anniversary of being cancer-free, and it was a fun occasion to make a themed party cake as well as spread the word about prevention. What a great way to launch October, Cancer Awareness Month...

When I asked Mado if she minded sharing her very personal story with my blog readers, she answered of course, since it's rare we share and celebrate good news related to struggles with cancer. To learn more about her story, scroll to the bottom of this post. I've also included a link to learning about breast self-exams, early detection is critical so show your "girls" some support by checking them out regularly, or pass the link along to the women in your life...

And now a little about cake, specifically using packaged mixes to save time. Whipping up a party cake in a jiffy is challenge enough, but if you're hosting an event for someone with particular needs (ie, vegan or intolerant/allergic to dairy) it can be even more intimidating if you don't know that suitable products exist. You may not always have time or even know how to make something from scratch...the bra cake above was made with "accidently vegan" Duncan Hines products. Simply use egg replacer when making your cake mix!

Great resources for foods suitable to vegans and those with dairy intolerance/allergies:
http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/accidentally-vegan.aspx
http://www.isitvegan.com/2011/07/05/are-any-duncan-hines-cake-mixes-or-frostings-vegan/

Breast self-exam, check out your girls on a regular basis!

http://www.bcsc.ca/files/breastselfexamcard.jpg

Madeleine's story - a celebration of life...

In was in 2000 when my husband was taking a nursing course. This section happen to be on how to do a breast exam and that night decided he would practice what he had learned that day and discovered I had a lump. The next day I made an appointment to see my family doctor.  As a result of my first appointment, because I never had lumps before, my doctor indicated that it was most likely normal. As I was close to my menstrual cycle, she asked me to wait about 2 to 3 weeks after it was finished and if it was still there, to make a second appointment to which I had to do. She decided to send me for an ultrasound to which I did. As the lump was a certain size, they decided to remove it and have it tested. They removed the lump and no cancer was present at that time, however, the tissue was a little yellow, thus, to be on the safe side, they decided to take more tissue out. It was successful  as they were able to confirmed to me that no cancer was present.

One month after my daughter Bryanna turned one years old, I noticed another lump at the same place. I had to go through an ultrasound, as they did not like what they saw, sent me right away for a mammogram that same day. At that time, they decided to remove the lump and this time it was cancerous. About two weeks later had to go through another surgery and this time removed over 30+ lymph nodes. On this happy note, the cancer had not spread and was located only were the lump had been removed. In light of this, as I was in the first stages of breast cancer, I had to visit a Radiologist and Chemotherapist at the Cancer Centre at the General Campus. They recommended radiation and for chemo, it was not at must, however, as this was not the first time I had lumps and could have more that was not detected, I decide to make that treatment as well.

I received my first chemo treatment one week before X-Mas of 2001 and lost my hair within the first few days. I had to receive 5-6 treatments every three weeks or so, depending if my sells were back to its normal strength. I was very nauseated. My first treatment was not so bad and was spending a couple of hours at the Cancer Centre, however, as the treatment continued, it got worse and by my fifth (5) treatment was spending most of my days at the Cancer Centre because they had to give me medication before and after treatments for nausea, than, to come my nerves and to flush out what needed to be removed from this treatment. Had lost of problems placing the intervenes to which had to put warm towels to help my veins get to the surface. Even thru these treatments managed to still go to work, however, by the fourth (4) treatment, could only work about two (2) days a week. Once finished, I started radiation in May 2002 and had to go three (3) times a week for a period of four (4) weeks. I was lucky, as some people loose their appetite and burns very easily to which I didn't.

The only thing that I have been experiencing with all this ordeal, is that I have lost feeling under my right armpit and sometime, when my arm is swelling and hurting, I have to wear a special arm band to help reduce these systems. Also, I've gone through several cellulites episodes in the last three (3) years to which had to get a central line put in to be able to give me my antibiotics through intervenes.

I can honestly tell you, with all the positive support from my husband, my girls Crystal and Bryanna, my mother, my in-laws and being positive myself, was able to survive this ordeal and do not wish this on anyone and I don't know if I could go trough it again.

I am getting close to celebrating my 9th years being cancer free. I have been blessed with a third daughter named Anastasya to which just celebrated her 7th birthday recently. It is very hard for me, every time I hear of someone been touched by this complicated disease, as it always worries me that it will come back.

Mado, 2010

Apple Spelt Biscuits

I needed something to act as a conduit for some jam-to-mouth activity. This biscuit served up just fine, caramalized ginger rhubarb jam made it safely into my tum-tum...

Makes 12 small biscuits.

1.5 cups white flour

1.5 cups spelt flour

1/4 cup margarine
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar of choice
2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup yogurt of choice

1 apple, peeled and grated

Put flours, margarine, salt, sugar and baking powder into a food processor. Pulse until margarine breaks up and a crumbly mixture forms. If not using a processor, simply use a large bowl and break up the margarine with a fork. Add in yogurt and apples, and pulse a few more times until a dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the container.

Turn out onto to a floured surface, and gently kneed for a minute. Roll out, cut into shapes. Please on a baking sheet that has been oiled with cooking spray. Bake for 18 mins at 350 degrees.

Per biscuit: 141 cals, 5g fat, 22g carbs, 666mg sodium, 3g fiber, 4g protein. (PRO12.9/9%,CHO83.2/59%,FAT45/32%)

Caramalized Ginger Rhubarb Jam

What started off as an accident turned into a delightful treat. I decided to be a little adventuresome and make a jam with crystalized ginger. I turned my back from the stove while the jam simmered, and started cleaning up a little - completely forgetting to check on the jam. The liquid had evaporated quickly, and the fruit was a little scorched to the bottom of the pan. I gave it a quick stir and taste, to discover it was now caramalized and taaaaaasty, I've never had a jam with a sharp ginger kick. Be careful, never take your eye off the jam like I did, but let this one boil down until it turns golden brown and starts sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Makes 5 x 125ml jars.

1/3 cup crystalized ginger, in small dice
rhubarb, thinly sliced - enough to make 4 cups
1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh or concentrate

1 cup raw or white sugar

1/3 pouch liquid pectin

Sterilize jars and lids using this method.

Put fruit, ginger and sugar in a large pot, and boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep a careful eye on the jam, let it boil down until the fruit starts to scorch on the bottom of the pan. Use a splatter screen if you have one, or put the lid on partway - the mixture spits as it thickens, so be careful! At this point, if there is foam on top you could skim it off, but frankly I didn't bother. Stir in pectin and boil 1 minute more. By this point, your jam will have darkened considerably, into a golden brown.

Remove mixture from heat, ladle into jars and process in hot water bath following these directions for 10 minutes.

Per Tablespoon: 39 cals, 0g fat, 10g carbs, 2mg sodium, 0g fiber, 0g protein. (PRO0.462%,CHO37.7/97%,FAT0.3/1%)

South African Frikadelle

In search of something new to make for dinner, I came across some interesting recipes for African cooking. Below is my veg version of Frikadelle, a sort-of meatball dish based on Boerewors sausage. Here I combine TVP and gluten for texture, and the spices used lend a delicate and unique flavour. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes...yum!

Makes 16 patties, enough for 4-5 servings.

1 faux beef bouillon cube

1 cup water

1 cup TVP

1/2 cup oats

1/2 Tbsp ground fennel

2 Tbsp coriander seeds

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp ground allspice

1 medium onion, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp Worcerstershire sauce

2 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

2 Tbsp of oil

Boil water and bouillon cube in a small pot, stir in TVP and remove from heat. Allow mixture to absorb liquid and cool a bit. Next put the oats and spices in a food processor and pulse for 30 seconds, or until oats and coriander sheets are crushed into small pieces. Add the onion, fresh coriander, garlic, balsamic and Worcestershire and process for 1 minute, or until onions are pulverized into small pieces.

Add the TVP to the processor, along with the wheat gluten. Pulse for 30-45 seconds, or until a ball of dough forms. Turn out on to a floured surface, knead for 2 minutes or until mixture is smooth and uniform. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then flatten into a thick burger.

Heat oil, and fry in batches for 5-10 minutes. Flatten with a spatula as the frikadelle fries, remove when browned and place on a baking sheet that has been oiled with baking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with gravy and mashed potatoes. 

Per patty: 100 cals, 1g fat, 7g carbs, 43mg sodium, 2g fiber, 17g protein. (PRO66.2/66%,CHO29/29%,FAT4.6/5%)

Strawberry Rhubarb Jam

My first time making jam, and I'm so happy with how it turned out! I have a huge rhubarb plant in the backyard, just waiting to be turned into yummy sweet preserves.

I did some reading on how to cut back sugar in jams, and it turns out you can omit it altogether if you want to. Sugar does thicken your jam a bit, and add bulk, but it's technically not neccessary - unless you are using pectin, and then you need to keep your sugar and pectin at the correct proportions or the pectin will have no effect in thickening the jam. So, I ended up keeping the proportions, but simply cut back on both. My jam was just sweet and thick enough, but lower in calories and more fruity-tasting than if I'd added the usual amounts of sugar found in standard recipes. This one comes in at 35 calories per tablespoon...

Makes 7 x 125ml jars.

 strawberries, tops cut off and mashed - enough to make 2 cups
rhubarb, thinly sliced - enough to make 2 cups
1 Tbsp lemon juice, fresh or concentrate

1 cup raw or white sugar

1/3 pk liquid pectin

Sterilize jars and lids using this method.

Put fruit and sugar in a large pot, and boil for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a splatter screen if you have one, or put the lid on partway - the mixture spits as it thickens, so be careful! At this point, if there is foam on top you could skim it off, but frankly I didn't bother. Stir in pectin and boil 1 minute more. By this point, your jam will have darkened considerably, into a glorious ruby color.

Remove mixture from heat, ladle into jars and process in hot water bath following these directions for 10 minutes.





Per Tablespoon: 35 cals, 0g fat, 0g carbs, 0mg sodium, 0g fiber, 0g protein. (PRO0.4/1%,CHO34.7/98%,FAT0.3/1%)

Steps for Making Jam

Last week I tried my hand at making jam for the first time. It went really well, and I was surprised by how easy it was, and how yummy. My recipes are reduced in sugar, in part because I'm looking to cut back on calories where I can but also because I love the natural taste of fruit, especially in a jam. Here are the basic steps and tools needed...

sterilizing: jars are first washed in sink or dishwasher, ensure all soap residue has been rinsed off. Bring a large pot of water to boil, I actually use my canning pot for this. Put jars in boiling water, ensure there are 3-4 inches of water to cover the tops, and boil for 10 minutes. Leave jars in water until you are ready to fill. Fill jars while jar and jam are hot, and if needed, wipe rims with a paper towel dipped in boiling water. Use the same method for your jar lids and screw bands, tongs and the ladle you'll be using to scoop your jam with.

canner: large deep kettle or pot with a rack or false bottom that keeps jars off the bottom of the pot, used to "process" jars in the "boiling water bath" method 

boiling water bath: fill canner with water, place jars in rack and ensure there is 2-3 inches of water to cover tops. Cover, and bring to boil. Set a timer for the allotted time required to process the jam or food being canned. Lower the heat a little, but ensure a boil is maintained, add more boiling water as needed. Note that some foods cannot be canned in this method, and require a pressure canner. Always consult the recipe carefully for canning instructions. 

tongs: use to lift lids and screw bands from hot water. In the pic here, you'll see a variety of tools for canning, I bought this set for about $13, it was really helpful.

wide mouth funnel: it fits inside the neck of the jar and keeps rims clean while filling with jam.

pectin: natural starchy substance found in fruit that causes jams/jellies to set. Not necessary in all recipes, but I found it helped create a smooth consistency. Available in liquid or crystal form.

  

 METHOD:

- put all jam ingredients into large cooking pot

- start the process of sterilizing your jars/lids/screw bands

- as jars/lids/screw bands are being sterilized, cook your jam

- the jam will be ready about the same time as the jars

   if not, bring it back to boil before filling

- remove a jar from the hot water, using sterilized tongs

- place funnel in mouth of jar, fill with jam, leave 1/4" header

- clean rim of jar as instructed above, if needed

- remove metal lid and screw band from boiling water

- place carefully on jar, tighten the screw band

- put jars in canner

- set timer

- remove jars once done processing

- listen for the lids to "pop", or check the tops of your jars, they should be concave (dip inwards) to show a tight seal has been achieved.

- any jars that have not sealed properly should be put in the fridge and used immediately

Caribbean Channa Aloo Roti

 

The second instalment of easy, simple-to-make recipes for my sister Denise! I first fell in love with roti on a date with the fine gentleman who is my now husband, aaaah, it was meant to be! He took me to a Caribbean Flavours, a great little place in Ottawa, which unfortunately is now closed. The food was amazing, the wait times were extremely long, but in the end it was worth it. Here is my rendition of channa aloo roti, a spicy chickpea potato curry wrapped in freshly grilled roti bread. Make it as spicy as you like and/or can handle...you don't want to suffer the shame of being served from the 'wussie pot' of mild roti filling made especially for people who can't handle heat!

Ok, Denise is already wondering how homemade flatbread is supposed to be 'simple', and I agree - if you're not inclined to make the dough, roll it out and cook it in a frying pan, then just make a side of rice and skip the bread altogether. The filling is simple to make, and while it doesn't look overly visually appealing, it would tase great on it's own with rice. 

Makes 4 servings.

If you do decide to make the bread, start it first as it needs to rest for about an hour:

1 cup flour, half whole wheat & half white
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive or vegetable oil, seperated
1-4 Tbsp milk of choice

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add enough milk to make a soft dough. Knead for 1-2 minutes on a floured surface. Clean the bowl, add the remaining 1 tsp oil, and roll the dough around in the oil to cover the surface. Put a clean towel over the bowl, and let rest for 1 hour while you prep the filling.

 

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

3 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp garam masala

1-2 large sprigs fresh thyme
1 onion, cut into small pieces
3-4 cloves garlic, minced or

1 can chickpeas, or enough cooked from dry to make 1.5 cups
2 medium sized potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/4" cubes
1 small scotch bonnet pepper, seeded and minced
note: wear plastic gloves or small baggies on your hands when handling the pepper, the juice will burn your skin!

salt to taste

Heat oil in a large pot, and add the turmeric, cumin, allspice, ginger garam masala and onions. Cook the spices over medium heat for a minute or so, until the spices become fragrant - be careful not to burn them! Add remaining ingredients to the pot, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes to brown the potatoes. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.

 

At this point, the broth should have reduced quite a bit. Take a fork to break up a couple of the potatoes a little, creating a thicker mixture. Season with salt to taste.

Assembling the roti:

Cut your roti dough into 4 pieces. On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough to a large circle, making sure it's no bigger than your frying pan. As the circle of dough rests, heat a tablespoon of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and swirl it to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Lay your circle of dough in the pan, and cook on each side for 2-3 minutes or until the dough puffs and is lightly browned on each side.

Place dough on serving plate, place a scoop of the channa roti filling in the middle and fold the sides to make a little bundle. Voila! Great served with ripe plantain grilled in a little olive oil, and streamed green beans sprinkled with oregano.

Per serving: 397 cals, 14g fat, 60g carbs, 601mg sodium, 11g fiber, 12g protein.  (PRO42.2/11%,CHO234/59%,FAT120/30%)

Buddha Rice Bowl with Ginger-Carrot Dressing

The first installment in simple, easy-to-prepare recipes for Denise – and all of you too, of course! This rice bowl comes from Aux Vivres, a wonderful veg restaurant in Montreal, Quebec. I’ve had the Buddha Bowl a few times…brown rice, steamed veggies, delicious Wafu carrot-ginger dressing, topped off with toasted pepitas. Yum!

So here’s the thing. This recipe has a few steps, but don’t be put off – the ingredients can be adapted to whatever you have on hand. Wait, did we just lose Denise? I hope not, this dish is soooo worth it. Don’t feel like making the homemade Wafu dressing? Fine…buy it or use the leftover sauces sitting in your fridge. Don’t want to marinate and grill tofu? Sure…buy something pre-made or use whatever leftover proteins you’ve got kicking around. You get the idea. And even better, Aux Vivres serves this warm rather than piping hot, which means if things cool down between preparation steps, no biggie.

And, if you’re still not convinced this is easy food to make, get your other sister to do it for you. I think both of mine will like this dish very much! Carrot-ginger Wafu dressing, by the way is amazing...check my lower-calorie homemade vegan version.

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 x 450g firm tofu

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sesame oil

1 Tbsp oil, for grilling the tofu

4 cups broccoli stalks

1 large or 2 medium carrots

3 cups spinach

1 cup sprouts

¼ cup pepitas

1 recipe Ginger-Carrot dressing

Start cooking your rice, follow package instructions. In the meantime, slice tofu into 2” strips, and marinate in soy sauce and sesame oil while preparing remainder of ingredients.

Get a steamer basket ready – if you don’t have one, a microwavable container, a little water and plastic wrap will do just fine. Slice your broccoli stalks into large pieces, or whatever size is desirable for you. Place them in the steamer basket and steam for 4-5 minutes or until just tender. While the broccoli is cooking, shred your carrots – no need to cook them, they’ll be used raw. Once the broccoli is ready, remove from steamer basket and add the spinach. Keep the lid off, and let the spinach wilt for a minute or two while you prepare the tofu.

Heat a grill or frying pan over medium-high heat, add your oil and gently place the tofu strips in the pan. Discard the remainder soy sauce, or keep it to drizzle over your meal if desired. Grill the tofu until nicely browned. Remove from heat and put aside while prepping the serving bowls.

Place ¼ of the rice in the bottom of each serving bowl, and arrange tofu, broccoli, carrots, spinach and sprouts on top. Using a dry pan, toast pepitas over low heat, and then sprinkle them on top of each serving bowl.

Serve each bowl with ¼ of the Ginger-Carrot Dressing, either on the side (I used a shot glass for the pic!) or drizzle over the entire dish.

Per serving: 413 cals, 15g fat, 53g carbs, 596mg sodium, 7g fiber, 19g protein.  (PRO68.2/17%,CHO211/51%,FAT133/32%)

Ginger-Carrot Dressing

This dressing is my take on Ginger-Carrot Wafu, a delicious sauce made here in Canada! My version is a little less creamy and sweet, but also contains less than half the calories...

Makes about 1/2 cup.

½ cup carrots, sliced

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

½ tsp sesame oil

1 tsp soy sauce

2” piece ginger, grated or finely minced

1 tsp garlic puree, or 1 clove finely minced

1 tsp mayonnaise of choice

¼ tsp succanat, brown or white sugar

¼ cup milk of choice

Boil or steam carrots until well done, then run under cold water to cool. Put carrots and remaining ingredients in a blender, puree until smooth. If you don't have a blender, mash the cooked carrots with a fork and use a whisk to blend all ingredients in a bowl.

Per serving: 30 cals, 2g fat, 2g carbs, 112mg sodium, 1g fiber, 1g protein.  (PRO2.3/8%,CHO11.6/38%,FAT16.2/54%)

Recipe challenge - feed Denise!

Denise, always serious.

Who doesn't love a challenge! One of my younger sisters lives in Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) teaching English as a second language. Denise is, shall we say, not inclined to cook for herself unless it is required to sustain life. She'd much rather just eat great food than actually go through the effort of cooking over a hot stove. 

Apparently in Vietnam, takeout is both a tasty and fairly inexpensive endeavour - but having the same dishes over and over can be monotonous. This past summer, Denise came home to Canada for a family visit armed with a list of healthy ingredients readily available to her overseas, and she's looking for easy recipe suggestions to bring back.

So help us out by submitting your recipe ideas!

Here are the guidelines:

1. The recipes must be short and simple, and ingredients must draw primarily from the list below.
2. Be sure to include ingredient quantities and instructions for assembling the dish. 

3. Denise has access to a stovetop range, and a toaster over - but no microwave or actual oven for baking in, anything baked or roasted would have to be done in her toaster oven.

4. Her list includes meat products because she's not vegetarian, but for the purposes of this blog, I will be adapting and posting the recipes as veg-friendly only.

If you've got a great recipe you think she'd be able to make, send us an email at cookin.from.my.kitchen@gmail.com

Please note that you will get credit for submitting the recipe, but that I will likely tinker with the ingredients to suit her tastes. I'm looking forward to trying some things cookin' in your kitchens!

                           

onions         kidney beans      brown rice     

garlic          lentils                pasta

zucchini      chickpeas           couscous

broccoli      white beans        flour     

carrots                                 spaghetti sauce

bok choy

green beans       tomatoes

limes                 green cabbage

broth cubes        cilantro/parsely

spices

Cold Thai Rice Noodle Salad

Rice noodles are the best - this salad is cool and refreshing! To round it out as a meal, sometimes I'll fry up cubes of tofu that have been marinading in soy or teriyaki sauce and add them to the salad. I add way more veggies than you'd normally find in this kind of salad, I find it adds bulk to the dish but with few calories...yummers!

Makes 4 servings.

1 x 250g package rice noodles

2 cups 2" pieces of thinly sliced carrots
2 cups 2" pieces of thinly sliced cucumbers (seeded if desired)
1/2 - 1 cup coriander leaves, roughly chopped
1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, roasted and chopped
1 green onion, thinly sliced for garnish

dressing:
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1 Tbsp sucanat or brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
4 Tbsp lime juice (or 1 freshly squeezed lime)
1-2 Thai red chilies, seeded and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Cook noodles according to package instructions, rinse under cold water until the noodles are cool. Mix all dressing ingredients, and pour over noodles. Let marinade for 20-30 minutes if time permits, the noodles will soak up the dressing and expand a bit. Divide up the noodles into 4 bowls, top with carrots, cucumbers, coriander, a sprinkle of roasted peanuts and sliced green onions.

Per serving: 357 cals, 8g fat, 65g carbs, 160mg sodium, 4g fiber, 5g protein.  (PRO15.8/4%,CHO270/76%,FAT71.4/20%)

Spicy Hickory Maple Seitan Bacon

Those of you who know me, know my take on faux meats. Aside from a torrid love affair with commercially-made faux chicken nuggets (oh my pretties how I long to smother you in hot sauce), I don't try especially hard to mimic the real thing - I'm more concerned with the experience of food. I miss sausages because my Dad used to cart home pounds of freshly made Hungarian kolbasz and hurka...stuffed in a suitcase for the flight home from Montreal to the Maritimes, I kid you not. It was passed around the table as something special, something we ate together. I miss ground beef because I miss burgers on the grill, not because I long for the flavor of cow. Hey, that`s just me, you do what you want. So when it comes to working with meat alternatives, yes, I do try to mimic the flavor to some extent - but let`s face it, nothing about wheat gluten could fool a carnivore into thinking it`s meat. Enjoy it for what it is; a high-protein, versatile addition to your cooking repertoire. And for those of us vegheads out there, it`s a way to connect with foods and experiences we long to recreate.

All to say, I`ve recently stumbled across several faux bacon recipes, and was intrigued by the unique pairing of red and white doughs to recreated the marbled effect of bacon. Hmmm...culinary challenge indeed. In creating this version, I decided to bypass the technique of blending in pre-prepared soy bacon bits for added flavoring. Really...blech if you ask me. I`m sure it tastes more like bacon, but I think we can do better than artificial bacon flavor additives. I decided to focus on the flavors of maple syrup for a little sweetness and pureed chipotle peppers for its rich smoky flavor and deep red color.

If you don`t care to follow the steps to make it look similar to bacon, mix everything in a bowl and carry on. Otherwise, check out this creative take on veg bacon. And when it`s done, go nuts...fry slices in a skillet or chop it into cubes and bake in the oven (think salad topping). I`m hungry all over again.

Makes a 19 oz loaf, approx 24 slices.

In seperate bowls, mix the following dry ingredients:

red dough                              white dough
1 cup vital wheat gluten        1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup soy flour                   1 Tbsp soy flour

1 Tbsp garlic powder              1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder     

1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt

In seperate bowls, mix the following wet ingredients:

red dough                       white dough

2/3 cup cold water         1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp cold water

1 Tbsp olive oil               1 tsp olive oil

1-3 chipotle peppers
     (pureed and try to remove seeds)
2 Tbsp maple syrup

1 Tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp liquid smoke

Mix together the white dough wet and dry ingredients, and knead for 2-3 minutes. Dust a clean surface with wheat gluten, and roll out the dough. Now do the same for the red dough.

Here's where you get to be creative. Layer the red and white doughs, cut them into pieces if necessary. In the bacon pictured, I alternated 3 layers of red with 2 layers of white. I used the final layer to cover the entire loaf.

Place a sheet of foil on a baking tray, and cover liberally with cooking spray. Place your bacon on the tray, and cover with another sheet of sprayed foil, oiled side facing the bacon. Place a plate or cutting board on top, and carefully balance something heavy on it - I used 2 heavy jars of peanut butter. Allow to sit for 30 minutes.

Remove your weight and cutting board, and bake in a 315 degree oven for 45 minutes. It may appear slightly underdone, and 'give' to the touch, but that's ok, you'll be frying up the slices later. Remove your foil for the last 15 minutes of baking, but be sure the top doesn't get too brown. Cool, then slice! If freezing, cover in plastic wrap and put in a freezer baggie.

Note: if you decide to omit the chipotles and black pepper to cut out the spice, replace with 1-2 Tbsp of water or tomato paste. Best used fried or baked - if used in a dish with a sauce, baked seitan will absorb too much liquid and be a bit smooshy...you could try adding at the last minute, but a smoky tofu-based 'bacon' would be best. Recipe to come  :-)

Per 2 slices: 83 cals, 2g fat, 5g carbs, 211mg sodium, 0g fiber, 11g protein.  (PRO44.8/54%,CHO20.1/24%,FAT18.5/22%)