FNF - pretzel-fried steak

Food Network Friday!

This month's veganized version for Food Network Friday, brought to you by Tami Noyes, is Aarti Sequeria's Pretzel-Fried Steak. She is the latest Food Network Star who is introducing Indian meals to Food Network's fans, but with a twist. This recipe, however, is not so unusual - it just sounds that way. The only real Indian aspect is the fenugreek in the flour mixture and the mango-chutney gravy. The pretzel is unusual, but not in an Indian way. 

This is a country-fried steak, using ground pretzels as the coating instead of flour. Although I didn't find that the coating made too much difference in the crunch department, it was unique and the family loved it. Of course, the family loves it when I deep fry anything, be it kale or seitan.

Aarti calls for eggs in her recipe. I used to freak out about the coating adhering to the seitan or tofu during frying, but since last year, I have had the honor of frying a bunch of stuff - in fact, more so than I had in all my life total - and I can say with certainty that it is as easy as coating the ingredient in a non-dairy milk, sans eggs. 

In other words: flour, nondairy milk, coating. Simple. No need for anything complicated like flax meal (although it wouldn't hurt health wise!) or fresh cashew milk (as I previously claimed). Coat and let it sit for 15 minutes. Fry. Eat.

The gravy was good, but I was really craving the cream gravy.

I couldn't get away by not making mashed potatoes, but I did wind up making Aarti's side dish of Greens n' Beans, which is a recipe of greens coated with a cilantro pesto. I changed things up a bit by using parsley instead cilantro and substituting Brussels sprouts, green beans and oyster mushrooms for the kale and beans. So, almost everything got swapped.

As for the beef, I used a pressed tofu and a seitan recipe I am experimenting with. I did keep the whole experience gluten free, which is why I also made the tofu. Gluten Free pretzels can taste like twigs or like pretzels. After eating our way through Whole Foods' snack section, the family chose Glutino. This is a delicious, albeit expensive, brand.

Food Network Friday is open to anyone who would like to join in the fun, so get over to Tami's site and get cooking!

Cost Breakdown

seitan, tofu: $5

flour (GF), pretzel (GF), soy milk: $3

spices, seasonings: $1

potatoes: $3

chutney, onion, stock: $2

Brussels sprouts, mushroom, green beans: $7

parsley, almonds, oil: $3

Total to make 6 servings:

$24.00 

  

crepes with shiitaki and cabbage

Crepes make great desserts, but they also make wonderful savory dishes.

Finding a vegan crepe recipe seems to have garnered quite a bit of headache as I've read many recipes where the authors try valiantly to create a vegan crepe.

 Honestly I don't understand all the fuss.

As a Hungarian, crepes were a dessert staple at our home, made with the eggs that most crepes call for. However, having been around a few crepes in my lifetime, the crepes I made for this meal were just as thin, as light, as tender as any made with eggs - and much simpler. You really only need flour and water. I used whole wheat pastry flour for these.

When making your crepe just keep your pan medium-hot but not burning hot and tilt the pan as you pour in the batter to get the thinnest possible crepe. I used a well-seasoned cast iron pan and had no difficulty. I brushed on a very thin layer of oil to keep them from sticking and when the edges were dry and curled up, flipped it.

I stuffed these with sauteed shiitaki and Brussels sprouts and baked them with a bechamel sauce.

I then finished them by topping them with sauteed red cabbage.

The CSA box got quite a workout and the crepes were delectable.

Cost Breakdown

flour: $1

vegan milk: $1

Brussels sprouts, garlic, onion: $3

cabbage: $2

shiitaki: $4

Total to make 10 crepes:

$11.00

Crepes Recipe

brussels sprouts with smoky beans

Burritos or wraps are probably the most difficult foods to appetizingly photograph, so it must be known that these wraps were delicious. Sauteing sprouts are my favorite way to make them - add a little minced garlic close to the end of the cooking time and you are all set. Just don't cook them to a mush.

Having sprouts in a burrito for me would be complete (call me a cabbage head), but I wanted to add some protein for the kids. Kate requested a bean burrito to begin with, so that is where the dish lead. Some pinto beans, diced onions and smoked paprika (Amazon has a great deal on one - I've been looking for months for it) and the beans take on a different flavor from their Mexican cousins.

Quick, tasty and incorporating Brussels Sprouts - what more can there be?

Cost Breakdown:

sprouts: $3

beans: $2

tortillas: $1.50

spices, onion, garlic: $1

Total to make 4 burritos:

$7.50

On a total tangent, I have been wanting to blog about candles. Not food, I know, but I saw Tami talking about these candles on Vegan Appetite and I bought a few. The owner, Mike Hipp, has not contacted me to promote for him, but I love these candles. I used to be a Yankee Candle gal, but these soy candles blow them out of the water.

Anyway, take a look at Soy Candles by Phebes if you are interested in holiday or other candles. The scents are amazing and he has a ton of variety. He is very quick and he makes them himself. I've ordered three times from him in the last six months and have been very pleased.

As you can tell by the lack of advertisement on this blog, I don't promote lightly. But I love a good product and when that business is run by a vegan, I kind of want to get the word out.

This is most likely the last non-food related post I'll do, so enjoy it!

brussels sprouts saute

My hubby and I picked up a stalk of Brussels sprouts at Whole Foods this week to show the kids how they grow. I don't have them in the garden, so this was second best.

After all of the amazement settled down, it was time to cook them.

I made a very simple Brussels sprouts saute with orange bell peppers and pinto beans. I love slightly caramelized sprouts with just a dash of salt. So utterly delicious!

The versatility of sauteed vegetables is enormous. They can be eaten plain - what I did - or tossed with a pasta or rice or any grain. Adding a little water at the end of the sauteing cooks the sprouts to perfection and leaves a little broth to moisten the pasta or grain. A few cloves of minced garlic and a pinch or two of crushed chili flakes elevates this dish to completion.

Cost Breakdown:

Brussels: $3

beans: $2

pepper, onion, garlic: $1.50

spices: $.25

pasta: $2

Total to feed a family of five:

$8.75