Cider Roasted Veggies, Sauce Returns, Gobbler Slices

Just a few notes from ages ago.

My friend Denise came over to cook dinner and brought it to my attention that the lemon tahini sauce that goes with this braised tempeh recipe is really magical.  Although we made the tempeh as well, I ended up putting the leftover sauce on everything, including the roasted veggies we made.

Cider Roasted Veggies, shown with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

potatoes, carrots, onions, etc., washed/peeled/trimmed

3 TB extra virgin olive oil
3 TB apple cider vinegar
1 c natural apple cider
1 TB agave, honey or brown sugar

salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to HOT (375? 400?).  Place veggies in a large oiled baking dish; pour olive oil, cider, vinegar, and agave over them and mix.  Sprinkle herbs, salt, and pepper on top (to taste), and mix again.
2. Cover with foil; cook 40(?) min.  Uncover and cook 15(?) min more, until most of the liquid is gone and the veggies are cooked but not mushy.

***

I also, ages ago, made these gobbler slices from Vegan Appetite.  I was excited about the idea of making some kind of delicious natural lunchmeat, and about using wheat gluten to make something, steamed like the sausage in vegan brunch.

But I didn't really like them.  I think it was the texture more than anything; I just couldn't really place it in the context of something natural.  I think that if you panfried a slice before putting it on a sandwich it would probably be better, adding a chewiness and a coherence to what's presently just kind of mushy.

Gobbler Slices

(from vegan appetite)

Ingredients

1/2 cup (91 g) cooked navy beans

1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine

1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable broth

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried parsley

3/4 teaspoon dried sage

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon celery seed

1 1/4 cups (180 g) vital wheat gluten

1/4 cup (30 g) nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons (15 g) garbanzo flour or soy flour

2 tablespoons (24 g) instant tapioca

One 12-inch (30-cm) piece of foil

Instructions

1. In a blender, combine the navy beans through (and including) the celery seed. Blend until smooth.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the gluten, yeast, garbanzo flour, and tapioca. Pour the liquids into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork. Add an additional tablespoon of broth (15 ml) or gluten (9 g) if needed to make a soft, workable dough. Knead a few minutes, squeezing to be sure all ingredients are combined.
3. Transfer to the foil. Form into a roll about 6-inches (15-cm) long. Roll the foil around the mixture, twisting the ends to enclose the mixture. Prepare a steamer. Steam the roll for 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool completely before slicing thinly, using a sharp, serrated knife and cutting in a seesaw motion. Store leftovers tightly wrapped in the fridge, for up to one week or freeze airtight.  Yield: 1 roll (20 ounces, or 573 g).