Category Archives: Breakfast

Sausage – Vegan and Gluten Free

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Sausage holds a special place in my heart, but I stopped eating it years ago. I tried the commercial vegan brands but they are still very processed and not all that healthy. So I started looking for ways to make a delicious version of sausage that is still healthy.

A healthy breakfast is important but sometimes a smoothie or a bowl of oatmeal just isn’t that appealing. After doing some research, I found that our grandmothers had solved this problem back in the 40’s. It’s called oatmeal sausage. I’ve tried a number of different recipes and this is my version. Now I know that you can make something as hard as you want to, but I’m going for quick and easy.

Oatmeal Sausage

  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 1/2 cups oatmeal
  • 2 Tbs vegetable stock concentrate or powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground fennel
  • 1 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 cloves of garlic finely minced (or use garlic powder)
  • 1 Tbs (generous) dried onion flakes (or use onion powder)
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (if you like it spicier, add more)
  • 1/4 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper or to taste
  • 1 tsp (generous) mushroom powder (if you have it)
  • 2-3 Tbs ground flax
  • 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbs olive oil

The seasoning is totally up to you and your taste, so use your favorites and leave out anything you don’t like.

In a sauce pan, combine water (plus stock), all seasonings except flax. Heat for about 5-7 minutes. Stir in oatmeal, nutritional yeast, ground flax and cook until the oatmeal becomes very thick. Remove from the heat, cool, and then chill up to overnight.

When chilled, the oatmeal should be very thick so it does not pour from the pan. Stir in the olive oil.

Divide the mixture into even portions and form into balls. Then form patties. I used an ice cream scoop to keep the patties uniform but you can make them any size you want. You can also form some of the mixture into small sausage links. Chill for an hour.

For the sausage links, form the sausages, roll them tightly in parchment paper and again in aluminum foil. Roll tightly and twist the ends. Chill once more for about 10 minutes. When chilled, place the sausage rolls into the steamer and steam for around 20-30 minutes. Remove from steamer and briefly chill once again.

When the sausage rolls are chilled remove the wrappers and put on a tray and place in the freezer. When frozen you can put them into a ziplock and store in the freezer.

For the sausage patties, chill them briefly and then place in to a pan and lightly brown them in a small amount of oil. If you are going to eat them right away, just brown them thoroughly and serve. To store, place the lightly browned patties on a tray and place in the freezer. Once frozen you can store them in a ziplock.

Using the two different methods worked better for me and I like the texture better for the sausage links. You can also use this same method to make larger sausages like hot dogs and bratwurst.

I like this method because it eliminates unnecessary steps. There’s no baking or boiling and the seasoning is cooked right into the oatmeal. It’s important that the oatmeal mixture is very thick. This is the reason for the ground flax meal.

There are hundreds of recipes out there that use these ingredients for everything from breakfast sausage to hot dogs to brats. Try it. I think you’ll enjoy it and it’s a great way to get your daily oatmeal.

Medium Dark Rye Bread

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This is what I saw when I looked out my front door this morning, just the kind of day that I want to spend in the kitchen.

We’ve had a couple of weeks of bone chilling cold and icy roads.
There’s just nothing to do but bake bread.

I love rye bread, and when I found this recipe on The Stay at Home Chef I immediately wanted to try it out. Thank you Rachel Farnsworth for this simple recipe. Today’s the day I try baking rye bread, and I get to use my new pullman bread pans.

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seed (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons molasses
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 4 cups all purpose flour

 

Instructions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine warm water (about 110° F), yeast, salt, caraway seeds, molasses, unsweetened cocoa powder, and the rye flour. Using the dough hook, mix on a low speed until completely combined. Use a plastic spatula keep the sides scraped clean (do this carefully).
  2. Add in 3 cups of the all purpose flour and knead until combined. Continue adding flour 1/4 cup at a time until thoroughly combined and the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
  3. Remove from the bowl and form into a ball. Place in a lightly greased mixing bowl (I just wash the mixer bowl and use that – no point in making more dishes).
  4. Cover the dough with a towel or piece of plastic wrap and set in a warm place in your kitchen and let the dough rise for 90 minutes.
  5. After 90 minutes divide the dough into two portions and shape into loaves by stretching the dough and rolling the edges underneath. Do this several times.
  6. You can bake this as a rustic loaf on your pizza stone, or try out your new fancy bread pans like I did.
  7. Grease and flour the pan and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper. Place the loaf in the pan and level the top of the dough. Cover the pan with the top (pullman pans have a top so you can make sandwich loaves.) If you want to use the pizza stone for a rustic loaf, sprinkle some cornmeal on your pizza peel or cutting board and place the dough on the board. 
  8. Let the loaf rise for another 40 minutes.
  9. Heat your oven to 450° and heat the pizza stone. Place a shallow pan filled with water on the second shelf to provide a nice steamy oven.
  10. SPECIAL TIP: Dissolve 1/4 teaspoon of cornstarch in 1/4 cup of warm water. Microwave for about 45 seconds and stir. The liquid should be clear. Brush the top of the loaf with the liquid (makes the crust nice an crispy) and cut several parallel lines across the top of the loaf.
  11. Place the loaf on the pizza stone. Add water to the shallow pan to create steam. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a thermometer reads the center of the loaf at around 190-195°.
  12. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. The loaf should come out of the pan easily.
  13. Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing.

 

 

 

Let’s make toast.

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Rainy Day Mushroom Soup and Vegan Welsh Rarebit

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It’s the first week in April and it’s snowing outside, not a lot, just enough to let you know you shouldn’t put your heavy coat away.  So, I’m going to make some warm, silky, autumn tasting cream of mushroom soup.  Mushroom anything is delicious, and a big pot of soup is just the beginning.  After today, I’ll make some of the leftover soup into a sauce for pasta, and the day after that I’ll smother a baked potato with it, and if anything is left just throw it in the freezer for your next casserole.  I guarantee that once you make this at home, you’ll never buy that disgusting canned stuff again.

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Creamy Mushroom Soup

  • 3 cups fresh button mushrooms, brushed clean and quartered
  • 1 cup reconstituted shitake mushrooms, chopped
  • 1 medium large onion (about 1 1/2 cups) chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups of stock, vegetable (mushroom is best)
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
  • 1 teaspoon mushroom powder*
  • Add salt and pepper later to taste
  • 2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce, or Braggs aminos (Worchestershire works too)
  • 3/4 cup cashew or coconut cream (use any milk or cream you prefer).
  • 1 tablespoon plain yogurt or sour cream

You’ll need:

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Directions:

In a soup pot, gently sauté the onions, garlic and mushrooms until they are soft.  Add the parsley, thyme and paprika. *I also add a blend of dried mushroom powder that I make.  It just adds some extra depth and yumminess but it’s not necessary.

Now add the stock and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes.

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Add the salt and pepper to taste.  Pour in the cream or milk and stir until thoroughly combined.  Heat through.  Turn off the heat and let it rest for about 5 minutes.  Ladle into bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt.

Quick Vegan Coconut Cheese

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I’ve tried a fair number of vegan cheeses with varying success.  Unfortunately, I don’t have pictures of the process.  This isn’t exactly cheese as I think of it and I wouldn’t recommend it for a sandwich, but it’s delicious and definitely meltable.  It’s the perfect topping for vegan Welsh rarebit to accompany my big bowl of Creamy Mushroom Soup.

  • 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • pinch cayenne
  • juice of ½ lime or 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 can coconut cream (I think Savoy is best, no added ingredients)
  • 1 ½ tsp agar agar powder
  • 2 Tablespoons tapioca starch mixed in ¼ cup water to form slurry

Pour coconut cream into a saucepan and stir in agar agar.  Add salt, turmeric, paprika and cayenne.  Stir to combine.  Add lime juice or vinegar and bring to a boil, stirring constantly until smooth and slightly thickened.  Stir in the tapioca starch slurry and stir vigorously until silky smooth and thickened.  Pour into molds (I’ve found plastic works really well).  Chill in refrigerator for 8 hours until firm.

*Fermented Coconut Cheese:  Follow the directions above.  Let cook slightly and stir in the contents of 1-2 probiotic capsules.  Pour into molds and let ferment on the counter top for about 6 hours.  Chill in refrigerator for 8 hours until firm.

Vegan Welsh Rarebit

I’ve eaten this for breakfast, lunch, and late night snacks.  It’s a great accompaniment for soup or salad.

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Take one slice of Ezekiel bread (or some other hearty grain bread).  Spread some coconut oil on one side.  Put in a cast iron fry pan with the oil side down.  Put two 1/2 inch thick slices of vegan coconut cheese on the top and put under the broiler for about 5-7 minutes or until the cheese turns a nice dark brown on top.

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This made my gloomy day all better.  Try it and enjoy.

Easy Cheesy Souffle

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Cheese soufflé is one of my very favorite comfort foods, warm, fluffy, creamy and cheesy.   But, I’ve always been a little intimidated by the prospect of making a soufflé.  It’s French I thought, and probably complicated, and I’m afraid it will turn out like scorched scrambled eggs.  So I was surprised to find out that the secret to French cooking is that it’s really pretty simple.  So I researched cheese soufflé and this is the easiest, fastest, yummiest version I could come up with.  I’ve never had it fail, but having said that DON’T OPEN THE OVEN!

Easy Cheesy Soufflé

Easy Cheesy Souffle 1

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs (room temperature), separated
  • 2 ounces (half a stick) butter
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cup milk (any kind)
  • 2 cups shredded cheese (any kind – for this recipe I used 1 cup grated cheddar, 3/4 cup grated pepper jack and about 1/4 cup brie)
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard

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Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place a baking sheet in the oven to preheat.

Generously butter 4 ramekins and coat with bread crumbs.  Set aside.

Separate the eggs and set the yolks aside.  In a room temperature bowl beat the egg whites until a meringue forms with soft peaks.  Set aside.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan, stir in flour and mix to form a roux.  Cook about 2 minutes.  Add half the milk and whisk until smooth.  Add the remainder of the milk and again whisk until smooth.

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Bring the sauce to a boil, stirring until thickened.  Remove from the heat and stir in the grated cheese and mustard, again, stirring until smooth.  Stir in the egg yolks and season with salt and pepper.
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If the egg and cheese mixture is still very warm, temper the meringue by adding a spoonful of the egg and cheese mixture.  Then fold half the meringue into the mixture.  Add the remaining meringue.
  1.                                                                                                    Spoon or pour the mixture into the ramekins.
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Place the ramekins on the preheated baking sheet and bake for about 25 minutes.  (DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN) When the soufflés have risen and become golden brown, remove and serve immediately.
These creamy little clouds are just right served with a green salad for lunch or a light supper, or as a first course at dinner.   So, if you’ve never made soufflé, give it a try.  ♥