PROTEINS
Seitan
low carb vegan recipe
1½ cup vital wheat gluten
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
½ tsp smoked paprika (optional, for flavor)
1 cup vegetable broth or water
2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp olive oil
Additional vegetable broth for the long simmer
Made from Gwyneth Paltrow’s arch nemesis wheat gluten, seitan is not for the gluten intolerant.
In a mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder and smoked paprika.
In a separate bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: vegetable broth, soy sauce (or tamari), and olive oil.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until it forms a dough. Knead the dough for ~3 minutes until it becomes elastic. You can do this in the bowl or on a clean surface. As you knead it, seek out with your fingertips any tiny hard granules that have congealed, and simply remove them.
Shape the seitan into a log or cut it into smaller pieces, depending on your preference. Simmer in vegetable broth for one hour (note that the seitan will enlarge as it cooks).
Place the cooked seitan on a plate with raised edges, and place another plate on top of it, and press to squeeze excess water out. Once cooled, the seitan is ready to be used in various dishes — sliced, cubed, chopped, shredded — and however you wish to use a meaty texture.
Extra Lazy Cooking Method
This might sound like seitanic heresy, but you can completely omit the presence of vegetable broth in the recipe, and use just plain ol’ water instead. You can add flavor to the seitan through marinating instead and of course, by sauteeing it or pouring a sauce on top!
