making savory broth mix

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

Today's Making Monday recipe is this meatless, vegetarian, and vegan Savory Broth Mix. This is a chicken-style broth mix that I've adapted from Everyday Vegan Eats; it is faster to make and uses less ingredients. 

This is a broth mix that you can use to rehydrate Soy Curlz , Dixie Diner strips, make Savory Tofu, use as soup base or make Easy Simple Seitan. I will be linking recipes to this mix.

It will keep for months, stored in an air-tight container (think mason jar) and away from light (in a cabinet), to keep the B12 as viable as possible.

This version uses half the amount of nutritional yeast, so if you think you would like some more, either (1) make it with twice the nutritional yeast or (2) add an equal amount of nutritional yeast to your recipe (for instance, if using 1 tablespoon of the mix, add 1 tablespoon of nutritional yeast to the recipe, as well).

If I think the extra nutritional yeast is needed in a particular recipe, I will add it as an ingredient, so no guesswork needed when using my recipes.

If you have a flat blade to blend the ingredients, use that because it does a faster and more efficient job. If you have the regular blade, make sure all the ingredients are well ground - no pieces of thyme and such visible.

This doubles easily (even quadruples), so make it, taste it, cook with it. Then make plenty for future use. Other Making Monday recipes that will be using this are: Savory Tofu, Easy Seitan Loaf, Seitan Cutlet, Holiday Roast and whenever you need a vegetable/chicken-style broth mix in a soup. 

UPDATE: I want to bring your attention to the nutritional yeast. Nowadays they can be bought as flakes, mini flakes and powder. This recipe calls for flakes (the larger style). The photo below uses mini flakes BUT CALLS FOR LARGE FLAKES in the recipe. If you have mini flakes, reduce the amount needed to 6 tablespoons, if you have powder, reduce to 1/4 cup. Let me know if you have any questions.

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

Making Vegan Savory Broth Mix

Makes 1/2 cup; doubles easily 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1. Blend: Add the ingredients to a blender. Use the flat blade, if possible:

1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes

3 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons dried sage

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano 

2. Blend well into a powder. Transfer to an air-tight container and store away from light.

3. Use: Add 1 teaspoon to 1 cup of water. Mix well. 

4. Optional: add an equal amount of nutritional yeast to the recipe. For instance, if making a cup of broth, add 1 teaspoon of Savory Broth Mix to 1 cup water PLUS 1 teaspoon of nutritional yeast. 

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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making pizza dough

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

Today's Making Monday recipe is Pizza Dough. This is a simple pizza dough and does have olive oil in it. I'll do a recipe in the future that is oil free, but the first one is a good pizza dough recipe that is reliable.

You can make this in a food processor. Use a plastic blade (dough blade) to preserve the gluten strands and process until the dough comes together into a ball, a few minutes. Then add to a container to rise.

You can use a bread maker. Use the Pasta Cycle if you have one, or the dough cycle, as is and rise in the pan as per cycle - or add it to a container to rise.

You can do this in a stand mixer. Knead until a dough forms and then knead on medium for a few minutes to develop the gluten.

You can do this by hand. Form into a ball and knead for a few minutes before proofing in a container.

Use a container that the dough can double in and one that has a lid. You can also rise in the fridge, but then your container should have enough room to triple the dough, if overnight.

That's it. Use as is, or if risen in the fridge, allow to come to room temperature.

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

Making Pizza Dough

Makes 1 pound dough 

www.ZsusVeganPantry.com

1. Knead: Add the ingredients to a machine or bowl (bread, food processor or stand mixer), in the order given:

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon vital wheat gluten

2 1/4 teaspoons (1 package) dry active yeast  

2. Bead Machine: Pasta Cycle or Dough Cycle. If Pasta Cycle, add to a container to rise. Cover and rise for 1 hour.

3. Food Processor: Knead until dough ball forms. Knead for a minute to develop gluten. Add to a container to rise for 1 hour, covered.  

4. Stand Mixes: Knead until dough ball forms. Knead for five minutes to develop gluten. Add to a container to rise for 1 hour, covered.  

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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making vegan bacon

Welcome to Making Mondays, dear Readers! 

On Mondays I will be posting tutorials for making staples and this is the first in the series. Let's get started today, and replacing bacon is a great place to start!

This meatless, vegetarian, and vegan bacon is made from tofu but is elevated to sheer baconness with the air-frying. If you don't have an air fryer then bake them in the oven with a few tablespoons of oil until as crisp as you like. 

The steps are basic and easy; the recipe is ready in about 20 minutes, including the air-frying. 

You can use tofu that ranges from medium-firm to extra-firm. Probably won't work with silken or soft, but the other fresh tofus are up for the transformation.

I use full-sodium tamari, but reduced-sodium works, too, or even straight up soy sauce. 

Liquid smoke is found in any grocery store, but if you are avoiding liquid smoke, let me know; you can use black cardamom, but it would take a few extra steps. 

Add these to BLTs, eat them out of the pan (as I do) or mince and top salads - your choice!

Below is the step by step.

Enjoy!

Making Vegan Bacon

Makes 18 to 25 strips 

Preheat air-fryer or oven to 400F 

1. Tofu: Press the tofu. Cut into thin slices, about 20 to a pound, but more if you can hack it.

1 pound regular tofu (not soft or silken)

Oil spray

2. Cook the tofu in a lightly oiled pan over medium heat until golden on both sides, about 8 minutes. Repeat with the rest of tofu. 

3. Nutritional yeast: Add all the cooked tofu back into the pan. Add the nutritional yeast and toss for 1 minute.

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

4. Sauce: Combine the tamari and the liquid smoke. Add the mixture to the pan. Toss while adding. Remove from heat when the sauce evaporates 

1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce

1 teaspoon liquid smoke

5. Spray the air-fryer basket with oil (or add 2 tablespoons oil to a baking sheet if using the oven). Add the tofu strips and spray again with oil (flip the tofu in the oil if using the oven) Bake until crips, 5 minutes for air-fryer (about 8 minutes for oven - flip at 4 minutes for the oven)

© 2020 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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