Mock Sesame Beef

We lost our power, due to a heatwave outage, so I've got a few meals to catch up on.

I don't know when I had what, and it doesn't matter anyway.  So I'll just give you a rundown.  First, the SEITAN.

I had my first seitan at a chinese restaurant recently, and became hooked.  Mock Sesame Beef, it was called.  But I inquired, and found out it was made with Seitan.  So what did I do?  Hightailed it to the nearest health food shop and picked me up a box of Seitan quick mix.

Quick?  Not so much.  First you make a dough, then knead it.  Then you cut it into bite-sized pieces.

Then you boil them.  Then you fry them.  AHHHHH!  You know how I hate to use so many pans!!!

 

Then I added a half-bottle of my favorite Kikkoman's Kung Pao sauce, and steamed some broccoli.  I had some leftover barley, so I tossed it all on top, instead of making brown rice.  That would have put me over the edge.  Top it off with some sesame seeds, and there you have it.  Meatless goodness.

 

My lunch yesterday was falafel.  More like faBLAHfel.  Yuk.  Totally flavorless and bland.    I made it from a recipe right off the Bob's Red Mill website, using their chickpea flour.  I had a bag in my pantry forever, so I thought I'd get rid of it.  I made so much falafel, and still have a half bag leftover.  Maybe I'll make some hummus....

My lunch today was to die for.  Black bean burgers!  Although, I hesitate to call it a burger.  The consistency just isn't the same.  But I don't eat them in a bun, so it didn't bother me.  The flavor is so good, you don't even mind the texture, which is sorta mushy.

Here's the recipe:

Black Bean Burgers

2 cans (15 ounces each) BUSH'S BEST Black Beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup whole wheat or all-purpose flour
¼ cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup chunky salsa
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Place beans in food processor; process until fairly smooth. Add flour, cornmeal, salsa, cumin and garlic salt. Process until well combined. Spoon mixture into 6 balls on a large plate and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours before cooking.

Heat barbecue grill or ridged grill pan over medium heat. Coat grill or pan lightly with oil. Form each ball into a 4-inch patty about ½-inch thick. Place the patties on the grill or in pan and cook until browned and heated through, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Obviously, I sauteed a few mushrooms to have on the side, and topped the 'burgers' with a slice of monterey jack.  I also had some grilled zukes from my mother-in-law's garden.   And I wanted to let you know that I did not eat an enormous amount of food:  I am now using these small salad plates.  It's my latest strategy in portion control.  

Does it sabotage me to fill the salad plates up to the very edge?  Am I completely missing the point?

Probably.

And lastly, I wanted to come clean.  I am an addict.  And this is my latest poison:

Damn, I wish I could get this monkey off my back.  And damn Dr. Pepper for inventing this addictive nectar.....

Sweet Potato Latkes!

And I'm not even Jewish!

Seriously, I love these dang things.  They're slightly labor intensive, and you dirty quite a few dishes, but they're that good.

Sweet Potato Latkes

1 3/4 pounds orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled
1 onion
5 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/3 cup oat flour
2 T Oil

Grate sweet potatoes into a large bowl.   

Beat egg whites lightly with salt and pepper and add to potato mixture. Mix well. Add flour and mix well.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in heavy nonstick 10- to 12-inch skillet. Fill 1/4-cup measure with mixture, pressing to compact, and turn out in mound in skillet. Quickly repeat for 3 more latkes. Flatten each with back of spoon to form 2 1/2- to 3-inch cake and press to compact. Cook 1- 1/2 minutes per side.

Move to nonstick baking sheet with slotted spatula. Continue with remaining batter, adding a little more oil to pan and stirring batter for each batch.   (I put a cooling rack down over a cookie sheet to achieve maximum crunchiness!)

Bake at 450 degrees until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Serve hot with applesauce if desired. 

To accompany my sweet potato latkes, I whipped up a batch of broccoli cauliflower salad, which consists of broccoli, cauliflower, matchstick carrots, raisins, shredded or cubed cheese, corn off the cob, onions, and whatever else you have leftover in the fridge that day.  lol.  I then douse the whole thing with a couple tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and EVOO, then salt and pepper.

What a delicious and healthy lunch!  

Found it!

Whew, found my Canon. I was hoping I wouldn't have to ask hubs for another camera. They seem to check out on me early.

So last night, I made a Turkey Taco Salad. Easy peasy. Browned some ground turkey breast with some onions, then added a packet of low-sodium taco mix and water, per the packet instructions. Plop it on top of some hearts of romaine, tomatoes, raw onions and some part-skim mexican cheese, and you got yourself a Turkey Taco Salad!

I feel as if I'm coming down with something, this fourth of July morning, so I'm keeping breakfast light with a Yogurt and Barley breakfast bowl.  I take one container of Activia (prune, today), one giant spoonful of cooked barley (which I cooked the other day and keep in the fridge), one small handful of chopped walnuts, and one handful of blueberries.  Voila.

And I wanted to throw another snack idea out there that I came across recently.

Have you ever seen these loaves in your grocer's?

They are oddly small loaves, which I wouldn't describe as 'bread'.  And a slice of this stuff is not all that delicious on its own.  I add a tablespoon of whipped cream cheese, and it makes it much more tasty.  It's one of those food items that is so good for you, you sort of forgive it for not being scrumptious.  But trust me, try it with the cream cheese.  When there's no time for breakfast, this would make a great, quick replacement.

And I know there are other varieties.  Has anyone tried them?  Let me know.