Vegan Apple Sage Glazed Roast

I just moved home from my first year of college a few days ago-I was excited for many reunions, but none moreso than...

The kitchen!

Don't worry I missed my family too.  But it is so nice to have a place to cook again!  All the space spurred me to attempt an ambitious project...making my own wheat meat!

My specialty is chickpea cutlets (à la Veganomicon) with mushroom gravy.

Mmmmm.

I've never attempted to move beyond that recipe into more involved territory.  I'm not much for the super-processed soy based meats, but there is a company that makes grain meats that John and I both love...Field Roast!  Their sausages in particular are to die for.  Their approach of using whole food ingredients like brown rice, eggplant, mushrooms, and spices is what inspired me to have a go at it myself.  The results are below!

Vegan Apple Sage Glazed Roast

1/2 can chickpeas or white beans

1 tbsp. olive oil

1 cup water

1 cube Not Chick'n Bouillon

3 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tbsp chopped fresh sage

1 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp pepper 

1/4 tsp allspice

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

1 apple (try golden delicious) peeled, cored, and finely diced

2 tbsp agave nectar

1 tbsp olive oil 

1/4 cup water

Blend dem ingredientz.

Start by mashing your chickpeas or beans in a food processor (or by hand).  Add olive oil and bouillon, blending until smooth and paste like.

If using a food processor, transfer to a large bowl.  Add yeast and other spices, whisking till blended.  Then, slowly add the water.  Once you've done that, add your vital wheat gluten, either all at once or in little batches.  Mix with a spoon or by hand until everything starts to clump together-then, turn out the dough onto a surface and work it into a wide loaf shape.  Phew!  Tired yet?  

Next, boil about half a pot's worth of water on the stove-if you have a setup similar to this, you have an easy road ahead of you.  If not, things are going to be a little tougher.  Wrap your loaf in aluminum foil, making sure the ends are sealed.  Now, if you're like me, you'll need to do something a little weird to make this work-I layered two sheets of aluminum foil together and poked little vents all over the makeshift colander.  Then, I curled up the edges to be a little sturdier and plopped the thing on top of my pot.

Jank setup at work!

It would probably be best to do this before your water boils, unless you're some kind of kitchen ninja.  Seeing as I am most certainly not, I burned myself with steam like five times.  No joke.  Anyhow, I bet you can guess what to do next-place your loaf (carefully) on top of your little MacGyvered setup.  If you're brave, cover it with a lid that fits the pot, or some more foil.  The loaf needs to steam for 45 minutes.  In your spare time, preheat the oven to 425.  Place your diced apples on a baking sheet or a sheet of aluminum foil.  Bake them for about 20 minutes, or until they turn gold.

Apple-y goodness.

Place the baked apples, agave, olive oil, and water in your blender/food processor, and puree until smooth.  Strain out the pulp if you want a super-smooth glaze.  

Now, to assemble everything, remove your loaf from the pot.  Carefully open the foil and brush the top of the loaf with glaze.  Recover and place in a loaf pan or on a baking sheet-bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more, brushing with more glaze if desired. The result?

Glazed loveliness.

It wound up more seitan-y than I anticipated.  But, it's a great consistency to stand on its own and to pair with roasted veggies!

Till next time!  :)