Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Seitan with Apple Squash Chutney

This probably isn't actually a chutney, but it sounds better to say it is. I served this with some chicken-style seitan (this stuff that I blogged about before), but you could serve it with tofu, or a chickpea cutlet, perhaps.

INGREDIENTS
Makes enough to top 8 seitan cutlets
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 cups diced butternut squash
- 2 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup water (plus more as needed)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp cinnamon

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute leeks, celery, and garlic for 8-10 mins, until soft and translucent. Add squash and fry for 2 mins.
2. Add apples, raisins, water, salt and pepper, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Bring to bubling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-25 mins, until squash is cooked. Stir occasionaly, adding water, if needed. The chutney should be moist, but not runny.
3. Serve over a seitan cutlet, or a slice of tofu.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Bread in the Works

I took a stab at developing a multi grain bread this weekend. It's not quite right, but the basic idea is there. I soaked multi grain cereal for a few hours, then added it to a blend of white, whole wheat, rye, and kamut flour. Full recipe coming soon.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Winter Vegetable Pie

It has been a crazy past few days of home renovating, so I am sorry to say I have not been very creative in the kitchen. But now, with all the saws, screwdrivers, ladders and paintbrushes put away, it was time to create something tasty in the kitchen. With winter weather upon us, root vegetables are abundant in the grocery store, so this dish makes good use of them. The quantities are variable here--it's better to have too many veggies than not enough so add more if needed.

INGREDIENTS
- 10" pie crust (top and bottom)
- 1 large Yukon gold potato
- 2 parsnips, peeled
- 2 turnips, peeled
- 2 carrots
- 1/2 rutabaga, peeled
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 1 celery stalk, sliced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 3/4 cup soy milk
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 1 tsp thyme
- 2 tbsp chicken-style broth powder

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Get a few inches of salted water boiling in a large pot. Slice potato, parsnips, turnips, carrots, and rutabaga as thinly as possible. Cook in the boiling water for 1-2 mins, until veggies are softened but still somewhat firm. Drain veggies and rinse in cold water.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute leek, onion, celery, and garlic for 5-7 mins, until softened. Add flour and mix well. Slowly add soy milk and bring to bubbling. Add spices and broth powder and adjust seasonings to taste.
3. Lay a few layers of veggies in the bottom of the pie crust. Top with 1/3 of the onion mixture. Repeat. Repeat again, then top with a final layer of veggies. Top with the crust. Bake for 40-45 mins, until crust is browned and sauce is bubbling. Let pie sit for 10 mins before cutting and serving.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

I have a serious problem. I can't stop making muffins. Once you get the basic proportions down of wet to dry, you can ad lib to your heart's content. Muffins have now become a staple on my lunch, and they come in handy when I need an energy boost after a squash game. I am going to noodle around with the recipe in the future--I think oat flour, spelt flour, etc, would work just as well as the wheat flour.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 muffins
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/4 cup oat bran
- 1 cup oatmeal (plus extra for muffin tops)
- 1 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp maple extract

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin.
1. Soak raisins in hot water.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, spices, salt, and bran in a bowl. Mix in oatmeal. In a separate bowl, whisk together soy milk, oil, and extracts until well-blended.
3. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moist. Divide batter into muffin tins and sprinkle some oatmeal over each muffin. Bake for 18-20 mins, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Here is the view from my front porch. This is pretty much how things have looked for the past week or so. Makes you want to curl up by the fire with a cup of tea and a muffin.

Monday, November 17, 2008

On Why I Won't be Blogging Every Day Anymore

My life has seemed impossibly busy over the past year, and recently it got even busier. Yes, that means additional responsibilities on top of teaching, writing a book, trying to get tenure, taking care of 3 kids, cooking, cleaning, putting together a cookbook, running a home bakery, and blogging on daily basis. Something has to give. In this case, the daily blogging. My plan is still to post 4 times a week or so, but I just can't keep up my current pace. There are, of course, 471 other posts for you to sift through. They're not all gems, but there are some great recipes I would like to revisit and I'm sure you will enjoy.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Sweet Potato and Carrot Muffins

You may have noticed a that my mom posted a message a few days ago asking for a carrot or zucchini muffin recipe. Well, here you go, Mom.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 large muffins
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup wheat bran
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
- 1/3 cup canola oil (or applesauce)
- 1 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1 1/2 cup cup finely grated carrot

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Soak raisins in hot water.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, spices, salt, and bran in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together sweet potato, oil, and soy milk until well-blended. Mix in grated carrot.
3. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moist (over mixing makes for tough muffins). Batter will be thick. Divide batter into muffin tins and bake for 20-24 mins, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Fennel and Mushroom Lasagna

I love lasagna but I rarely have the time to make it. I have learned that, like pizza, you don't need to top it with cheese (or cheese substitutes) to make a great lasaga. I make mine nice and saucy so it does not dry out and have yet to be disappointed. The fennel is a nice flavour addition here, and the sausage and mushrooms provide great texture.

INGREDIENTS
- 9 lasagna noodles
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 small red pepper, diced
- 1 small yellow pepper, diced
- 8 oz sliced cremini mushrooms
- 5 king oyster mushrooms, sliced
- 3 vegan Italian sausages, chopped
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp basil
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper
- 1 recipe tofu ricotta
- 2 jars spaghetti sauce

ETHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. Cook lasagna noodles as per the directions on the box.
2. While noodles are cooking, heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Saute fennel for 10 mins, until softened and lightly browned. Add peppers and saute for 3 mins.
3. Add mushrooms and spices to the pan and mix well. Add a few splashes of water to the pan to help steam the mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 mins, until mushrooms are soft and liquid is reduced. Add sausage and mix well. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Assemble the lasagna. Cover the bottom of a large baking dish with spaghetti sauce and top with three noodles. Spread half of the tofu ricotta on top of the noodles, and top that with half of the mushroom mixture. Top with more spaghetti sauce and then three more noodles. Repeat.
5. Cover the top noodles with a thick later of spaghetti sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake for 60 mins. Remove foil and bake for 30 mins, or until sauce has thickened. Let sit for 20 mins before cutting and serving.

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Seitan Vindaloo

This is a great Indian dish with a nice kick to it. You can adjust the heat by adding more or less chili flakes--the way I have it written here will clean out your sinuses but was mild enough that the kids still ate it.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 large sweet onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1" piece of ginger, chopped
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp black mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp oil
- 3 cups chopped beefy seitan
- 1 1/2 cups water (plus more, if needed)
- 2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp tumeric

METHOD
1. Put everything from the onions to the oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a frying pan and heat over medium heat. Cook for 15-20 mins, until browned and reduced to a thick paste.
2. Add seitan, water, coriander, and tumeric to the pan. Bring to bubbling, reduce heat, and simmer uncovered for 20 mins, adding more water, if needed. The seitan should be tender and the sauce thick(ish) and smooth.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Maple Banana Walnut Muffins

Tonight is bakery night so just a small post about muffins (again!). We had about 25 old bananas clogging up the freezer so I thawed them out and made a whole whack of muffins. These are just a variation on my hearty apple muffins and protein power muffins. I also tried to make a banana walnut pudding cake (yes, I am a one trick dessert pony) but I need one more try to get it right.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 12 large muffins
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup wheat bran
- 1/4 cup oat bran
- 2 cups pureed banana
- 1/3 cup canola oil (or applesauce)
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup hemp seeds (optional)

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a muffin tin.
1. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, sugar, spices, salt, and bran in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together banana, oil, extracts and syrup until well-blended. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just moist (over mixing makes for tough muffins). Fold in walnuts, chocolate chips, and hemp seeds (if using).
2. Divide batter into muffin tins and bake for 18-20 mins, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Sweet n' Sour n' Hot Tofu n' Noodles

I bought a pineapple a while ago and it has been sitting on the counter begging to be made into something. So, I decided to pull out the juicer and use it as the base for a sauce. I am not the biggest pineapple fan, but this dish is quite tasty and very easy to make on a busy night. I like the addition of heat to a fairly standard sweet n' sour sauce--you can always add more curry paste if you want it hotter.

INGREDIENTS
- 150g noodles
- 1 1/4 cups pineapple juice
- 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce
- 1 tsp yellow curry paste
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 pkg tofu, cubed
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 4 green onions, sliced

METHOD
1. Cook noodles as per the directions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile whisk together pineapple juice, hoisin sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic sauce and curry paste. Whisk in cornstarch.
3. Heat a wok over med-hi heat. Add oil and fry tofu cubes until golden. Add green peppers and fry for 2 mins, until softened but not soggy. Add sauce to the wok and bring to bubbling. Add cooked noodles and mix well. Add some salt, if needed. Let sauce thicken and coat the noodles. Stir in green onions and serve.

Monday, November 10, 2008

Irish Soda Bread

As promised, here is the recipe for Irish soda bread. The recipe was easily veganized from Martha Day's Complete Baking. The original recipe calls for twice the flour which makes for one huge loaf. This recipe is half the size (which is still plenty big) and I have converted the grams (which the original recipe calls for) into cups. I'm pretty sure cream of tartar is not a traditional ingredient for soda bread, but it does make for a nice texture.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 1/2 cups soy milk
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. Whisk flours, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar, and sugar together. Rub margarine into the flour until it resembles coarse bread crumbs. In a separate bowl, whisk soy milk and lemon juice together. Add to dry ingredients and mix together into a soft dough.
2. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until smooth. Shape into a circle about 2 inches thick. Dust with extra flour and transfer to the baking sheet. Mark a cross in the top with the handle of a wooden spoon.
3. Bake for 40 mins, or until risen and firm.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Irish Stew

Following the stew theme started last night, I went for a more familiar Irish stew tonight. I was disappointed to find out that most Irish ales are not vegan (Guinness as well) because they use isinglass to filter the beer. Most lagers, though, are vegan, including Harp's. The stewing beef is Bryanna's beefy seitan, an old-school simmered seitan that is wonderfully tender.

INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 cups cubed beefy seitan
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 cup lager
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 cups chopped carrots
- 1.5 lbs cubed potatoes
- 2 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp sage
- salt and pepper to taste
- water
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup soy milk

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute onions and garlic for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add seitan and fry for 2 mins. Add vinegar and soy sauce and cook until liquid has been reduced.
2. Add lager and wine to the pot and cook for 10 mins, uncovered, until liquid reduces a bit and no longer smells so boozy.
3. Add carrots, potatoes, spices, and enough water to almost cover everything. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling, cover, and simmer for at least 30 mins, until veggies are soft.
4. Mix flour into soy milk and add to pot. Bring to bubbling to thicken. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve with Irish soda bread to mop up the sauce (recipe tomorrow).

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Ethiopian Stew

This isn't any particular Ethiopian dish, but rather is a stew inspired by Ethiopian flavours. I was craving something hearty and this really hit the spot.

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup yellow split peas
- 3 cups of water
- 4 tbsp oil
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 2 cups chopped seitan (or 1 can of chickpeas), optional
- 1 lb cubed potatoes
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 1 tbsp berbere (or more)
- 1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes, with juices
- 2 cups chopped green beans
- 1 cup red lentils
- water
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 six oz can tomato paste

METHOD
1. Rinse split peas and place in a pot with the 3 cups of water. Bring to boiling, cover, and simmer until soft. Drain off excess water.
2. While peas are cooking, heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add spices and fry for 1 min. Add onions, garlic, and ginger, and fry for 5-7 mins, until onions are soft. The spices may stick to the bottom of the pot, so periodically add a splash of water to the pan to deglaze.
3. Add seitan (if using), potatoes, carrots, and berbere. Fry for 2 mins. Add tomatoes, beans, lentils, and cooked split peas, and mix well. Add enough water to the pot to cover the veggies by about 1/2 inch. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Bring to bubbling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for at least 30 mins. Stir periodically to keep lentils and veggies from sticking.
5. Stir in parsley and tomato paste and cook for 5 mins.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Baked Tofu

I was in the mood for some home-style cooking today (vegan home-style, of course). Usually that means baking something in the oven, or making a huge pot of something mushy. The former won out tonight and I went with baked tofu, baked sweet potatoes, assorted veggies, and rutabaga. I was never a big fan of rutabaga as a kid (and my sons are carrying on the tradition), but now I love it mashed with some margarine and maple syrup.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 pkg extra firm tofu, cut into 6-8 thick slices
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- few dashes of hot sauce
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup vegan chick'n broth powder
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground pepper

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
1. Whisk together soy milk, lemon juice, and hot sauce in a bowl. Set aside to thicken.
2. Mix bread crumbs, broth powder, flour, and seasonings in another bowl.
3. The trick to breading in keeping one hand wet and the other dry. Dip a tofu slice in the soy milk mixture and drop into the bread crumbs. Shake the bowl (i.e. to toss the tofu in the bread crumbs) with your other hand. Use that hand to remove the tofu and place it on the baking sheet.
4. Repeat with remaining tofu. Then re-dip the breaded slices and toss them again in the bread crumbs. Add more liquid, if needed.
5. Bake 12 mins per side, until crisp and golden. Serve with the sauce of your choice.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

King Oyster Mushroom Curry

I am using curry in the most generic sense here because I am not sure what else to call the dish. Its origins are a fish dish in an Indian cookbook I have. There really isn't a vegan substitute for fish, but I thought I would try king oyster mushrooms for something different. In the end, I was a little disappointed with the mushrooms because they were rather tough. Chickpeas or tofu would work just as well with this sauce.

INGREDIENTS
- 4 king oyster mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 1" piece of ginger, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- salt to taste
- 3 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup veggie broth, or water
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

METHOD
1. Mix tumeric, salt, and lemon juice together. Toss mushrooms in mixture and set aside for a few mins to let the liquid soak into the mushrooms.
2. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Fry mushrooms for about 5 mins, until they begin to soften. Remove from pan.
3. There should still be oil left in the pan. Make sure there is still about 2 tbsp. Add sugar to the pan and stir until sugar caramelizes. Add onions, ginger and garlic and fry until a nice golden brown (about 8-10 mins).
4. Add spices and mix well. Add tomatoes and cook until they reduce into a paste. Add enough water to get the consistency you are looking for, and season to taste. Stir in cilantro and add mushroom back to the pan. Cook until mushrooms are done. Serve over rice.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Semolina Bread

I was all wrapped up following the election last night, so sorry about the lack of a post. I am able to vote in Ohio, and as an American historian I was extremely interested in the outcome. Plus, whatever happens in the U.S. has an impact on us here in Canada. I was also reminded that while we Canadians often pride ourselves in our diversity and in thinking we are more liberal-minded than our neighbours to the South, we have yet to elect a person of colour as Prime Minister. We have had only one female PM (for four months, when Brian Mulroney quit), but she was soon defeated in the 1993 election. Our latest election was almost entirely a slate of white guys.

I am busy with the bakery tonight, so just a small post about a failed bread recipe. I thought I would experiment with a semolina yeast bread to go with some pumpkin soup. The end result was nice and soft but far too dry, I thought. The crust sucked all the moisture from your mouth, and the next day the loaf was pretty hard. I shan't be making it again.

Back tomorrow with another great Indian recipe.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Seitan Madras

When Vegan Mom and I were married over a decade ago, we quickly fell into a fairly mundane weekly routine of meat-based dishes. We then decided to try a vegetarian diet to force ourselves to explore new cuisines, methods, and ideas. It was then that we discovered Indian food, and it remains my favourite cuisine.

INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups cubed seitan (or 1 pkg of tofu, cubed, or one can of chickpeas)
- 1 six oz can tomato paste
- 1/4 tsp ground fenugreek
- 1/2 tsp ground fennel
- 1" piece ginger, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tsp coriander
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp tumeric
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 onions, halved and sliced
- 4 curry leaves
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

METHOD
1. Mix together tomato paste, spices (including garlic and ginger), lemon juice, salt, and water.
2. Heat oil over medium heat in a large frying pan and fry onions and curry leaves until deep golden brown (about 15 mins). Add seitain (or tofu, or chickpeas) and fry for 3-4 mins.
3. Add tomato-spice mixture to the pan and bring to bubbling. Add cilantro, reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, until sauce is thickened (15-20 mins).

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Perfect Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta

With a little experimentation I came up with a much better fresh whole pasta than my first attempt.

INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup semolina flour
- 1 cup all purpose whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp vital wheat gluten flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp ground flax seed
- 7-8 tbsp water

METHOD
1. Whisk together flours and salt. Whisk flax into 7 tbsp of the water until it begins to thicken.
2. Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour the flax mixture into it. Mix wet into the dry and bring together into a dough. Add more water, if needed. The dough will be tough but you should be able to knead it without any pieces falling off.
3. Wrap in a slightly damp towel and let sit for 20 mins. Roll and cut with a pasta machine.

UPDATE:
I made this recipe again, and this time I sifted the whole wheat flour, then ground the leftover bran and germ in my coffee grinder (which I use to grind flax seeds, etc.) and added it to the dough. It worked very well and made for a smoother dough.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Seitan over Maple Squash and Sweet Potato

Have you ever looked in the fridge and wondered what in the world you were going to make for dinner? Especially on the day before shopping day? Sometimes the results can be surprising. This dish was wonderful and was perfect for a cool Canadian autumn day.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4
- 4 large pieces chicken-style seitan, or tofu
- 1/4 cup flour
- 2 tsp poultry spice
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1 onion, halved and sliced
- 1 celery stalk, sliced
- 1/2 butternut squash, diced
- 2 medium sweet potato, thinly sliced
- 1 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken-style broth
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground thyme, or to taste
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
1. Heat margarine in a frying pan over med-hi heat. Mix flour and poultry spice together and dredge seitan or tofu in the flour mixture. Fry for 3-4 mins per side, until golden. Remove from pan.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add onions and celery to the pan, and add a little more margarine if needed. Saute for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add squash and potatoes to pan and cook until both begin to colour deepens.
3. Add broth, maple syrup and thyme to the pan. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to bubbling. Place seitan on top of potatoes. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 mins, basting seitan with the liquid, until potatoes and squash are cooked. Add more liquid if needed.
4. Serve seitan over a bed of potatoes.