Vegan sausage

So I have been having a great time experimenting with different vegan recipes.  I have learned to make all sorts of fun and exciting new things.  The kids love it too.  This recipe is becoming a weekly staple.  We grilled it last week and enjoy it crumbled on pizza.  I even used it to make my pica dio.  It tastes just like a sausage, but way healthier.  Give it a try!

Sausage
1/2 cup pinto beans
1 cup cold vegetable broth
1 Tb olive oil
2 Tb soy sauce
2 gloves garlic grated or smashed
1 1/4 cups wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp fennel seed, crushed
1 tsp red pepper flakes (don't cut this down, it helps balance the flavor of the fennel)
1 tsp sweet paprika (I use regular because that is what I have)
1 tsp dried oregano

1. Get your steamer ready, and start bringing the water to a boil.
2. Have 6 sheets of tin foil ready.  (I think 6" ish wide)  In a large bowl, mash beans with a fork until no whole ones are left.  Throw all the other ingredients together in order listed and mix with a fork. (Often I just mix it at the end with my hands.)  Divide dough into 6 even parts, (I just pinch it off 1 at a time.  Also, if you want it for crumbled sausage, you can make them bigger.)  Place one part of the dough long way onto the tin foil and mold and stretch to desired length.  Don't stress about the shape, they snap into shape while steaming.  Wrap dough in foil like a tootsie roll, pinching off and twisting the ends.
3.  Place in a steamer and steam on mediumish heat for 45 minutes.  (I put my stove at 6)

I always double these and stretch it to make 14.  We love them!

Zucchini Pancakes

Justin spotted these pancakes on smitten kitchen and I couldn't get them out of my head.  We've served them several times as a wonderful way to use up zucchini and realized the trick is to use the small grate side of our cheese grater to shred the zucchini.  That way no strings protrude after each bite (which cause Jaime to complain and refuse to eat the meal).  I also learned to drain the majority of the liquid out of the shredded zucchini so that the pancakes don't stay gooey.  I prefer to spread out the pancake batter on the skillet so they are thinner and easier to cook all the way through, and Justin prefers to dump and cook in favor of thicker ones.  We are having them again tonight for dinner.  Enjoy!

Zucchini Pancakes

2 eggs

3 TB olive oil

2 TB brown sugar

1/4 cup buttermilk (or 2TB milk 2TB yogurt)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp table salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp nutmeg

Combine wet (with the addition of the brown sugar) and dry ingredients separately, then combine.  Fold in zucchini.  Cook on heated, buttered skillet.  Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.