Some refer to Seitan as "Wheat Meat." Seitan (Pronounced SAY-Tahn) is a wonderful, fabulous, tasty, high-protein, incredible, yummy meat substitute that looks a lot like meat, but without all the unhealthy elements of meat. When I make Seitan for our brood of eight children, the kitchen smells so fantastic and inviting that my children beg me to give them a piece when it first comes out of the steamer.
As a protein source, Seitan contains about 31 grams of protein per 4 ounce serving (which means it has more plant protein per serving than tofu), provides a modest amount of B vitamins and iron and contains no saturated fat or cholesterol. A 3 1/2 ounce serving contains 118 calories, 18% protein and less than 1% unsaturated fat. The same amount of beef has 207 calories and 32.2% protein and is high in saturated fats. As recent studies have shown, our need for protein is much lower than previously believed and any opportunity to remove saturated fats from our diet would be an excellent improvement.
I have tried many recipes for Seitan. I have baked it, boiled it but my all time preferred way to cook it is by steaming it. My favorite recipe is credited to Terry Hope Romero who wrote my favorite vegan cookbook called "Viva Vegan!" Her book is wonderful and every recipe I have tried has turned out beautifully.
The main ingredient that you will need to make your own Seitan is called Wheat Gluten. You may make your own but I am not that ambitious yet, so I purchase my gluten in bulk at my local grocer for pennies. It resembles flour but is finer and softer and is a slight beige color.
I will include Ms. Romero's recipe for you at the end of this post. First, you may ask what would you use Seitan for? We use it in any way that one might use animal protein. I fry it in stir fries, I drop it in soups, we chop it and use it in casseroles, we wrap tortillas around it for fajitas, and many more delectable meals. We marinate it in anything from BBQ sauce to exotic oriental and Tia sauces. One of our all time favorite tricks to use our Seitan is to steam Jasmine rice, and then to cube up some fresh warm Seitan and to take my home-made Crab Apple Jelly and boil it into a sauce and use it as a sort of sweet and sour sauce over the rice and chunks of Seitan. You could also take grape jelly and put it in the microwave and do the same sort of thing. Microwaving jelly allows it to become a liquid. I like to use our own home made jellies because I prosses them with organic sugars.
Here is that Seitan recipe for you. If you take the time to make this recipe you will enjoy a healthy and delicious food that will impress you...I promise!
Steamed White Seitan
by Terry Hope Romero (Go purchase her book she has 200 other recipes in it that will blow your mind!)
1 1/2 cups cold vegetable broth
4 cloves garlic grated
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup chickpea (garbanzo) flour (I grate my own flour in my Vitamix and I purchase the garbanzo beans in bulk at WinCo Foods)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
In a measuring cup whisk together the broth, garlic, and olive oil. In a large bowl combine the wheat gluten, chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, thyme, paprika, cumin, and salt and form a well in the center. Pour liquid ingredients into the well and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes to develop the gluten. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes, then knead again for about 30 seconds. Place the dough on a cutting board and with a sharp knife cut into 4 equal parts. Shape each piece of dough into a small "loaf." Place each loaf into a piece of foil making sure to allow the foil enough room for the Seitan to expand during steaming. Place foil wrapped dough into steamer basket and steam for 30 minutes. After steaming allow the dough to cool for a few minutes before handling.
You now have a beautiful Seitan that you can use in your recipes just as you would use any other meat product.
A word or two from me (Chris) about clean up with gluten. Gluten sticks to cloth or to scrubby kitchen tools quite easily. What I do is use my hands and cool water to get off the remaining gluteny dough from my bowls, and spatulas. Once the gluten is down the sink, I then can use my kitchen dish rag to wash my bowls. I have ruined dishrags in the past because the gluten really does like cloth and even after being laundered I would see little "pills" of gluten on those rags. If I take the 2 minutes to hand wash those utensils with cool water, I don't have these issues.
I hope you love this recipe as much as we do. Please comment and share your experience and if you have any recipes using Seitan, we would love to see them.
Have a great day!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Nutritional Yeast...yum yum!
I first heard about Nutritional Yeast about 5 years ago. Nutritional yeast is a yellow flaky product that looks like flat fish food. (Sounds icky, but it tastes great!) It offers those of us who don't use animal products much a great source of vitamin B12. I am not a huge fan of cheese but I do enjoy the cheesy flavor Nutritional Yeast offers my food. I sprinkle it on my salads, we include it in our Seitan (a substitute meat product we make) and we use it in salad dressings, and many other things we eat. I will include for you several websites that I feel do a great job explaining the nutritional value of including Nutritional Yeast in your diet. There is one comment in the articles that you will read that states that purchasing Nutritional Yeast in bulk form is not the best way to purchase it due to it being exposed to the light so much. I have purchased our Nutritional Yeast for years in bulk form and we have done just great. That is our experience but you may try buying it in smaller quantities if this suits your family better.
I hope you will have an opportunity to try this wonderful and healthy food into your diet. You might want to pop a large bowl of pop-corn and sprinkle some Nutritional Yeast over it and eat this tasty and healthy snack while you read all the fun articles I shared with you! Enjoy! Here are those sites I promised you.
http://www.bulkfoods.com/yeast.htm
http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-04-24-52910.113116_Singing_the_praisesof_nutritional_yeast.html
http://www.bestnaturalfoods.com/nutritional_yeast.html
I hope you will have an opportunity to try this wonderful and healthy food into your diet. You might want to pop a large bowl of pop-corn and sprinkle some Nutritional Yeast over it and eat this tasty and healthy snack while you read all the fun articles I shared with you! Enjoy! Here are those sites I promised you.
http://www.bulkfoods.com/yeast.htm
http://www.smdp.com/Articles-c-2009-04-24-52910.113116_Singing_the_praisesof_nutritional_yeast.html
http://www.bestnaturalfoods.com/nutritional_yeast.html
It's just another perfect day!
I have a large vinyl sign that is located over my kitchen table that reads "Its Just Another Perfect Day!" It is about 4 feet long. I was inspired by a commercial for a car company that used these words once at a movie with my children. I could not get those words out of my head for days and days. I kept asking myself if such a concept could really be true? Could every single day really be "perfect?" I have a friend who does vinyl lettering as a business and I asked her to make me this fun sign and I put it up on our wall. Just shortly after this sign was up my father passed away. I recall coming back from the hospital after he had died and looking at that sign. I felt very sad, but there was peace inside me that yes it was still a perfect day. My father was a very happy person, and I know he would have wanted me to feel like his day of passing was perfect.
I have found that one of the best ways to health is by deciding to be happy. Health and happiness are choices. I have a dear friend who is currently going through an horrible and sad divorce. I am amazed at this lady's fine example of taking what most would consider a tragedy and making her life beautiful each day. She has decided that life may be hard, but it is going to be very good in spite of her situation. Very inspiring.
Life throws us curve balls, there is no getting around that, but in spite of those hard times, life can be perfect each day. It becomes perfect because we decide it will be perfect. Perfection is not about the perfect budget, or the perfect home, or even perfect health. It is about having a perfect attitude. Not that we are or ever will be perfect, but if we try perfectly, then each day can guide us to happiness, and we can be at peace with what we have and where we are.
I challenge you today to look at your day as just another perfect day and then whatever today gives you I hope for your that you may take it and make it a perfect curriculum for your circumstances to use and make you a better you. I am here rooting for you as I work through my own day too.
I have found that one of the best ways to health is by deciding to be happy. Health and happiness are choices. I have a dear friend who is currently going through an horrible and sad divorce. I am amazed at this lady's fine example of taking what most would consider a tragedy and making her life beautiful each day. She has decided that life may be hard, but it is going to be very good in spite of her situation. Very inspiring.
Life throws us curve balls, there is no getting around that, but in spite of those hard times, life can be perfect each day. It becomes perfect because we decide it will be perfect. Perfection is not about the perfect budget, or the perfect home, or even perfect health. It is about having a perfect attitude. Not that we are or ever will be perfect, but if we try perfectly, then each day can guide us to happiness, and we can be at peace with what we have and where we are.
I challenge you today to look at your day as just another perfect day and then whatever today gives you I hope for your that you may take it and make it a perfect curriculum for your circumstances to use and make you a better you. I am here rooting for you as I work through my own day too.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Bounce Dyer Sheets
My Uncle sent this to me today...I think it is worth Blogging to you all. It is a "greener" way of doing things. I like that.
Bounce This Along
My mail carrier told me that the U.S. Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow-jackets away.
Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The insects just veer around you.
All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer!
1. It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice.
2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.
3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen.
6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling..
7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.
10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.
11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan..
14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the lose hairs.
16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.
20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.
21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.
22. Wet a Bounce sheet, hose down your car, and wipe lovebugs off easily with the wet Bounce.
Bounce This Along
My mail carrier told me that the U.S. Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow-jackets away.
Use them all the time when playing baseball and soccer. I use it when I am working outside. It really works. The insects just veer around you.
All this time you've just been putting Bounce in the dryer!
1. It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them. It also repels mice.
2. Spread sheets around foundation areas, or in trailers, or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.
3. It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
4. It repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.
5. Eliminate static electricity from your television (or computer) screen.
6. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling..
7. Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.
8. To freshen the air in your home - Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.
9. Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.
10. Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through a sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.
11. Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.
12. To freshen the air in your car - Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.
13. Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food and the pan..
14. Eliminate odors in wastebaskets. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.
15. Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the lose hairs.
16. Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.
17. Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.
18. Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.
19. Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.
20. Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.
21. Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. It will keep them smelling fresh.
22. Wet a Bounce sheet, hose down your car, and wipe lovebugs off easily with the wet Bounce.
Vegeniase
If you love potato salad or cole-slaw or sandwiches smothered in Mayonnaise and you are trying to live a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle, you will be happy to learn about a product called VEGENAISE. It looks exactly like typical Mayo but it is a completely animal free product plus it tastes fantastic.
Look here for more details on this wonderful product:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/guideproductpicks/qt/vegenaise.htm
We use it all the time and we love it.
If you are trying to avoid animal products in you life...you can still smother your garden burger in a yummy Mayo-like sauce...just switch it for Vegenaise and you will enjoy your "burger" guilt free!
Look here for more details on this wonderful product:
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/guideproductpicks/qt/vegenaise.htm
We use it all the time and we love it.
If you are trying to avoid animal products in you life...you can still smother your garden burger in a yummy Mayo-like sauce...just switch it for Vegenaise and you will enjoy your "burger" guilt free!
Deliverance
If you have not yet had a chance to visit my website on essential oils...shame on you! Just kidding...but it is pretty cool. It is bright orange, one of my favorite colors. We sell an oil called "Deliverance." It is fantastic for beating a summer cold. If you have used other Multi-Level-Marketing companies oils, and you have ever used an oil called "Thieves" or "Spice Traders" Deliverance is our oil very much like these oils, only I like it better.
If you have a sore throat of a fever, just rub Deliverance on your throat or neck or on your back or feet. You may dilute this oil 1 to 5 drops using a carrier oil if you feel it is too hot on your skin. We don't dilute it, but we may be used to it as some folks tell me it is hot on their skin.
Deliverance is an essential oil I always have on hand especially in the fall when it seems that our children catch colds a bit easier.
Check out my website at www.butterflyoils.com and you will see Deliverance under "Blends."
If you have a sore throat of a fever, just rub Deliverance on your throat or neck or on your back or feet. You may dilute this oil 1 to 5 drops using a carrier oil if you feel it is too hot on your skin. We don't dilute it, but we may be used to it as some folks tell me it is hot on their skin.
Deliverance is an essential oil I always have on hand especially in the fall when it seems that our children catch colds a bit easier.
Check out my website at www.butterflyoils.com and you will see Deliverance under "Blends."
Being Happy With What We Have
I heard a quote once that I really think it true. This is what it says:
It's not about having what you want...
It's about wanting what you have.
I have mentioned briefly in this blog that we have a son (almost 20) who is serving a two year mission for our church. When he left us it was very hard for this Mommy to say goodbye to my oldest child and to realize that I really would not see him for two more years, not even one single time. Tears flowed freely for several weeks. It was really hard to look over to where he sat often and worked on his computer designing websites, or creating computer art work and his chair was empty. I missed him dancing Lindy-Hop routines on my hardwood floor and scratching them with his black and white leather saddle shoes. Most of all I missed our long talks about nutrition and health and spiritual matters. My son is amazingly deep and his conversations mean so much to me. One day not quite a month out on his mission I was really missing him, it was a dark winter day, and I was pretty down. As I thought about my situation, it sort of dawned on me that I had to do something or this next two years were not only going to be miserable, but long. I decided right there on the spot that one year from that moment that I would be able to say that the past year would be glorious! I used the word glorious in my mind. I made up my mind that while I missed my son, I needed to create a happy life, a life that was filled with new and interesting things in it. An interesting thing has happened since I made that decision....I am seeing goodness and glorious things all around me. I am seeing joy in the small and simple things that before when I was grieving over my son's departure I was missing. Each day I go on a bike ride with my family. Just this morning I felt this goodness in my life. I felt thankful to have my two middle sons with me biking along side of me. The sun was lovely and the morning was bright. My nine year old son and I discussed goals he is working on and some fears he is experiencing. It was incredible to be listening to this young boy with so much depth for his age.
Like you, I have many goals. Some are quite lofty, some are simple. One dream I have is to own a cabin again. While I want this cabin one day, I choose to be happy as can be here in my home with my family now. I am finding joy in small things such as a dinner with another couple in my church with just Karl and I. I am loving attending the local free summer movies with my children, and eating watermelon this summer with my kids. Since I decided to make this year glorious, I am finding joy in just watching my kids play. This morning my heart swelled as I looked at my nine year old daughter sleeping in her bed with her new bright orange comforter all curled up around her and there on her pillow was our orange cat curled up right next to our daughter sound asleep too.
I miss my son who is far away from us right now. But I am so happy that he is happy and doing good things in his life. Our time away from one another in the long run will be brief. Life is made up of wonderful and glorious moments. While he is away, instead of pining away the days crying over his absence, I chose to live a full and happy life. I won't minimize that when a child leaves the "nest" it is not hard, because it is, but it can also be a wonderful time if we let it be. I want to want what I have now, and by wanting what I have, I end up feeling fulfilled. I would love to see my son's face today, but his time to be back with us is not yet. It would be easy to slip into the mindset of "I want my son home why I can't have him right now?" But that does not make anyone happy. So in the mean time while we are waiting for our son to return home to us, we are all living happy and fulfilled lives. It is a choice. We are choosing to want what we have.
It's not about having what you want...
It's about wanting what you have.
I have mentioned briefly in this blog that we have a son (almost 20) who is serving a two year mission for our church. When he left us it was very hard for this Mommy to say goodbye to my oldest child and to realize that I really would not see him for two more years, not even one single time. Tears flowed freely for several weeks. It was really hard to look over to where he sat often and worked on his computer designing websites, or creating computer art work and his chair was empty. I missed him dancing Lindy-Hop routines on my hardwood floor and scratching them with his black and white leather saddle shoes. Most of all I missed our long talks about nutrition and health and spiritual matters. My son is amazingly deep and his conversations mean so much to me. One day not quite a month out on his mission I was really missing him, it was a dark winter day, and I was pretty down. As I thought about my situation, it sort of dawned on me that I had to do something or this next two years were not only going to be miserable, but long. I decided right there on the spot that one year from that moment that I would be able to say that the past year would be glorious! I used the word glorious in my mind. I made up my mind that while I missed my son, I needed to create a happy life, a life that was filled with new and interesting things in it. An interesting thing has happened since I made that decision....I am seeing goodness and glorious things all around me. I am seeing joy in the small and simple things that before when I was grieving over my son's departure I was missing. Each day I go on a bike ride with my family. Just this morning I felt this goodness in my life. I felt thankful to have my two middle sons with me biking along side of me. The sun was lovely and the morning was bright. My nine year old son and I discussed goals he is working on and some fears he is experiencing. It was incredible to be listening to this young boy with so much depth for his age.
Like you, I have many goals. Some are quite lofty, some are simple. One dream I have is to own a cabin again. While I want this cabin one day, I choose to be happy as can be here in my home with my family now. I am finding joy in small things such as a dinner with another couple in my church with just Karl and I. I am loving attending the local free summer movies with my children, and eating watermelon this summer with my kids. Since I decided to make this year glorious, I am finding joy in just watching my kids play. This morning my heart swelled as I looked at my nine year old daughter sleeping in her bed with her new bright orange comforter all curled up around her and there on her pillow was our orange cat curled up right next to our daughter sound asleep too.
I miss my son who is far away from us right now. But I am so happy that he is happy and doing good things in his life. Our time away from one another in the long run will be brief. Life is made up of wonderful and glorious moments. While he is away, instead of pining away the days crying over his absence, I chose to live a full and happy life. I won't minimize that when a child leaves the "nest" it is not hard, because it is, but it can also be a wonderful time if we let it be. I want to want what I have now, and by wanting what I have, I end up feeling fulfilled. I would love to see my son's face today, but his time to be back with us is not yet. It would be easy to slip into the mindset of "I want my son home why I can't have him right now?" But that does not make anyone happy. So in the mean time while we are waiting for our son to return home to us, we are all living happy and fulfilled lives. It is a choice. We are choosing to want what we have.
Monday, August 9, 2010
My New Essential Oils Website Is Up and Running!
Well it is nearly 1:00 in the morning...Monday morning. Karl and I worked all weekend long to get my new essential oils website up and going. Please take a minute to see what we have done. If we can serve you in anyway in the area of essential oils, please contact us and we will do all we can to help you.
Enjoy...and (yaaawn) goodnight!
My new website address is: www.butterflyoils.com
Enjoy...and (yaaawn) goodnight!
My new website address is: www.butterflyoils.com
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Eggs verses Goop
I am a vegetarian through and through. I live a mainly vegan life, but honestly, to a vegan who is completely pure, they would scoff. What we do in our family is avoid all meat, and avoid 99% of any other animal products. We do eat cheese once in a while, meaning for a family or 10 perhaps we eat cheese in small servings three times a month. We also eat ice-cream a little here and there. We go through phases where we won't eat any eggs for a year maybe, and then we will get a dozen free range eggs and we will make a few omelets or eggs sandwiches. I rarely use them for anything else. I have found that I don't need them. I use other things that are much more healthy. I don't believe for a minute that eggs are a great source of protein. They are too loaded with other things that are not good for us to take eggs very seriously as a "healthy" protein option. I will leave that discussion for another blog about protein in general.
When we bake and the recipe calls for an egg, I often use flax seed instead. Flax seeds are very inexpensive to purchase and I purchase mine either at Winco Foods in their bulk section or through Azure Standard foods. I make up what I call "Flax Seed Goop" and store it in my refrigerator for baking. This Goop works especially well for quick breads that you want to be moist. So here are my instructions for making Flax Seed Goop:
Blend 1 cup of flax seed in your blender or food processor. I have a Vitamix (Which I LOVE) and blend until the seeds are powder. Add 4 cups of water and return to blending for about 1 minute. The seeds and the water will turn to a consistency much like an egg from a chicken, maybe a bit thicker. The Goop will be slightly tan in color. This mixture can be used in 1/4 cup measures to replace 1 egg in baking. So 1/4 cup equals one egg. I store the rest of the Goop in my fridge for up to one week. You can make smaller batches by just cutting down the recipe...if you want to use 1/2 cup of flax seeds, then just use 2 cups of water, or 1/4 cup of flax seeds with 1 cup of water. It all works out to be the same Goop that is great for baking and so much better for you body, plus it is better on the poor chickens that are forced to lay eggs on farms.
Please note that you really do need to process or blend the seeds first into powder, as once the water is in the blender, it is much harder to get the seeds to grind down fine enough to make up a nice smooth Goop you want.
Here is a Pumpkin Bread Recipe I designed using my egg re-placer Goop. We like it a lot. I affectionately named it after one of my sons because he loves it so much! Abe will eat a whole loaf himself if I add chocolate to it. I add chocolate chips to our bread sometimes when I am feeling like I want to be naughty!
Abe's Favorite Pumpkin Bread Recipe designed by Chris Peterson
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup organic sugar (we use Turbinado)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and cinnamon, allspice each
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
(1/2 chocolate chips or carob chips can be added too)
1/2 olive oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Goop
1 cup pumpkin puree' (fresh or canned)
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend wet ingredients together in a medium bowl and then add to large bowl of dry ingredients. Place in a lined or greased bread pan. Bake @350 degrees 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Please watch your pumpkin bread as every oven is different and baking times may vary.
I would love to hear what you do with your Goop!
When we bake and the recipe calls for an egg, I often use flax seed instead. Flax seeds are very inexpensive to purchase and I purchase mine either at Winco Foods in their bulk section or through Azure Standard foods. I make up what I call "Flax Seed Goop" and store it in my refrigerator for baking. This Goop works especially well for quick breads that you want to be moist. So here are my instructions for making Flax Seed Goop:
Blend 1 cup of flax seed in your blender or food processor. I have a Vitamix (Which I LOVE) and blend until the seeds are powder. Add 4 cups of water and return to blending for about 1 minute. The seeds and the water will turn to a consistency much like an egg from a chicken, maybe a bit thicker. The Goop will be slightly tan in color. This mixture can be used in 1/4 cup measures to replace 1 egg in baking. So 1/4 cup equals one egg. I store the rest of the Goop in my fridge for up to one week. You can make smaller batches by just cutting down the recipe...if you want to use 1/2 cup of flax seeds, then just use 2 cups of water, or 1/4 cup of flax seeds with 1 cup of water. It all works out to be the same Goop that is great for baking and so much better for you body, plus it is better on the poor chickens that are forced to lay eggs on farms.
Please note that you really do need to process or blend the seeds first into powder, as once the water is in the blender, it is much harder to get the seeds to grind down fine enough to make up a nice smooth Goop you want.
Here is a Pumpkin Bread Recipe I designed using my egg re-placer Goop. We like it a lot. I affectionately named it after one of my sons because he loves it so much! Abe will eat a whole loaf himself if I add chocolate to it. I add chocolate chips to our bread sometimes when I am feeling like I want to be naughty!
Abe's Favorite Pumpkin Bread Recipe designed by Chris Peterson
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup organic sugar (we use Turbinado)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and cinnamon, allspice each
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
(1/2 chocolate chips or carob chips can be added too)
1/2 olive oil
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup Goop
1 cup pumpkin puree' (fresh or canned)
Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Blend wet ingredients together in a medium bowl and then add to large bowl of dry ingredients. Place in a lined or greased bread pan. Bake @350 degrees 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Please watch your pumpkin bread as every oven is different and baking times may vary.
I would love to hear what you do with your Goop!
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