WEEK ONE! Sunday, May 17, 2020
From Jen:
So I’m thinking 3 things for this week I’d like to share are the following recipes: A super quick and easy burger and homemade sweet potato fries (1); chorizo seitan tacos (2); and white bean and tempeh sausage gravy over biscuits (3).
I tend to shy away from soy products, although there’s tempeh in recipe #3. I just LOVE that recipe so much I had to include it. But look more to Leigh Ann for recipes with soy as this blog progresses….
And since this blog has blossomed out of meat shortages resulting from SARS-COV-2 / COVID-19, I’ll post the grams of protein of the meat-alternatives, but I’m not going to go into everything else. I don’t follow my sodium intake, I don’t count carbs, I don’t count calories, etc. I just try to get a minimum of 60g of protein per day and if I’m working out regularly I try to get closer to 80.
As to the GROCERY LIST for the following 3 recipes, you’ll need the following:
1.) The Dr. Praeger’s Perfect Burger (frozen) – It boasts 20 grams of protein per burger and comes in a 2-pack for around $5. Some sort of bread or bun you like. An onion. Dairy-free mayo. 1/2 of a “real” sweet potato – meaning one that is white on the inside, not like a yam that is orange. And then some oil, thyme, basil, cayenne, Tony Chacere’s creole seasoning, chili powder, salt and pepper.
2.) Upton’s Chorizo Seitan, which is available at Whole Foods stores – It has 17g of protein per 2oz, and there are 8 ounces in a package. (Disclaimer that even though I’m close to my ideal weight, I will eat 1/3-1/2 a package, which means 22.6-34g of protein.) Taco shells, taco seasoning, and onion and corn, lettuce, and cilantro (or cilantro pesto, even better!). I don’t normally put vegan cheese on my tacos but don’t let me stop ya!
3.) Any kind of tempeh (8oz). I personally like the 3 grain – any brand is good for me. An 8oz package is gonna have around 48g of protein. If you’re new to tempeh, please note that it’s a soy product. The following herbs: fennel seed, dried basil, dried marjoram or oregano, red pepper flakes, and both fresh and dried sage. Garlic, tamari or soy sauce, olive oil, lemon juice. White beans, vegetable broth (or water), and salt and pepper. Now this recipe I use from Isa Chandra Moskowitz is fabulous and includes how to make biscuits, but I’m far too lazy most times for that so I just go buy frozen vegan biscuits from the store. (Sometimes I’ll make them from scratch.) I buy Immaculate Bakery Organic Flaky Biscuits. There are 8 biscuits in a package and each has 3g protein. So I’m not including a recipe for biscuits. People tend to favor their own if they’re making them. But the rest of this recipe is awesome! Fantastic. And also the most time consuming of the three,
A note on protein.
There are various things out there on how much protein a person needs. So here’s a quick excerpt from verywell fit, found in an article called “Determining How Much Protein To Eat For Exercise.” The full article can be found at https://www.verywellfit.com/protein-recommendations-for-exercise-1229792
“Calculating Your Protein Needs
While the above guidelines give you a good sense of where your protein intake should fall, calculating the amount of daily protein that’s right for you can help you fine-tune this further.
To determine your protein needs in grams (g), first, calculate your weight in kilograms (kg) by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2.
Next, decide how many grams of protein per kilogram of body weight is appropriate for you.
Use the low end of the range if you are in good health and are sedentary: 0.8g per kg. Use a higher number (between 1.2 and 2.0) if you are under stress, pregnant, recovering from an illness, or if you are involved in consistent and intense weight or endurance training. (You may need the advice of a doctor or nutritionist to help you determine this number.)
Then multiply your weight in kg times the number of protein grams per day.
Example:
154-pound (lb) male who is a regular exerciser and lifts weights, but is not training at an elite level: 154 lb/2.2 = 70 kg ……. 70 kg x 1.7 = 119 grams protein per day”
So let’s get to it! Our first recipe!
1.) A super quick and easy burger and homemade sweet potato fries (1 serving)
I eat a Dr. Praeger’s Perfect Burger darn near every day. And yes, there are LOTS of burger options, and yes, you can use any of them. This is my personal fav. (I think the Dr. Praeger’s All American Burger and California Burgers are also vegan, but their other choices are vegetarian only.) 20g protein in that burger. It’s based on pea-protein.
a.) Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
b.) Whip up the “dressing” for the sweet potato fries. Add to a bowl 1/8c oil, 1/4 tsp. dried thyme, a 1/8 tsp of cayenne powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.
c.) Peel the sweet potato, then cut it into long fries about 1/2” wide and 1/2” thick. Place the fries on a baking sheet. Pour the oil mix over the fries to coat and roll the strips around to make sure you’re getting the oil on each side. (You can also toss them in a bowl but….) Put them in the pre-heated oven for 15 minutes.
d.) While the sweet potato fries are cooking, pour a wee bit of oil in a skillet and heat it up on med-high heat. Toss a FROZEN burger in there and cook 1 min per side to sear the burger.
e.) Turn the heat down on the burger to med-low. Season the burger with a shake of creole seasoning, and a pinch each of chili powder, salt, and pepper. Get yourself a slice of onion for the burger and toss it in the pan with the burger. Cover with a lid. Continue cooking the burger 3 min to a side.
f.) Get your bun or bread ready. For me this means toasting my friend’s homemade bread, whatever kind it is. Chop a tsp of fresh basil and add it to a Tbsp of dairy-free mayo. (Or of course, whichever condiments you want.) Spread on your bun or bread.
g.) Assemble the burger and pull those fries out of the over and add them to your plate.
Quick! Easy! And 20g of protein in the burger alone, and then whatever the bread (2-3g/slice) and the 1/2 sweet potato offer (approx 1g). You should end up with a meal with around 25g of protein!
Variations:
You can use a yam for the fries, but my preference is a real sweet potato, which is white inside not orange. They’re sweeter and they don’t get soggy.
Substitute your favorite dried herb in place of thyme for the fries (i.e. basil, cilantro, tarragon, oregano), or your favorite fresh herb to chop and mix into the mayo
For extra flavor, add a dash of amino acids to the burger while it’s cooking.
My Biscuits Vegan Life 