[Loren Wolter McEllin]

For Christmas, I'm headed to my parents house. I am Day 92 into my choice to go Vegan, and my Mother is allergic to all legumes. With that being said, my Dad is a diehard carnivore (for the most part), and I know he'll want something to satiate his meat needs while I'm visiting--I have volunteered to cook all the meals. In any case, is there something you can use as a substitute in seitan for beans? Any recipes that don't include legumes, but would made a meat-eater proud? Help! TIA.

 

[silva]

You can make seitan without beans! In fact most recipes I see don't have anything but gluten and broth and seasoning.
You can use like 1/4 cup of something like oats to one cup gluten if you want to kind of lighten it a bit.

This is a favorite recipe -
http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2014/11/mushroom-seitan-roast.html
scroll down for recipe! I just made one for thanksgiving. Very moist, but I use a whole tub -the square tub they usually come in - more than the 10 she calls for

 

[SapphireLightning]

Wait... There are seitan recipes that include beans? How was I not aware of this? How does it change the texture? Can it still be cooked dry in the oven with tight foil?

 

[Spudulika]

Wait... There are seitan recipes that include beans? How was I not aware of this? How does it change the texture? Can it still be cooked dry in the oven with tight foil?

I don't like seitan without some kind of added ingredient to soften it up. Too rubbery for me.

I use chickpea flour in mine. One quarter cup chickpea flour to one cup vital wheat gluten flour.

Agree with the poster above that fine milled oats should also work.

 

[silva]

I don't like seitan without some kind of added ingredient to soften it up. Too rubbery for me.

I use chickpea flour in mine. One quarter cup chickpea flour to one cup vital wheat gluten flour.

Agree with the poster above that fine milled oats should also work.

Besan(chickpea flour) is what I usually do, and whatever you add I wouldn't recommend more than a 1/4 cup pureed beans, mushrooms, besan, oats or other per cup of gluten. I tried once with more beans and it was no longer seitan like.
Seitan is pretty forgiving with water so if you use something wet about add about half the amount of water as other ingrediants. Like if you use 1/4 beans and 1 cup gluten about 3/4 cup liquid.
I've also learned gluten needs oil or at least some other fat to really develop. The time I forgot I basically got a dense, very breadlike loaf that wasn't very good

 

[Symondezyn]

I've never seen a recipe that uses whole beans, but I have used okara in mine which I guess kind of qualifies as beans... although wouldn't chickpea flour as well? LOL.

As an aside, I'm VERY impressed that your family is willing to let you cook for them! My parents have been awesome about eating vegan when they come to our house, but for Christmas we are going there, and I've been informed that my stepdad is not willing to give up his turkey

 

[silva]

Yeah, not whole beans but pureed. I just edited my earlier response about quantity to be clear I meant no more than 1/4 cup pureed or other ingredients to each cup of gluten- for seitan

Oh- and Better than Boullion no chik'n base is by far my favorite for gravy and any broth, IMO