By the Plate: Beyond the Bun
Make these vegetarian sausages a day ahead, then serve them with satisfying sautéed peppers and onions. You won’t miss the bun! Hint: The seasoning mixture also tastes great as a grilling rub for chicken or pork.
Full Meal
Calories: | Carbohydrate: gBy the Plate Foods Include
Per ServingVegetarian Sausages With Onions and Peppers |
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Makes: 4 servings | ||
Serving Size: 1 sausage, 1/2 cup sautéed vegetables | ||
Calories | 350 | |
Fat | 6 | g |
Saturated Fat | 0.9 | g |
Trans Fat | 0 | g |
Carbohydrate | 42 | g |
Fiber | 10 | g |
Sugars | 8 | g |
Cholesterol | 0 | mg |
Sodium | 290 | mg |
Potassium | 870 | mg |
Protein | 35 | g |
Phosphorus | 335 | mg |
Choices: Starch 2, Nonstarchy Vegetable 3, Lean Protein 3 |
Vegetarian Sausages With Onions and Peppers
- Makes: 4 servings
- Serving Size: 1 sausage, 1/2 cup sautéed vegetables
- Preparation Time: 25 minutes
- Cooking Time: 45 minutes
- Chilling Time: Overnight
Ingredients
Spice Mixture | ||
2 | tsp. | fennel seeds |
2 | tsp. | sweet paprika |
2 | tsp. | hot paprika |
2 | tsp. | garlic powder |
1 | tsp. | hot or mild chili powder |
1 | tsp. | oregano flakes |
1/2 | tsp. | red chili flakes |
1/4 | tsp. | cayenne pepper |
1/4 | tsp. | kosher salt |
1/2 | tsp. | freshly ground black pepper |
Vegetarian Sausage | ||
2 | tsp. | olive oil |
1 | med. | onion, very finely minced |
1 | cup | mushrooms, very finely chopped |
2 | garlic cloves, minced |
1 | (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained |
1 | cup | vital wheat gluten (also called seitan), such as Bob’s Red Mill, Arrowhead Mills, or Hodgson Mill |
1/4 | cup | plus 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast |
1 | tsp. | liquid smoke |
1 | tsp. | Worcestershire sauce |
Aluminum foil |
1 1/2 | tsp. | olive oil, divided |
1 | large | onion, peeled, halved, and sliced into 1/2-inch pieces |
1 | med. | red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced |
4 | lettuce leaves |
Directions
- Prepare the spice mixture: In a small skillet, toast the fennel seeds over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until fragrant and lightly browned. Add the fennel seeds to a mortar and pestle and crush slightly, or add to a coffee or spice grinder and process for 20 seconds, until crushed. In a small bowl, combine the fennel seeds with the remaining spice ingredients and set aside.
- Prepare the sausages: Heat the 2 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the minced onion and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until soft. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until they have softened and begun to brown. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
- Place the cooked vegetables in a food processor. Add the beans, the spice mixture, vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, liquid smoke, and Worcestershire sauce and process until the ingredients are incorporated evenly and a dough has formed. Turn the mixture out onto a clean cutting board and knead gently for 1 to 2 minutes. Divide the mixture into four portions and shape each portion into a log that is 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Tear four large squares of foil. Set a sausage log on each square and roll the sausage up, twisting the ends.
- Set a steamer rack into a pot filled with2 to 3 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Place the foil-wrapped sausages on the rack; avoid overlapping them. Turn the heat to medium, cover the pot, and steam sausages for 30 minutes. Check periodically, adding more water to the pan as needed so it does not dry out. Remove the sausages from the steamer rack and place them in the refrigerator to chill overnight (the sausages will firm up while chilling).
- When ready to assemble the recipe, heat 1 tsp of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Unroll the sausages from the foil; discard the foil. Add the sausages to the skillet and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until browned. Remove the sausages from the pan; let cool to the touch, slice, and keep warm. Add the remaining ½ tsp oil to the pan. Sauté the onion and pepper slices for 6 to 7 minutes, until soft and lightly browned. Return the sausages to the pan and sauté with the onions and peppers to reheat. Serve the sausage slices nestled in lettuce leaves and smothered with the onions and peppers.
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Additional Foods in This Meal
Dessert
1/2 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt with 1/4 cup fresh blueberries
- Per Serving
- Calories: 80
- Carbohydrate: 12g
- Choices: Fruit 0.5, Fat-Free Milk 0.5