Instead of Chicken and Egg Recipes

Chickenless Rice Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Quick and delicious, this is a good soup when you’re short on time, or for children to learn how to make.

• 4 cups boiling water
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 3/4 cup peas
• 1/2 cup finely diced carrots
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1 tablespoon corn oil
• 2 tablespoons unbleached flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1 tablespoon “Chicken” Style

Seasoning (below)

• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat at a simmer for 10 minutes.

Notchicken and Dumplings

Serves 4 to 6

This recipe highlights the use of seitan, a meat-substitute made from wheat that has been eaten in Asia for centuries. Its naturally light flavor makes it a perfect poultry substitute.

• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 2 cups baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup diced “chicken” wheat meat
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup soymilk
• 10 cups Basic Chicken Broth (below)
• 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
• 1/2 lb. package “chicken” wheat meat, diced, or 1 1/2 cups chicken-style seitan

Make biscuits by mixing the flour, baking powder, salt and cup of diced wheat meat. Cut in the oil to form pea-size balls using a potato masher or pastry blender. Stir in soymilk until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Bring 10 cups of broth to a low boil. With well-oiled fingers, pinch off about 2 tablespoons of biscuit dough at a time, and drop into the simmering broth. Cover and cook about 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent the dumplings from sticking. Add remaining wheat meat to the broth just long enough to heat through.

Spinach Souffle

Serves 4

Foregoing eggs doesn’t have to mean giving up the delicious, light flavor of your favorite souffle.

• 1 (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup liquid (spinach juice and water, or soymilk)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash freshly ground black pepper
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 cup tofu
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or vinegar
• Dash of freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Thaw frozen spinach, reserving the juice. Saute the onions in 2 tablespoons of the oil until limp. Stir in the flour, liquid, 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Fold the spinach into the sauce. Blend the tofu, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, lemon juice, and more black pepper until smooth and creamy. Fold into the spinach and sauce. Bake in an oiled 8-inch round pan or square pan for 30 minutes.

“Chicken” Style Seasoning

An alternative to supermarket poultry seasoning. Use it to enhance soup broths, gravy or stews.

• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon sage
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Measure ingredients into a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Shake and store in a dark place.

Basic “Chicken” Broth

Yields 2 to 3 cups

Use in any recipe calling for chicken stock

• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 tablespoon “Chicken” Style
• Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2/3 cup finely chopped onions
• 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. If a clear broth is desired, strain through a strainer or cheesecloth.

Cutlets “Marsala”

Serves 4

Serve this traditional Italian dish with risotto or your favorite pesto pasta.

• 1/2 lb. chicken-style seitan or “wheat meat”
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
• soymilk, for dipping
• 1/2 cup dry Marsala wine or port
• 2 Tablespoons chopped olives

Cut the seitan into 1/2 inch-thick cutlets. Add salt and pepper to the bread crumbs, to taste. Saute the mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the margarine in a heavy skillet until soft, then remove from the pan. Dip the seitan slices in the soymilk and then into the bread crumbs. Brown the seitan on both sides in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the sauteed mushrooms, wine, and chopped olives. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove the seitan cutlets and place on a platter. Spoon the sauce over the cutlets, and serve.