Veggie 'Chicken' Sausage

Veggie ‘Chicken’ Sausage

Ingredients:

1 cup veggie broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ teaspoon liquid smoke

½ cup TVP

Optional: you do not need to add the above ingredients to the recipe, the sausages turn out fine without them, the TVP just gives them a meatier texture. If you choose not to add the TVP, omit the ingredients above and start at step two in the directions.

2 cups garbanzos beans, made into a smooth paste (I do this with an food processor or an immersion blender)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

½ cup potato flour

3 tablespoons vegetarian chicken broth powder (you can usually find this in the bulk food section of stores like whole foods or other natural food stores)

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon onion powder

2 teaspoons fennel

2 teaspoons basil

1 teaspoon oregano

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil the veggie broth, 1 tablespoon soy sauce and liquid smoke, then add TVP and heat for about two minutes, or until all then liquid is absorbed; set aside. (omit this step in you are not adding TVP)

2. In a large bowl mix, garbanzo bean paste, tomato paste and potato flour.

3. In another bowl add the remaining ingredients and mix well; add this mixture to the garbanzo bean mixture and stir well, then add the TVP and make sure all ingredients are evenly distributed.

3. Take a handful of the mixture and shape into a sausage sized roll, wrap in a piece of tin foil; repeat for the remainder of the mixture. Should make about 10 medium sized sausages.

4. Steam the tin wrapped sausages for about 40 minutes. Since I don’t have a steamer, I placed the sausages in a metal colander over a boiling pot of water, placing the lid over the pot (see photo below). If you do this, be sure to check the pot every now and then to replenish the water, becuase It will evaporate.

Note: Instead of steaming these you can also sautee them in olive oil. Steaming them is the way I prefer, because its healthier. They also hold together brilliantly and come out with a hot dog-like texture after steaming. :-). Also, you could steam them first and then sautee them. They would hold together better that way.

Makes about 10 sausages

The sauteed version: