Vegan Irish Stew and Home Made Bread

This should be my last catch up blog from my family's sick week.  I still have a bit of a hacking cough on day 11 of our mini plague, but I have felt considerably better the last few days and I was feeling ambitious enough yesterday to make some bread from scratch along with a huge pot of Irish Stew.  Outside is covered in a blanket of snow and inside is less germy by the day.  I have to say, our cats must like it when we are ill because we nap and rest more and that is right up their alley!  Snow, cold season, snuggling, purring cats--it is time for some vegan comfort food!

Homemade Vegan Challah (Not pronounced the way Michele Bachmann would pronounce it)

• 1 cup warm water (115 degrees)
• 1 packet (2-1/4 tsp) quick acting yeast
• 1/4 cup agave
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup vegan sour cream or pureed tofu
• 1-1/2 tsp salt
• 1 Tbl Bob's Red Mill Egg Replacer powder
• 2 cups unbleached white flour
• 2-1/4 cups white whole wheat flour

I use a bread machine on the dough cycle only to make this dough, then I divide the dough in quarters and weave to make a traditional braided loaf.

Place water, agave and yeast in the bread machine pan and let sit a few minutes until yeast begins to foam.  Add oil, vegan sour cream and salt, then add egg replacer powder and flours and set machine for dough only cycle.  My bread machine will mix and knead the dough for 30 minutes and then let rise for 1 hour.  The dough will have doubled in that hour.  I then reset the machine to the dough only cycle again and let it mix and knead for 15 minutes, then I shut off the machine and work by hand.  Divide dough into 3 or 4 equal pieces, roll into ropes and braid.  Here's a handy guide to braiding Challah if you have never done so:  Braiding Challah.  Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with canola spray.  Place braided loaf on baking sheet, spray loaf with canola spray and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise 60-90 minutes until at least doubled.  Remove plastic wrap and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 25-35 minutes until golden brown.  OK, so you caught me using unbleached white flour, but you could use all white whole wheat flour or half white whole wheat and half whole wheat pastry flour if you would like.  If you use all whole wheat, keep the dough moist and allow a little longer for dough to rise.

OK, so the loaf was bigger before we had dinner last night!

Vegan Irish Stew

• 2 cups dry TVP re hydrated with 1 cup Merlot and 1 cup No Beef Bouillon broth
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-5 ribs celery, chopped
• 3-4 medium carrots, thick sliced
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup red lentils
• 3-4 medium Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 8 cups No Beef Bouillon broth
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tsp each rosemary, thyme, marjoram
• 3 bay leaves
• Black pepper to taste

Microwave the Merlot and 1 cup broth until boiling and add TVP chunks to absorb hot liquid.  Saute onions in Dutch oven in a little water or broth, add celery and carrots and continue to saute.  Add a bit more cool broth to the vegetables and then the flour and stir constantly to avoid lumps, add rest of broth, lentils, potatoes, mushrooms and heat on medium high heat stirring frequently until boiling.  Once boiling, reduce heat to low, add re hydrated TVP, parsley, spices and seasoning.  Simmer on low for 30 minutes until potatoes and carrots are tender, stirring occasionally to avoid sticking on the bottom of the pan.



I've had coworkers swear this was actual beef stew!

You can use parsnips, turnips, rutabaga or other root vegetables according to your taste.  Sometimes I make the stew without potatoes and then serve over Colcannon Potatoes (mashed potatoes with cabbage, green onions, parsley and/or other greens mixed right in with the potatoes---YUM!).