No, this isn’t a turd:
It’s my seitan chorizo.
I love chorizo.  The spicier, the better.  When I quit eating red meat, it this spicy sausage was one of the things I continued to crave.  I do eat meat on occasion now; however, I discovered that meat alternatives can be just as good.
Sausage “batter”
The ingredient list is long, but the spices come together quickly. Â It probably seems like a lot of heat but after you mix it in the with other ingredients, it tones down a lot. Â I would actually increase the amounts next time. Â This was child-level spice.
Vital Wheat Gluten is the protein found in wheat.  It is the base for seitan, and can easily ordered online or found at most heath food stores.
When you wrap them to bake, be careful not to get them too tight. Â Â It’s all fun and games until sausage explodes in your oven.
They should look like those wrapped sausages you see at the fair.
This seitan version of chorizo is just as good as the “real” thing.  I actually prefer it because it isn’t so greasy.  Not to mention the nutritionals are a million times better.
A serving of meat chorizo has about 23g of fat and 9g saturated fat.  This deliciousness only contains 1.4g of fat and 0.1g of saturated fat!  Not to mention the 20g of protein.
I’ve been eating it on salads at work all week, but last night I made a little Mexican breakfast for dinner.
It took all my willpower not to make a second helping. Â
Mashed avocado on English muffin, sautéed spinach and tomatoes, a runny egg, and chorizo seitan.  Topped with cilantro, red pepper flakes, and white truffle salt.
In conclusion: Â Don’t be scared. Â Try my sausage.
[tasty-recipe id=”18066″]
***
Thank you all so much for the supportive comments yesterday regarding my ACL tear. Â I was pretty down about it and you all made me feel more hopeful.
What is your favorite non-meat “meat” creation?
Does anyone know how to correctly pronounce “seitan” – is it like the devil?
That mexican breakfast looks AMAZING!!! Will definitely try your sausage when I’m home and have access to the ingredients! Also really glad your feeling a little more positive about things today love! 🙂
Thanks Hayley. I loved all the positive comments – it really lifted me up!
I love seitan log! I’ve made a couple of versions with sage and thyme and one with sun dried tomatoes but yet to do it with spices, will be giving this a go for sure!
I bet sage and thyme was awesome! I want to try that one out next.
This is AWESOME and I am totally making it on Saturday! We’re having some vegan friends over for dinner- and this would be PERFECT. Plus, I already have all of the ingredients (except the ancho chile powder, which I could probably sub out). I also only have chickpea-garbanzo blend flour.. do you think I could use that (or oat flour even?)
I really love a lot of vegan meat subs- but usually only if they’re “homemade.” (There are a few exceptions) The store-bought stuff is worse than eating meat- it’s so highly processed and loaded with sodium. But, if you make it yourself, you can control all that.
I’ve never made seitan before- I don’t know why!!
Thanks for the idea, doll!
Let me know if you do!!! I think you could use any flour – I saw some recipes where people used whole wheat flour.
Okay, now I can’t look at it without thinking it’s a turd!
I think it’s satan like the devil, but I’m not 100% sure. That’s how I say it. I’ve only just bought the pre-made kind that is near the tofu at the grocery store, but I like it.
i was never a big chorizo fan but this looks good! just might try it!
I have yet to try seitan. Is it anything like tempeh because I’m not the biggest fan of that? And you Mexican meal looks delicious – so many different flavors!
And I saw your comment today…look for an email from me!!
I googled the pronunciation a while ago – and it is like the devil. I know the right pronunciation, but I refuse to say it right. 🙂 I say it with an accent because I think it sounds better!
I love seitan and I love chirozo – I’ll have to give this one a try too!
I have never heard of something similar, but it sounds amazing, and its worth getting all those ingredients together!
Never tried making sausages! Even though the ingredient list is long I’m sure it all worth it. 🙂
It long, but I feel like when it’s a lot of spices it goes really quickly. Like it looks deceptively complicated.
Ohhhh yum!!! I think Jesse would like this. I’ve gotta get some liquid smoke. Do you think it would be good without ?
I think it would be fine without. It just adds a little more depth. It would also be yummy with smoked paprika!
I believe it is like “in Ann” (at least that is how I’ve been pronouncing it)!! 🙂
I would try this in a minute as I love a meat substitute. Good to know that the spices could be kicked up a notch as my husband and I do like a little zing to our food.
Glad to hear you are feeling a bit more upbeat. After eating a dinner like that I don’t know how you could be anything less than happy.
Have a great Thursday!
Thanks Rachel!
I’d even amp up the spices a little more – it wasn’t too hot in the least!
LMAO. No, this isn’t a turd! ahahah. Some of the best food resembles bodily excrement… ain’t it so?
LOL! that gorsses me out a little. But yeah… brown food tastes good but photographs terribly.
GIRL! I HAVE GOT TO MAKE THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thank you thank you thank you
p.s. your recipe says viral wheat gluten 😉
Ha! Thank you. It’s been corrected. 🙂
Way to GO! You finally made the seitan, I am so proud of you. You can steam it too instead of baking. I love those ingredients and you can add fennel seed for an italian sausage flavor. Great job, girl.
Thanks! Does the outside get enough texture to it when you steam it?
I definitely want to so an Italian at some point. I love fennel!
Haha I love your opening line, made me laugh!
Love the chorizo take on it. The bf will like it too I think. I learned the wrapping method for making seitan from elise at hungry hungry hippie. It looks much better in turd form. I always say it with an accent like ann.
I think this may be the only time I’ll agree that something looks better in turd form. 😉
Oh my gosh, I LOVE homemade seitan! I first tried it a while back using Elise’s (Hungry Hungry Hippie) recipe and loved it! And it made for a fantastic seitan chili! Love the idea of making it into spicy chorizo…I’m definitely trying this and DEFINITELY making breakfast for dinner with it! Mmm, eggs taste 110% better after dark! 😉
Haha – eggs after dark ARE the best. 🙂
OMG this looks so fab and EASY! I was going to make some seitan to prepare for the week, maybe I’ll make this instead. Are the liquid aminos and smoke necessary? I can’t find them here.
It really way – I was surprised!
The smoke isn’t necessary, but if you leave out the aminos I’d add more salt or maybe some tamari or soy sauce.
This looks totally amazing!! I was thinking of experimenting to come up with a seitan chorizo, but now I don’t have to, I’m definately going to give this a try! 🙂
Great! Let me know what you think!
This is probably the coolest experiementation ever 😀
I LOVE it my friend, you are amazing!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I love making sausage, but this is one I haven’t tried. Thanks for the reminder. Also, I need a haircut!
That looks like a wonderfully, glorious Mexican breakfast! Glad to hear you liked the sausages even if they were a bit tame in the chile department. 😉 Lots of places had fake meat in vegan/vegetarian restos in Colombia so I am tempted to try out seitan once again! 🙂
Thanks Janet!
I am really surprised they offered so many meat alternatives! I’ll report back form Argentina. 🙂
This looks sooo much better than the faux chorizo you can buy now. I have been experimenting with seitan and this might be my next experiment. Skip the egg and it looks like a perfect vegan breakfast. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thank you! I thought it was better – certainly less processed and lower in sodium! It makes a great protein addition to vegan meals.
This looks awesome!
I was a vegetarian for 4 years and the two things I missed were bacon and sausage — specifically bratwurst. I never quit eating fish or eggs or anything like that, but I didn’t eat pork, poultry or beef.
This looks fantastic. I’m pinning. Mark’s letting me get more adventurous with things like this since I bitched about it so much. I’m letting him pick restaurants more often. It’s a win win. 😉
Thanks, Calee!!
Let me know if you try it. I bet even Mark will like it. 😉
hi ,
well its time. ive been putting this off way too long. im a texture guy and plan on trying a few pearls of barley for some chew and perhaps a few cut rounds of shitaki loaf to imitate some fat globs. if i knew about this 40 years ago i wouldnt have the problems i have now.
dc
Thanks for the recipe… although you are right, it’s nowhere near spicy enough 😉
Haha you make me laugh! 😂
I just made a similar version from the Viva Vegan cookbook and am drooling over your post while I wait for it to bake! Your mexican brekkie looks delicious!!
Hee hee – thank you. I’d love to hear what you think if you try it! 🙂