Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Sage-Baked Seitan with Brown Sugar Buttered Acorn Squash and Balsamic Rainbow Chard

It's FALL. So that means winter squash, sage, and brown sugar. Despite the looks of this recipe, this is a relatively simple dish (once you've made your seitan). If you're looking for a seitan recipe, there is one here, just please forgive me for the terrible pictures!! I guess it is evidence that I have learned a lot about food photography in the last year of blogging.

It will take about an hour with the baking times and will serve 4.

Brown Sugar Buttered Squash
1 acorn squash, halved
2 tablespoons Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Sage-Baked Seitan
4 seitan cutlets
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 ground black pepper

Balsamic Rainbow Chard
1 bunch rainbow chard (of course you can substitute other greens)
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425ºF. Place acorn squash halves in a baking dish, cut side up. Place 1 tablespoon margarine and 1 tablespoon brown sugar in each half. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine bread crumbs, sage, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Dredge each seitan cutlet in panko. Place on baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. If you're really streamlining your dinner-making, you should put the seitan in the oven after the squash has cooked 35 minutes (and has 25 left).

Once you have put the seitan in the oven, you can prepare the chard. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Cut the leaves lengthwise, and then chop widthwise. Add the chard to the pan and simmer. Once leaves have wilted slightly, add the balsamic vinegar and salt. If you finish and are still waiting on  the squash and seitan, just cover the pan and remove from heat.


Enjoy!