RECIPE: Pierogies and Kielbasa, Vegetarian Style

One of the things that brings back the memory of my maternal grandmother more than any other is cooking, particularly bean soup cooked all day over a fire and pierogies made by many hands in the kitchen. This festive meal shared with neighbors usually included my Mam's homemade kielbasa as well. I decided to (almost) veganize this family meal for a very cold day, and share with my cyber-neighbors.

Vegan Kielbasa

Makes 6 Sausages

1/3 cup TVP
1/3 cup boiling water
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup chick pea flour
1-1/2 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp celery seed
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp agave syrup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp ketchup
1/2 tsp liquid smoke

1. Put dried TVP in a small bowl and mix with boiling water. Set aside.
2. Mix next 12 ingredients (gluten through pepper) in a medium bowl and whisk to thoroughly combine.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the reconstituted TVP and remaining ingredients.
4. Mix well, adding water a Tablespoon or two at a time until you have a soft dough.
5. Remove from bowl and knead dough for about 2 min, you will feel a slight change in texture to a stiffer, elastic dough.
6. Divide into 6 equal portions, roll into a sausage shape, and wrap each sausage tightly in foil.

At this point you have a few options for steaming. You can add these to a steamer basket and allow to steam for 40 minutes. If you have a slow cooker, you can set up a steamer in the bottom, adding water up to the rack or plate, and steam the sausages here for 4 hours on low. When they are steamed, unwrap and refrigerate. Allow to cool completely before slicing.

We sprayed a cast iron pan with a little nonstick spray and tossed in some chopped onion. After the onions softened a bit, we added the keilbasa slices and allowed to brown lightly. Yummy!

These kielbasa links are each 146 calories, 22 grams of protein, 13 grams carbs, 4 grams fiber, and only 1 gram of fat.

This recipe is based on a very good recipe in Fresh from the Vegan Slow Cooker, by Robin Robertson.

Pierogi - almost Vegan

Makes 40 Pierogies

3 1/2 lbs potatoes

1/2 medium onion

2 oz almond cheddar cheese

1 recipe Cheddar Cheese Sauce (reduce Miso to 1 Tbsp and obviously, eliminate the pasta)

3 cups flour

3 fresh eggs (the reason this recipe is 'almost' vegan - our girls' farm fresh eggs)

1 cup vegan sour cream

1. Wash, peel, and cut up potatoes. Add to salted water and set to cook until soft enough to mash.
2. Dice onion and set aside. Grate almond cheddar and set aside.
3. Make Cheddar Cheese sauce.
4. When potatoes are cooked, drain and mash. Add cheese sauce, grated cheese, diced onion and mix well. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
5. Place flour in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Add eggs and sour cream and mix well, adding water a bit at a time until you have a soft, pliable dough. Turn out to work surface and knead a few turns, then divide into three portions.
6. Roll out dough, one portion at a time, into a large rectangle. The dough should be fairly thin and stretchy. Cut into 3" squares.
7. Place about 2 tsp of potato mixture into each square and fold opposite corners to form a triangle. Gently pull dough around filling and pinch edges closed with well-floured fingers. Set each aside on a floured towel as you work.
8. When all pierogies are filled, cook a few at a time in boiling water. When they float to the surface, then are done. Remove to casserole.

These are absolutely as good as any cheese and potato pierogi I've ever had (except, of course my Mam's). You can caramelize onions with absolutely no fat (add to hot pan, then turn down heat to low, cover partially and allow to cook until done, adding just a splash of vegetable broth as needed) and slip the boiled pierogies into the caramelized onions.

This option will give you dinner for 97 calories per pierogi, with 3.5 grams protein, 18.2 grams carbs, and 1.6 grams fat.

If you are not watching your fat intake, pan fry a few minutes each side and toss them in Earth Balance and onions. Toss into a casserole and enjoy!