Vegan TVP Salad

Jen's Vegan Chik'n Salad

I just made the best homemade vegan chik'n salad ever! and I have to share the recipe with you all. It was so easy.  So very, very easy.  I've become quite the vegan chik'n salad (VCS) expert over the past decade and I have loved and enjoyed copious amounts of Whole Foods VCS and buy it in the pint sized containers.  That pint lasts maybe two days in this household with three boys and me, an iron pumping (as of today), hoe swinging, knife wielding Momma. I'm hungry ALL the time. So I need a staple VCS to whip up at home.

I've tried Ellwood's of RVA's VCS and it is a very tasty recipe that closely resembles WF.  It seems to be an easy recipe, you just have to be able to get your hands on a lot of vegan chik'n cutlets and vegenaise from one of the big health food grocery distributing companies.  So it was very good there. $$$ too.

I've had Good Food groceries of RVA's VCS and I like it.  It tastes heavy on the celery salt though and it's made of TVP instead of the cutlets (cutlets are not gluten-free). TVP is gluten free. I like it, okay, just needs different fresh herbs and seasoning.  But, way healthier than the deep fried cutlets.  Which, I'm 99% sure that they deep fry the cutlets, like when they are making the Vegan General Tsoa's, and then chop them up. But, I really could be mistaken because I've deep fried the Morning Star vegan chik'n cutlets to make the salad and it has an entirely different texture. It is safe to say that I am a bit obsessed with food.

Also, I really enjoyed the Ellwood's vegan mac and cheese.  They made a whitesauce out of soymilk like I do, and that's why I like theirs.  Good job Ell.  Very nice. Just wish it was gluten-fee.  I have no sensitivities. Just a preference.  But it was cute, they packed the noodles in muffin tray and topped with vegan buttered bread crumbs for some texture, refrigerated them and popped them out like muffins for the deli display.

So back in the kitchen.  I want a non-fried, TVP non-GMO, chock full of veggies, spiced right, herbed up, VCS.  And, I think I nailed. Pretty dang good and pretty good for you too.  Especially after pumping iron until the hands are shaking kind of day.  I LOVE THOSE DAYS btw.  I called my hubby after I left the Spotsy YMCA today just to say that I just wrecked my body and I feel better than ever. Aaaah. Bliss.  (I was a personal trainer and aerobics instructor for nearly a decade, I got preggors with Kemper and I have not lifted weights in 3 years until today, I'm on a high for sure).

THE salad

1 cup water
1/2 tsp. or less Bangarang! signature seasoning
1 cup TVP (soy flour textured veggie protein)

1/4 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
1/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup sweet cubed pickle relish, farmer's market fresh
1/4 cup Follow Your Heart Vegan Mayo or Veganaise
2-4 sprigs of each: parsley, thyme, rosemary, dill and chives, minced
juice of one wedge of lemon

In a small saucepan, heat water and Bangarang! to a boil.  Turn off heat. Add TVP and stir until well combine. Cover and rest for 5 minutes.

In a bowl combine all of the other ingredients.  When TVP has cooled toss it in and stir to coat.  Refrigerate for a half hour (or you can do what I did- put it in a bowl and put it in the freezer.  Stir every 2 minutes until chilled to your liking which takes about 5 for me).  Season with more Bang! or black pepper.

YUMM-O But, feel free to make yours even better. :)

You can put this over bread and then slap on some vegan mozzarella, toast it up for a bit, add some tomato slices and some lettuce and another slab of bread, and voila.  A pretty tasty lunch or toss it on top of salad or serve with your favorite cracker.  You just can't go wrong.