Beet Life

Vital Wheat Gluten

Eggplant Zucchini Tomato Casserole

I love eggplants because they’re so versatile. Of all the eggplant dishes, eggplant parm is without question my favorite! There’s just something so satisfying with how the eggplant, tomato sauce and cheese melt in my mouth.

I wasn’t sure how we could make this eggplant parm casserole without eggs until I tried mixing vital wheat gluten with flax milk. The batter is close in texture to the traditional egg-and-flour batter. As a cheese substitute, I used Trader Joe’s Vegan Almond Cheese Mozzarella Style Shreds. I couldn’t tell the difference!

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Lentil Loaf

This lentil loaf is great for the holidays, but it’s also a great post-workout meal. I used flaxseed meal in this recipe to get some omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are “good” fats that help reduce muscle soreness, improve fat burning, and aid in muscle recovery. It’s a great substitute for fish oil. Flaxseed also lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol in the bloodstream and helps maintain the heart’s natural rhythm. Because this loaf takes a while to cook, I make a huge batch every few weeks and freeze leftovers for days we don’t have time to cook.

Substitute with wheat or spelt flour if you can’t find vital wheat gluten (natural protein found in wheat) or vegan breadcrumbs in your local grocery store. Don’t worry! You’ll still get plenty of protein from the lentils, split peas and barley without vital wheat gluten.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Happy Cooking!

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