Amy's Vegan Day: Bratwursts

Well it has been a while since I posted! For a good reason...Aaron and I moved and I was in boards-studying mode. But now that we are all settled in and I PASSED my boards expect lots of new eats from our new kitchen. I first made these brats for a cookout earlier in the summer but they needed some revision, so this is the much-better take 2. I was inspired by the Jalpeno Hot Dog recipe from Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites but I haven't actually made those yet so no clue on how the taste compares. At any rate, Aaron said this was one of the best vegan "meats" I have ever made and that he would totally eat it again. The fact that we had them with homemade pretzel buns certainly helped :).

Bratwursts (makes 4)

1/2 cup + 1 Tbls. veggie broth
2 Tbls. cashews, preferably soaked in water for a few hours and drained
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
1 Tbls. + 1 tsp. white miso
Squirt of lemon juice
3/4 cup TVP
1/4 cup wheat gluten
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. onion poweder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. nutritional yeast

In a blender combine the broth, cashews, vinegar, liquid smoke, miso, and lemon juice.

Transfer to a microwave-safe bowl and heat until boiling, about 1-2 minutes. Add in the TVP, stir, and cover. Let rest for 10 minutes. It will look like oatmeal.

While the TVP is soaking, combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.

Using your hands, add the dry mix to the TVP mix and combine thoroughly. Shape into 4 balls and let them sit for 20 minutes.

You can either bake these in the oven or, grill them, or roast them over an open flame (just don't drop it in the fire...not that I did that...). If you're baking them, preheat the oven to 375 F while they're resting. No matter how you're cooking them, prepare 4 sheets of tin foil while the mixture is resting.

After 20 minutes shape them into bratwurst-y shapes.