I cooked today! "Meatloaf, Seitan O'Greatness , Veggies

Hi Everyone,

I want to say thank you to all of you who stopped by and posted me get well wishes and helpful ideas to help backs. I so enjoy the friendships I have made, though most of us are miles apart. This whole back thing has had me in the dumps for too long. Update: The doctor has taken me out of work for 6 weeks, I have pool therapy, spinal manipulations and adjustments along with a load of homeopathic medicines. After a week on the treatment my chriopractor has already seen disc impovement. I am keeping my fingers crossed. He has me set up with a 12 week treatment.

I was home alone today and wanted so badly to cook. It has been like 3 weeks. I figured just go for it! It took me 5 hours to make dinner, but it was finally something other than PB&J or avo sammies. DH, my omni man, called me and said he wanted meatloaf. (the real kind) Well, that is his choice, but for me I figured I would make a vegan version. I popped over to Jen at veganlunchbox.com and used her meatloaf maker. I have tried it before and the family loves it. Today I wanted millet and black bean. I used walnuts, no-chicken broth, onion, lots of garlic, celery, black beans, millet flaxseed meal, cumin, yeast flakes, vegan worcestershire sauce, and vegan chicken-style seasoning. It tastes really good. I kept tasting before it was cooked. Don't you just love how you can do that being vegan since there are no nasties. :o) This recipe stayed together so well, that I think you could make patties and fry them. I will up some of the seasonings next time. I also made some of Bryanna's Fat Free Vegan Rich Brown Gravy,(which you have to get from her newsletter) sorry I don't remember which one, along with steamed broccoli, yellow squash, frozen green peas and a baked potato to finish the meal off.

I was such a happy camper today that I didn't stop there. The simple things in life, like getting in the kitchen, make me so happy. I just love to cook.

I was visiting blogs and found many of you have made the Seitan O'greatness or versions thereof. Tex over at http://eatnvegn.blogspot.com/ made a wonderful looking Seitan O'Greatness and then I found Laura had made it too, http://myedenkitchen.blogspot.com/ . Of course my journey did not end there. I found that Susan over http://blog.fatfreevegan.com has made her version of Veggeroni (Seitan Pepperoni) http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/04/veggeroni-seitan-pepperoni.html, which I intend to make very soon. Here is the one I baked today. It seems darker in color than most, DH and I both enjoyed it. I can't wait to try it in different ways. Sorry the picture is not great, but the flavor is. I was wondering if I could change the seasonings a bit to make a "chic'n" flavored seitan log. I am gonna try. :o)

Last buy not least I want to thank Brandie and her sweetheart for being such a important part of my life. They make me smile and feel good. Thanks kids for doing all that you have done.

Here is their Easter picture that we took after church. They make a great couple!

This is Brandie's favorite picture.

This is my favorite, but actually who can pick, they make such a neat couple.