Meatless Monday: Seitan

December is (finally!) here, and so is the first Meatless Monday of the month. For those who are growing bored of the typical tofu and beans in meatless meals, seitan could be a mock meat worth trying. Pronounced say-tahn, seitain is a type of wheat gluten that has earned the catchy moniker “wheat meat” for its savoury taste and chewy texture.  In the following recipe, seitan is just one element in a flavourful pasta salad that also includes pecans and artichokes. Look for wheat meat (usually in 8 oz/225 g packages) in the refrigerator section of your local health food store, and get cooking! In the meantime, do you have a favourite seitan recipe? Let us know via Facebook, Twitter, or the comments below. Farfalle and Seitan Salad with Pecan Pesto From Bryanna Clark Grogan’s “Seitan” Pesto: 1 cup (250 mL) fresh basil leaves 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped fresh parsley 1/4 cup (60 mL) pecan halves 2 Tbsp (30 mL) reduced-fat egg-free mayonnaise 2 Tbsp (30 mL) low-sodium vegetarian broth 1 garlic clove Salad: 6 oz (180 g) farfalle (bowtie pasta) 10 oz (285 g) seitan, cut into slivers 2 Tbsp (30 mL) cornstarch 2 Tbsp (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil 6 sun-dried tomato halves removed from oil 1 cup (250 mL) sliced marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed well and drained 1/2 large red bell pepper, seeded and diced 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chopped kalamata olives 8 cups (2 L) baby mixed greens 1/4 cup (60 mL) fat-free vinaigrette or Italian dressing To make pesto, process all pesto ingredients in food processor until very smooth. Cook pasta according to directions; drain in colander. While pasta boils, toss seitan with cornstarch. Heat olive oil in large, heavy skillet over high heat. Add seitan slivers and stir-fry until golden and a bit crispy. Remove from skillet and place on paper towels to drain. Combine cooked pasta, seitan, sun-dried tomato halves, artichoke hearts, red pepper, and olives together in large bowl. Add pesto and combine well. Divide baby salad greens equally among 5 plates and drizzle each with about 2 1/2 tsp (12 mL) fat-free vinaigrette or Italian dressing. Place 1/5 of pasta salad in centre of each pile of greens and serve immediately. Serves 5. Each serving contains: 285 calories; 15 g protein; 8 g total fat (0 g sat. fat, 0 trans fat); 45 g carbohydrates; 5 g fibre; 297 mg sodium