Make Peace Not Pork - Celebrating the 4th of July

BBQ Gluten Strips! This is the dish that will convince people that vegan food can be the best thing ever! When I first made this dish for my family, they couldn't get enough. My niece and nephew asked for seconds when they normally don't finish their first plate. Co-workers beg for this recipe. It is always the first potluck item to be finished. Friends ask me to prepare the dish for them more often than anything else.

With the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations in mind, I wanted to provide a tasty alternative to what's being offered elsewhere. The abundance of ads celebrating America with a beer in one hand and some beef in the other is sickening to me. BBQ Gluten Strips are the best dish to celebrate the America that speaks up against injustice. It is the BBQ item which stands for peace, since veganism is nonviolence. Given that our food choices help support compassion, which I believe supports equality for all, we can celebrate with the constitution in one hand and a vegan BBQ in the other.

Well, at least vegans stand for change more than beer and beef represent the celebration of Independence Day. It is startling how many times I have been told I am Un-American by protesting something. To me, it is the most American thing we can do! We were given the right of Freedom of Speech (when convenient to the government at least) and there is a lot of speaking to be done. This country was founded through revolution and we need to continue this tradition. We should not settle for anything less than justice for all, no more than we should settle for bland vegan food. So speak up and chow down!



BBQ Gluten Strips

Gluten Mix:
3 cups Vital Wheat Gluten
2 Tb Nutritional Yeast
1 Tb Marjoram
2 tsp Onion Powder
2 tsp Sage
1 tsp Salt
2-1/2 cups Water
2 Tb Tamari
1 Tb Oil
*Blend together dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix together liquid ingredients then quickly mix into the dry ingredients. This will turn into a spongy, elastic ball. Knead this 5-10 times. Set aside.

Tahini Mix:
1 Onion, chopped
2 Tb Oil
2 Tb Paprika
¾ cup Tahini
1 tsp Salt
*Sauté the chopped onion in the oil until clear. Mix together all ingredients.

In food processor, blend together gluten mix and tahini mix, ¼ quantity at a time. Spread onto a 9” x 11” baking pan. Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes. Once baked, cut into strips. Put a thin layer of BBQ sauce on the bottom of a cookie sheet and then cover with gluten strips. Cover gluten in BBQ sauce. Bake an additional 20 minutes.

BBQ Sauce

¼ cup Onion, chopped finely
1 Tb Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
¼ cup Water
2 Tb Molasses
¾ cup Sucanat
½ cup Mustard
2 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Allspice
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1 Tb Parsley
1 tsp Liquid Smoke.

Saute the onion in oil until soft on medium heat. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine. Heat until boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook 30 minutes.