Post Punk Kitchen

This is a great web-site http://www.theppk.com/ with vegan recipes and a way for vegans to network with other vegans. If you're not vegan, or you want to test out this lifestyle like me, you should check out the site and try some of the fun recipes.

Here is one of the recipes that I tried last night for supper and I really recommend trying it. It contains vital wheat gluten which is a natural protein that comes from the endosperm of the wheat berry. This makes the cutlets very filling and satisfying. As well one of the biggest concerns your friends and family will have once you stop eating meat is that you won't get enough protein but despite common belief there are ALOT of plant based alternatives.

Chickpea Cutlets
1 16 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
Olive oil for pan frying

Optional ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, pressed or grated with a Microplane grater
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest


In a mixing bowl, mash the chickpeas together with the oil until no whole chickpeas are left. Use an avocado masher or a strong fork. Alternately, you can pulse the chickpeas in a food processor. We’re not making hummus here, so be careful not to puree them, just get them mashed up. You can also sneak the garlic cloves in here instead of grating them, just pulse them up before adding the chickpeas. If using a food processor, transfer to a mixing bowl when done.


Add the remaining ingredients and knead together for about 3 minutes, until strings of gluten have formed. The strings should look like this (click photo for an even closer up view):


Preheat a large heavy-bottomed skillet over low-medium heat. Cast iron works best. If you have two pans and want to cook all the cutlets at once then go for it, otherwise you’ll be making them in two batches.



Divide the cutlet dough into 2 equal pieces. Then divide each of those pieces into 4 separate pieces (so you’ll have 8 all together). To form cutlets, knead each piece in your hand for a few moments and then flatten and stretch each one into a roughly 6 by 4 inch rectangular cutlet shape. The easiest way to do this is to form a rectangle shape in your hands and then place the cutlets on a clean surface to flatten and stretch them.

Add a moderately thin layer of olive oil to the bottom of the pan. Place the cutlets in the pan and cook on each side for 6 to 7 minutes. Add more oil, if needed, when you flip the cutlets. They’re ready when lightly browned and firm to the touch. I’ve found that they cook more thoroughly if I cover the pan in between flips. I also use my spatula to press down on them while they’re cooking, that way they cook more evenly.





I'm not going to lie.. the picture on the web-site looks much yummier but this dish was just what I needed to satisfy my cravings of the "typical Canadian supper" of meat and potatoes.


If you have any great recipes or foods that allow you to ensure you are consuming enough protein please send them this way :)