Seitan "Beef" Tips

Over two years ago, I developed a recipe for Seitan "Beef" Tips over Brown Rice for my cookbook. At the time, I'd just begun dabbling in developing recipes. The cookbook was just a baby idea then. I'd barely gotten started, and I wasn't even sure yet about my theme. I was just developing recipes all willy-nilly without a clear goal in mind. I just knew I wanted to publish a cookbook.

Some of those early recipes haven't made the cut. But this homestyle, hearty seitan entree is a keeper, for sure:

It's a veganized version of a beef tips recipe from one of my mom's old fundraiser cookbooks. You know the ones? Those spiral-bound volumes that benefit some Pentacostal church, Catholic school, or Junior League. Those homegrown volumes are so rich in delicious, comfort foods just begging to be veganized.

Anyhow, I made my Seitan "Beef" Tips again to test out the original recipe. And I served the filling entree with a side of sauteed, local rainbow Swiss chard with green garlic:

I picked up the chard from the GrowMemphis booth at the Cooper-Young Farmers Market last Saturday. GrowMemphis sells produce grown by inner-city kids in community gardens. To cook, I simply heated a little olive oil in a skillet, tossed in the chard stems and chopped green garlic, sauteed for about 7 minutes and added the leafy greens. After cooking for about 5 to 7 more minutes, I seasoned the greens with Bragg's, Asian chili-garlic sauce, and onion powder.