Yes it can be done! You can actually make healthy gluten, free, oil, free, vegan sausages. They just so happen to also be very low sodium and sugar free. It sounds too good to be true but trust me this works. I was inspired by the new Engine 2 Cookbook and their recipe for Epic Brats. Hubby Tom, our friend Lorna and myself made the ones in the cookbook for a potluck on Saturday that we hosted. They lived up to their name and indeed were epic. Our friend, Chef AJ was staying wtih us and because of her sensitivity to legumes she wasn’t able to enjoy the sausages. The next day she asked me if there was anyway we could make them without legumes so she too could enjoy a healthy vegan sausage. I decided to try using the Breakfast Sausage Recipe that is already here on the blog that was created by Kerry Bluemthal a fellow Ultimate Weight Loss member. I am happy to report that it worked just like I was hoping it would. I am calling these Darn Good Vegan Sausages!

You wouldn’t even know that the “casing” on this “sausage” is a brown rice wrapper. Something magical happens during the time it’s in the pan heating up. The texture of the wrap changes and it’s fabulous. You really have to try it and experience it for yourself.

To make it easier for you, hubby Tom and I made a video to show you from start to finish just how easy it is to make these Amazing Vegan Sausages!

A picture is worth a thousand words they say – so here is a photo of how the oat mixture starts to look like a “hot mess” and it’s ready to take off the burner. You can see this in the video as well.

A little time to chill in the fridge makes everything easier to handle so don’t skip this important step. Where plastic gloves if you have them and keep the mixture from sticking to you hands.

After the sausages have chilled in the fridge for 15-20 minutes to set the wrapper they are ready to be browned in a preheated non – stick skillet. This is an affiiliate link to my ScanPan that is ceramic and non-stick. I use this for everything – in fact it rarely gets put away in the cupboard because I use it all the time. You can saute and brown everything without a drop of oil – that’s right not one drop of oil. It cleans up easily as well. Gotta love that! Keep turning the sausages over to brown them evenly on all sides – 5-7 minutes is all it takes. That’s when the magic happens and the texture of the brown rice wraps changes into something special. You just have to make them to find out for yourself – I have no words to explain what happens. The recipe in the Engine 2 Cookbook says they can also be grilled so we will have to give that a try as well. Just think of the fun we can have with the BBQ this summer with our Darn Good Sausages. A little mustard and some saurkraut – now we’re talking!

I think there are so many different possibilities when it comes to seasoning the filling mixture for Darn Good Vegan Sausages. Just like the ones in the Engine 2 cookbook we can make different sausages based on the seasonings and add ins. Maybe some sun dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepperoni seasoning and fresh basil for a pizza flavor. Some cooked red lentils, curry, cinnamon and turmeric for an Indian style. What about a little chopped apple, cranberries, sage and onion mixture for an Apple -Cran stuffing type sausge. Mexican with jalapeno, corn, ground cumin, and chipotle powder. See what I mean, the possibilities are endless.

Darn Good Vegan Sausage

2 cups water

2 cups rolled oats – gluten free

1/4 cup ground flax seeds – I like the Bob’s Red Mill Golden Flax

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 Tablespoon rounded – sage

1 Tablespoon rounded – Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon fennel seeds slightly crushed with a mortar and pestal

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Brown Rice Wrappers – purchased from Whole Foods, Health Food Stores or the ethnic section of the grocery store

A bowl of warm water

Put spices, nutritional yeast and ground flax in boiling water in a medium size sauce pan on the stove, stir, add oats and stir while cooking until it starts to come together and looks like a “hot mess.” This takes a couple of minutes because the oats need to cook. Remove from the heat. Line a baking sheet or tray with parchment paper. Using 1/3 cup of mixture at a time roll in your hands to form a log shape, place on parchment paper. Repeat with the rest of the mixture. Chill for 15-20 minutes in the fridge to help it set up.

Once chilled remove from the fridge. Put warm not hot water in a large bowl. Dip one brown rice wrapper at a time in the water, let excess water drip off. Place damp wrapper on a cutting board. Take one of the sausage logs and place it towards one end of the wrapper, fold up the wrapper nearest you over the sausage mixture, fold in the sides and roll up. Place on a plat or parchment lined baking sheet being careful that they don’t touch as they will stick together. Repeat with all the sausage mixture. Chill for 15-20 minutes. Preheat a non stick skillet over medium heat, add sausages leaving enough room in the pan to roll them over. Cook for 5-7 minutes rolling the sausage over to be sure they brown on all sides. Remove and enjoy with your favorite condiments!

Variations: I plan on makign different sausages based on the seasonings and add ins. Maybe some sun dried tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepperoni seasoning and fresh basil for a pizza flavor. Some cooked red lentils, curry, cinnamon and turmeric for an Indian style. What about a little chopped apple, cranberries, sage and onion mixture for an Apple -Cran stuffing type sausge. Mexican with jalapeno, corn, ground cumin, and chipotle powder. See what I mean, the possibilities are endless.

Basic sausage recipe created by Kerry Blumenthal, wrapping in a brown rice wrapper inspired by Engine 2 Cookbook.



