My Foodie Call

Have you ever seen this stuff?

Make friends with…Seitan.

Say what?

Yes. Seitan.

First off, let’s talk about this crazy word’s pronunciation. Seitan is said like “Say” and “Tan” (yes, like you are laying out getting a tan.)

So what is Seitan?
In short: a vegan protein

What is it made of?
Cooked wheat gluten. Yes, I said it: gluten. I know everyone freaks about gluten these days, but I am on the team that says unless you are a celiac, quit worrying about it.

Is it healthy?
It’s a plant-based protein and has no fat or cholesterol, so yes, it’s healthy.

Why eat it?
As mentioned, it is a super high-protein source for those of you out there that want to cut out some meat, but just can’t do the tofu thang. It’s chewier, more dense and has a jerky type quality (but not in a weird way.) As a matter of fact, many vegetarians like seitan better than tofu because of this meaty texture.

Other random stuff about Seitan:
It’s BROWN. (like beef)
Like tofu, it absorbs flavors easily so you can add it to anything.
For those of you low-carbers out there, don’t be afraid. Although Seitan is made from wheat, all the starch from the wheat has been removed and all that is left is gluten (the protein.)

Remember the next time you grocery shop:

Ask for “Say-tan”…