Vegan Cacciatore with Seitan

This is such a great comfort food dish. Comes together in a snap and increases in flavor the longer you let it cook. Served with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and you will be all warm inside! A few weeks ago I stopped in Whole Foods to get some of those food cooking items that I never can find at the weekly local grocer. I always look over their food bar offerings--you never know where inspiration will come from. I am not a fan of food bars--but now that I am vegan, I am more trusting of, say, a seitan dish or tempeh item being offered. (I was made very ill once from food--so I am very, very careful. The incident has kept my husband and I from eating out much--yes, you can say a bit "neurotic" about eating out, I suppose.) This dish looked safe, and seemed to be calling me. So, I had a bite of their vegan cacciatore and loved it! I knew I could re-create this at home. I looked through several other cookbooks for inspiration. This is what I came up with--it is my lunch for today!

Vegan Cacciatore with Seitan

1 package seitan, cut into thin strips

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion chopped

2 celery stalks diced

4 cloves garlic minced

1 carrot chopped

5 large tomatoes chopped (still have some from my garden!)

1 cup red cooking wine

1 cup veggie broth

1 tablespoon dried rosemary (crushed in your hand)

Spike seasoning

fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon thyme

1 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

Over a medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to large saute pan and then add the chopped seitan, cooking until it begins to brown around the edges. Remove from pan and set aside. In same pan, add another tablespoon of olive oil. Now add all veggies except tomatoes. Cook until the onions begin to soften. Add all seasonings. Next, add the cooking wine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and let cook for about 5 minutes. Don't let this reduce all the way. Now add the veggie broth, tomatoes and cooked seitan and let simmer over low heat for about 25 minutes uncovered. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes!