Vegan-esa aka: Vegan Milanesa

What the heck is Veganesa, anyway? I'll have you know it is vegan milanesa. That's right. I'm ambitious. I'm no chef, but I do have a mother who has taught me all I need to know about Mexican cooking. I've at least retained the basics. And who am I kidding? That's all I need. Because if I'm ever craving something more, I'll just ask her for the recipe. And then I'll make it vegan. Like this recipe for vegan milanesa I'm calling Veganesa. Enjoy, folks.

Many years before I became vegetarian, my mother changed her recipe for milanesa from the traditional red meat to chicken breast. It was her process of improving the way we ate. Now that both my mother and I are vegetarian, we have been searching high and low for a suitable substitution. This is where Gardein comes into play.

You can find this lovely protein at the freezer section of your grocery store (go to Gardein to check availability in your area). For this particular dish, I used the Chick'n Scallopini. It is the perfect texture and has a great taste for the milanesa we will be making.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Gardein Chick'n Scallopini (1 packet contains 4 pieces), defrosted

Olive oil

Breading:

Vegan bread, ground

1/2 tsp italian seasoning

1/2 tbs nutritional yeast

Mixture:

1 tbs flax seeds, ground

1/4 cup + 2 tbs water

1 tsp cumin, ground

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat medium sized pan in medium heat with just enough olive oil to coat the pan.

In a flat, extended plate mix the ground flax seed, 1/4 cup water, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes to allow the flax seed to gelatinize. While the flax seed sits, ground the vegan bread in food processor and mix in the italian seasoning, and nutritional yeast, add salt to taste. Place in flat, extended plate.

Mix the flax seed batter and add in 2 tbs of water. Place Gardein Chick'n Scallopini in mixture and flip, making sure both sides are well coated. Transfer to bread mixture and coat both sides. Place in pan and let cook about 3-4 minutes each side or until lightly golden-brown.

Enjoy with salad or any side of your choice!