My best friend and I tried a wonderful Italian vegan restaurant the other night - Pura Vita on Catalina in Redondo Beach. The topping on the pizza was called Italian sausage, which didn't excite me but had me curious. I prefer not to eat processed vegan meats, so when I saw that they were using vegetables for the sausage, I thought I'd give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised when I tasted it so I set out to make something that I could use as a crumble. This little creation is something that I can use as a sprinkle on many different dishes. The crumble adds a savory taste to vegetables, pasta or potatoes. You may even use it on a pizza dough to create the taste of an Italian sausage. Add a little red pepper flakes or cayenne to add a little kick. Serve it on a spread of tomatoes or a cashew cream sauce. Yummmm.
6 ounces mushrooms
1/4 c onions
2 cloves crushed garlic
1 tsp ground fennel
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 c walnuts
1 c muun chi UPnola
3 T nutritional yeast
Salt and pepper to taste
Put your mushrooms in a food processor and mince. Set aside. In the same processor, pulse the onions and garlic. Add these to the mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Pulse the UPnola and add mixture to the mushrooms. When the crumbles begin to crisp, after a few minutes, remove from heat and cool. Store in the fridge for a few days, or in the freezer for up to one month.