Day 18 of the Kickstart

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This recipe is a crowd pleaser, so if you are expecting company, this is the one. Seitan is wheat protein and a popular vegan mock meat. You can find it in your local health food store.

Recipe of the Day: Buckwheat Pasta with Seitan
Makes 6 servings

This recipe contains soba, a Japanese buckwheat pasta. Buckwheat is a great source of rutin, a type of bioflavonoid that has an amazing capacity to fight free radicals, which are responsible for many cancers. Soba is available in the Asian food section of many supermarkets and health food stores, as well as in Asian markets. Whole-wheat angel hair pasta or spaghetti can be used as an alternative to the soba.

12 ounces dry soba noodles
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth or water
3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and sliced
8 ounces seitan, sliced
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring water to boil in a large pot. Add soba noodles and salt and boil for about 8 minutes until al dente (cooked enough to be firm and chewy, but not mushy). Drain noodles and rinse with cold water to prevent them from sticking.

Sauté onion in a large skillet with 1/4 cup vegetable broth or water until transparent, and then add mushrooms and bell peppers. Cover and continue cooking until mushrooms are brown and bell peppers are soft, and then stir in seitan. Add more vegetable broth or water as needed if pan becomes dry.

Whisk flour and remaining 1 1/2 cups broth or water together until smooth. Add this mixture to the skillet along with soy sauce, garlic, and black pepper. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat until thickened.

Pour seitan mixture over noodles, top with parsley, and serve.

Freshly boiled soba noodles are best when eaten immediately. Stored in a covered container in the refrigerator, leftover Buckwheat Pasta with Seitan will keep for 2 to 3 days.

Tip: Most brands of soba noodles contain sodium. Try to find a brand that is lower in sodium and consider omitting salt from cooking water.

Per Serving 
Calories: 263
Fat: 1.3 g
Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
Calories from Fat: 4.4%
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Protein: 17.6 g
Carbohydrates: 49.5 g
Sugar: 4.9 g
Fiber: 5.6 g
Sodium: 796 mg
Calcium: 53 mg
Iron: 3.1 mg
Vitamin C: 67 mg
Beta Carotene: 751 mcg
Vitamin E: 0.9 mg

From The Survivor’s Handbook: Eating Right for Cancer Survival by Neal D. Barnard, M.D. and Jennifer Reilly, R.D.