Mix dry ingredients in a bowl:
1 1/3 cups vital wheat gluten
1 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
3 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heaping nutritional yeast
Prepare and fry/brown:
1/2 cup onion (finely minced)
4-6 cloves garlic (finely minced)
3 tablespoon cooking oil
Fry and soften onion and garlic until it just starts to turn golden in this oil and add to wet ingredients...
Meanwhile, put wet ingredients in food processor. Note, this is just the way I do it; you probably wouldn't *need* a food processor. You could instead dissolve the bouillon cube by stirring and mash the beans by hand. I've just found that a very short pulse in the food processor works great.
1 cup cold apple juice
1 vegan bouillon cube, any flavor but i prefer veggie or "chickun" flavor (dissolved in the apple juice – might have to blend/process to dissolve; do this before adding other ingredients)
1/2 cup heaping (or ½ can) white/navy beans (mash these if you're not using a food processor)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon hickory smoke (optional, but I really like the addition)
Pulse blend garlic, onions, and wet ingredients very briefly so that beans are macerated, but not smooth
Pour wet mixture into dry and mix with a fork or hands till fully incorporated. This should take less than a minute – do not knead or over mix, you don't want the gluten to start activating and toughen up.
Scoop 1/3 cup mixture onto into brats/sausages “paper-sized” (8"x11" approximately) pieces of aluminum foil (this recipe will make 6). If you don't want to use aluminum foil for whatever reason, you can use re-usable cloth with rubber bands on the ends.
Shape mixture into a sausage, roll up tightly and twist/tighten ends of foil like a tootsie roll. Place in steamer with low rolling bowl. Steam for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Texture will be best the next day after cooling overnight in the refrigerator.
Microwave, fry, grill or whatever you like best. I'm not sure how long they keep or if they freeze well... 'cause I eat them all too quickly :)
