I have some questions I need help with...

[POETICDRINK2U]

1.Isn't brine bad for a low-sodium diet,being that it's a salt soaking solution?
2.Is there an alternative to using brine(salt soaking)in recipes?
3.Are there any other ways to making falafel than the traditional way?
4.Are steam ovens a good choice for making cheesecakes?
5.Do anyone have suggestions or ideas for an ultimate veggie burger(Vegan);I'm experimenting with making one.I'm so far using these ingredients:black beans,chick peas,split peas,onions,peppers,brown rice,oats and tofu.
6.Does anyone have a clue to how to duplicate the Dunkin Donuts Harvest bagel recipe?
7.I'm looking for vegan/vegetarian sausage casings.Anyone know where I can find some?

 

[Andy M.]

1.Isn't brine bad for a low-sodium diet,being that it's a salt soaking solution?
2.Is there an alternative to using brine(salt soaking)in recipes?
3.Are there any other ways to making falafel than the traditional way?
4.Are steam ovens a good choice for making cheesecakes?
5.Do anyone have suggestions or ideas for an ultimate veggie burger(Vegan);I'm experimenting with making one.I'm so far using these ingredients:black beans,chick peas,split peas,onions,peppers,brown rice,oats and tofu.
6.Does anyone have a clue to how to duplicate the Dunkin Donuts Harvest bagel recipe?
7.I'm looking for vegan/vegetarian sausage casings.Anyone know where I can find some?

1. Brine adds salt to the meat or poultry. You have to consider it as part of your total salt consumption over a period of time to determine if it's too much to be acceptable.
2. Brines add moisture and flavor. Marinades also add flavor.
3. What is it about the traditional way you object to?
4. Regular ovens do a fine job.
5. Can't help.
6. No
7. I know they are available. Consider doing a google search

 

[Claire]

Beans are excellent in veggie burgers, but the hard part with going vegan is a binder (usually eggs). I'm not a vegan, but my mom went through a phase where she couldn't eat meat, and even with eggs, it is hard to get them to hold together, especially if you want to grill them over coals. I know there are vegan sausage casings out there somewhere, keep on looking.

 

[POETICDRINK2U]

Eggs in a recipe act as either a binder, thickener, or leavener. There are numerous egg substitutions depending on what you are trying to achieve with the replacement. For instance, in veggie burgers or casseroles, you would want a "binding" or "thickening" effect, so you could add arrowroot, cornstarch, flour, oats, or breadcrumbs to reach your desired consistency. However, when trying to substitute eggs in baking, it can be a bit trickier. When making cookies, breads, and baked goods you can use applesauce, pureed bananas, pureed dates, or Ener-G Egg Replacer when you need the "binding" properties of eggs. To achieve the "thickening" qualities of eggs in pie fillings or custards, I use agar-agar, kudzu, arrowroot, cornstarch, or flour.
Here are a few basic suggestions for substituting one egg:

• ¼ C. Mori-Nu silken style, firm or extra firm tofu, pureed until smooth
• ¼ C. applesauce or pureed bananas + ½ t. baking powder
• 1 T. cornstarch or flour whisked with 1 T. water
• 1 T. finely ground flax seeds + 3 T. water blended in a blender until frothy, and let rest 30 min. - 1 hour
• 1½ t. Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked with 2 T. water

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]If you want to grill a meatless burger, use a vegetable grate—a perforated metal plate that fits on top of the regular grate of your grill. Preheat it to very hot. Generously spray it with spray oil. Gently slide the burger on top of it. The holes in the metal plate will allow the smoke flavor to come through. Gently use a spatula for turning. Be patient: your first few burgers may stick.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif][SIZE=-1]Another easy way to grill veggie burgers is to use a grill basket—a flat, hinged wire basket available at grill shops. Spray the basket with oil and load in the burgers. The beauty of this system is that you turn the whole basket, not the burgers.[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[Michael in FtW]

Humm ...

1. Brining could be bad for a person on a sodium-restricted diet for medical reasons. If it's a self-imposed low-sodium diet as part of a lifestyle choice (like veganism), then the occasional brining probably wouldn't hurt.

2. Brining is really only used for poultry and pork. You can alter your cooking methods and/or use a marinade like Andy M. suggested. For example: instead of pan frying pork chops, or searing and placing in an oven to "bake" until done - try searing and brasing.

3. Don't understand the question really. Compare several Falafel Recipes and see if one strikes your fancy. If your traditional alternative is a recipe for not deep frying them, then here are some Baked Falafel Recipes.

4. You could try it and see how it comes out - but I've never had a problem using a conventional oven. I know a couple of pastry chefs and they use a conventional oven.

5. Yep, hold the tofu and add about a pound of ground cow! (sorry - just couldn't resist that one) Like any other "ultimate" recipe it just takes comparing recipes, making adjustments that sound good to you, and then going a little experimenting. Here are some Vegan Veggie Burger Recipes.

6. Nope - but, you're not the first guy from Jersey to be on a quest for the recipe. I'm not going to advertise his site, but if you Google on "Dunkin Donuts Harvest bagel recipe" you'll find it.

7. Natural and Collagen casings are derived from animal sources. Fibrous, Cellulose, most Synthetic, Muslin and Plastic would fit your vegan requirement. Some are edible - some are not, and they have different uses. You'll just have to shop around and see what will fit your requirements.