The rolls can be as spicy as you want them to be - it all depends on you! You can use the pepper of your desire: serrano, jalapeno, habanero, even ghost peppers if you're terribly brave. We even added a tsp of some very hot habanero sauce to a batch. Feel free to play. As always on Livin La Vida Vegan we encourage experimentation. Cooking is more art than science. Feel, taste, smell and create!
Making rolls takes a couple of hours so be prepared to start this meal ahead. You won't be standing in the kitchen for two hours because it will take your dough time to rise. I suggest a meditation with the dough as it rises. Focus your attention on your breath, let thoughts of abundance rising within your vibration rise as the dough rises, as your breath rises. What does abundance mean to you?
~ Sample meditation:
As I breathe in my chest rises filling my heart chakra with Love and abundance that expands to all corners of the universe. As I exhale the unlimited potentiality and radiance swelling within my chest is released. The pause between is an opportunity to let go of any hindrance I may have to receiving or experiencing abundance. The circle of breath, of life resonates in each breath.
As you begin to shape the rolls remember the nature of this circle of abundance
Rolls
1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
1/4 cup agave (optional)
Egg replacer (equivalent to 2 eggs)
1/3 cup soy-free earth balance
2 1/2 tsp active yeast
3 cups spelt flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
2 tsp Bragg's Amino Acids
4 serrano peppers minced - keep seeds if you want to increase the heat of the rolls
'Cheddar' baste
nutritional yeast flakes to flavor, soy-free earth balance
Combine your dry ingredients - 1 cup of flour, yellow cornmeal and yeast
In a saucepan heat almond milk, soy-free earth balance, agave, braggs and peppers (with seeds optional) let the mixture heat for about five to ten minutes on medium high heat, ensure that the milk does not boil, if it looks as if it may boil lower the heat. Once you have heated the mixture allow it to cool to about 125 degrees. If you do not own a thermometer you can stick your pinky finger in and gage if the mixture is 'warm'
Combine the wet mixture with the dry ingredients. Whip up your egg replacer so that it is thick and frothy. Then stir it into the mixture. At this point you should slowly mix in the rest of the flour - keeping some reserved to roll out the dough in. You can add some more almond milk into the mixture a little at a time if it is too thick. If you are using a mixer you can beat the dough at a high speed for a short period of time. Once all of the ingredients have been combined it is time to knead your dough. This is fabulous fun. Enjoy this moment. I find spicy things are better when you reflect on things which you are passionate for. Your dough should be elastic and formed into a ball. Take a bit of coconut oil and grease the inside of your mixing bowl and let the dough rise for an hour or so. It should be somewhere warm. I cover the mixing bowl with a wet towel so that it doesn't dry out.
Once your dough has risen you've got another fun opportunity to meditate with food! You get to punch your dough down and and flatten it. You could use this time to let go of any anger or frustration or focus your attention on becoming strong and charging the dough with powerful force.
Be sure that the area you are working on has been well floured. After you've beat your dough a bit cover it and let it sit for about fifteen more minutes.
Roll your dough out but not too thin... you can cut your dough with a round cutter to make a biscuit shape or you can just tear the dough and roll little dough balls. I prefer to roll them into balls rather than rolling the dough and cutting it! It is great fun. Next you should put the rolls onto a baking sheet, I grease mine with coconut oil first. Leave them be for about fifteen minutes before you bake them.
To make these rolls ''cheddar'' combine melted soy-free earth balance with nutritional yeast flakes until you get the desired 'cheesy' flavor. The baste should be thick enough to create a nice coating on the rolls. I brush them a few times during the baking process. The oven should be pre-heated to 375. Bake for about 15 minutes - keeping an eye on them towards the end. Remove them when they are golden.
As you baste you can channel the 'cheesy' delight of laughter at silly jokes... think of the cheesiest things you can. It is easy to be guarded to become cynical and often in life there are moments that we tend to diminish because they are ''cheesy'' - romantic gestures, loving statements - open your heart and melt as the butter does......
Makes approximately 15 rolls.prep time: 2 hours.cook time 15 minutes
Meatless meatballs:Marinade
1 tbsp vegan worcestire
1 tbsp smoked paprika
3 tbsp braggs amino acids
1/4 cup organic no sugar added catsup
1/2 cup water
Marinade your meatballs while your dough is rising. Once the dough is in the oven place them in a skillet with a bit of white wine and continuously toss the balls every few moments. After you remove the rolls from the oven put the meatballs on a low broil to give them a somewhat hard exterior. Do not broil for very long.
Chipotle Aioli Sauce
Combine veganaise with a scoop of your favorite chipotle salsa, nutritional yeast and a squeeze of lemon juice
Assemble your sliders with one glorious meatless meatball, a dash of chipotle aioli sauce and then top with fixings according to desire. We placed one spinach leaf and a little sliver of onion and tomato on ours. We served these along side of some fingerling potatoes in a white wine rosemary sage sauce and carmelized brussel sprouts.
