New Things and Seitan Sandwiches

I've been on a bit of a kick for trying new things lately. I say "bit of" because I am very firmly rooted in my comfort zone and I don't want any of you to try to poke me out of it. (Edible bribes are much more effective than poking anyway.) But I have been slowly, tentatively, introducing new things into my comfort zone.

First, I started watching a new TV show: Madam Secretary. Holy cow, is it good. It has a lot of West Wing vibes, which I appreciate, but it definitely has its own flavor.

Then, when I realized I was binge-watching to an extreme degree, I decided to do something productive while I watched TV (to negate the shame). I started knitting. I've been knitting off and on for at least 15 years...probably more. So it isn't the knitting itself that's new, it's the project. I have officially begun my first sweater. I am equal parts terrified and excited.

Which is why I needed snacks.

You can't be terrified and excited and not have snacks.

So I made my first loaf of seitan.

And then I made sandwiches.

Holy cheeseballs, guys. These were good. Dangerously, addictively, unbelievably good.

They kind of tasted like gas station food (and in my pictures, they definitely look like gas station food), but I mean that in the best possible way. They were ooey gooey and chewy and cheesy and I couldn't get enough of them.


My aunt told me I should open a vegan sandwich shop and sell these. They're that irresistible.

Of course, I can't take any credit other than squishing some stuff together and slapping it all between bread. The recipe for both the seitan and the vegan Philly cheese steak sandwiches came from Lauren Toyota's Hot for Food: Vegan Comfort Classics cookbook. So far, every recipe I've tried from it has been to die for, and these sandwiches are no exception. I highly recommend the sandwiches and the book (and the TV show and the knitting, if that floats your boat).

It just goes to show that sometimes, sometimes, new things can be good. And comfort zones are always better with snacks.