Seitan tacos and artistic purgatory

Just like it is easier to order take out than make your own dinner, I’ve found it’s much easier to NOT do creative things than to do them. Making things, whether it’s a meal or a painting, takes time and effort. I often will put off something creative in favor of something far more laborious and unrewarding just so I don’t have to stare at a blank piece of paper. You know, because who wants to draw when you can clean your bathroom or watch Bunheads? Do I realize that sounds completely insane? Yes, yes I do. That’s the worst part-I know that avoiding creativity makes me a crazy person, but I still feel the need to relearn that lesson at least once a month. That’s a lot of unnecessary existential flotsam floating around in a brain. I am convinced that there is a way to be both a productive, creative artist and a responsible, functioning adult. I’d like to be consistently making work, entertain a satisfying social and romantic life, exercise my body and my brain regularly and excel in my career. Whether or not this is possible remains to be seen. In the meantime, I make dinner. And you know what makes dinner better? Taco Tuesdays with seitan and homemade tortillas.

Homemade tortillas (adapted from Dinner: A Love Story)

You’ll need: 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for flouring your work surface)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (I used canola ‘cuz that’s what I had on hand)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm water

Mix together the flour and salt. Add the oil and mix lightly. Add the warm water and stir with a wooden spoon until it forms dough. Cut into equal pieces of 6-8 balls. Brush with a little vegetable oil and cover with a dish towel and let rest for 15 minutes. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball on a floured surface. You can also stretch out the tortillas by hand. Whatever is easier. Preheat an ungreased griddle or cast iron pan. Add tortilla and cook until it begins to puff with a few browning spots on the bottom. Flip and press down to release the air pockets. Cook for about 1 minute. I made these with all-purpose flour the first time and they were delicious and soft. I made them with whole-wheat flour a second time and they were much stiffer and-sigh-less tasty.

For the fixins: 

Spinach
Salsa 

Guacamole
Goat cheese 

Seitan

If I have planned ahead, I use 1 loaf of homemade white seitan from Terry Hope Romero’sViva Vegan!, or if I haven’t I use about 2/3 of a box of prepackaged Westsoy seitan strips. 

If you’re using homemade seitan, slice your loaf into strips and cover with a mix of 1 tbsp bbq sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 1 tbsp lime juice. Let the seitan marinade while you make the tortillas. If you’re using premade, just empty some into the pan when you’re ready to roll. Heat the seitan in a skillet over medium high, stirring occasionally until slightly browned (about 5-6 minutes). Fill each tortilla with seitan, guac, cheese, spinach, salsa and anything else your little heart desires. YUM.