Homemade Veggie Breakfast Sausage (or Italian Sausage) (gluten free)

Ahhh, sausage, my one true food love! As a vegetarian for 13 plus years, I finally caved and began eating real sausage. My sisters called me a sausatarian. But it was because I was tired of eating bad faux meat with unprounceable ingredients. Failing to make good faux veggie sausage, I had subccumbed to the real stuff. But then the vegan sausage revolution happened and things changed! Unfortunately, gluten is not my friend, so after some experimentation, this gluten free version was born!

It does hold together pretty well when frying, but certainly will not hold up in a stew. But super tasty it is! This is a basic recipe that can be changed according to the seasonings to make it Breakfast sausage or Italian Sausage, or maybe one day I'll even try to make a bratwurst!

I like to make the breakfast sausages really fat so that I can slice them thin and cook like a patty. Yum!

Homemade Veggie Breakfast Sausage (gluten free)
(makes 3-4 sausages)

2 cups cooked white beans, mashed with 1/3 cup cooking liquid
1 1/2 cup oatmeal flour (grind oats in coffee grinder)
1/2 cup quinoa flour (grind quinoa in coffee grinder)
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons summer or winter savory
2 teaspoons dried sage
1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 grinds black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
parchment paper

Italian Sausage Seasonings
(leave out the sage, thyme and winter or summer savory)

2 heaping teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 heaping teaspoons fennel seeds
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
pinch red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried garlic

Place savory, sage, oregano, pepper and salt in coffee grinder and grind until a fine powder. Place beans in mixing bowl, add spice mixture and remaining ingredients. Mix well, combining so that all is very blended.

Place a vegetable steamer in a large pot with at least 1 inch of water in it and bring to a boil, covered. Tear off parchment paper about 8" x 12" and place on a work surface. Spoon in about 1/4 of the mixtures and form into a log leaving about 3 inches on either side of the log; it will be somewhat wet and sticky. Carefully roll the paper around the mixture to form a sort of tootsie roll; twist the ends in opposite directions like a tootsie roll. Repeat with remaining mixture. Steam sausages on low for 20 to 35 minutes until firm. Remove and allow to cool completely, 3-4 hours on the counter.

These will freeze well if you allow them to cool completely (and allow the moisture to absorb into the sausage.) Slice and fry straight from freezer or use immediately.

Hugs!