Vegan Sausages

INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SPICE MIX:
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel, crushed
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon oregano
1/8 teaspoon allspice
FOR THE SAUSAGE:
2 teaspoon + 2 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups cooked or 1-15 ounce can of black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon sun-dried tomato paste
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 tablespoons of gluten-free, vegan Worcestershire Sauce
A few drops of Liquid Smoke (optional)

PREPARATION
Prepare spice mix in advance. Set aside.
Heat a skillet with 2 teaspoons of olive oil. Sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic until softened. Set aside and let cool.
In a large bowl, add the black-eyed peas and mash them up. You can use a fork, a potato masher or just get your hands in there. If you want to use a food processor, do a rough chop. You don’t want a puree. Then add the tomato paste, nutritional yeast, spice mix and brown rice flour. Mix well.
Sprinkle the xanthan gum over the mixture and incorporate it well.
Add the cooled veggie mixture to the bowl and mix it into the dry ingredients. Add the Worcestershire sauce to the bowl and mix it all up well. If you are using the Liquid Smoke, add it in now too.
Divide the mixture into 4 parts. Shape each part into a log. Wrap the logs individually in foil and steam them for 15-20 minutes. I use a metal steamer that sits atop a large stockpot of boiling water. Let them cool. Then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight, if possible. This will help them firm up even more.
When ready to use, unwrap and cook them however you desire. We cooked them on a grill pan and topped them with mustard and sautéed bell peppers and onions. Yum!

NUTRIONAL INFORMATION
Total Calories: 1116 | Total Carbs: 172 g | Total Fat: 26 g | Total Protein: 47 g | Total Sodium: 1566 g | Total Sugar: 29 g