Spaghetti with Meaty Mushroom Sauce
Yield: 3 servings

½ cup textured vegetable protein flakes or granules
½ cup boiling water
8 ounces spaghetti
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onions
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 16-ounce can tomato sauce (2 cups)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
½ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1. Place the textured protein in a small, heatproof mixing bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Mix well and set aside.
2. Fill a 4 ½ -quart saucepan two-thirds full with water. Bring the water to a rolling boil, and cook the pasta in it until it is al dente. Drain the pasta well and return it to the saucepan. Cover the saucepan with a lid and set it aside.
3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a 2-quart (or larger) saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic and sauté them for 10 minutes.
4. Then add the mushrooms and rehydrated textured protein (from step 1), and sauté them for 5 minutes longer.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the sauce uncovered for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Pour the sauce over the reserved pasta in the saucepan (from step #2). Toss them together well, and serve at once.

Per serving: Calories: 273, Protein: 14 gm., Carbohydrates: 45 gm., Fat: 4 gm.
Recipe courtesy Vegan Vittles, Book Publishing Company