Herbal Bean Sausages

Ingredients

2 c pinto beans
1/2 c wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 c onion
1 garlic clove
1/2 c tomato sauce
1/8 ts fennel seed
1/8 ts pepper
5/8 ts basil
1 bell pepper
1/8 c vegetable broth
4 mushrooms
1/8 ts celery seed
1/2 ts oregano
1 ds black pepper

Instructions

Whole wheat flour -(pastry flour works best) These plant-based sausages taste great, contain no added fat except the vegetable oil they're fried in, and are easy to make. These ingredients yield fairly mild sausages; after you've tried them, adjust the seasonings to please your palate. DIRECTIONS: =========== Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl, mix thoroughly, and shape into 1to 2-inch sausages. Saute in a small amount of vegetable oil until crisp, or place in a baking pan and broil, turning when edges are slightly crisp. Serve with Mushroom-Red Pepper Sauce (below). MUSHROOM-RED PEPPER SAUCE: Cook red pepper in vegetable broth for 5 to 7 minutes until tender. Add mushrooms, onion, salt, celery seed, oregano, and black pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer or until onion is transparent. Quickly whisk in enough flour to just thicken the sauce, about 2 tablespoons at a time. Immediately remove from burner. Do not overcook, or flour will cake. If needed, add more vegetable broth or water. Serve over sausages, whole grains, or vegetables. *