- 1½ cups (about ¾ pound) seitan strips (1½ x ½ inches)
- ¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- ½ red onion, sliced very thin
- 1½ pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
- 1 1/2 tablespoons umeboshi paste
- ½ cup plain soymilk or Rice Dream beverage
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil or safflower oil
- ½ teaspoon brown rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by adding the soymilk, a little at a time, to the umeboshi paste. Mix well with a fork or whisk. Add the oil, brown rice vinegar, dill, and thyme, and continue to mix. Cover and refrigerate the dressing until ready to use.
- While stirring them constantly, toast the walnuts in a cast iron frying pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or bake them in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Allow the walnuts to cool before adding them, along with the onion slices, to the umeboshi dressing.
- Steam the beans until they are just tender and bright green in color. Drain them in a colander, then plunge them into cold water to stop the cooking and set the bright color. Drain the beans and pat them dry.
- Place the beans and half the seitan strips in a bowl, add the dressing, and toss lightly. Arrange the salad on a platter and top with the remaining seitan strips.