OBEY Seasoning

In my quest to keep flavor alive and the stimulating spices to a minimum, I researched all of the Old Bay Seasoning recipes that I could find and reworked them with non-stimulating substitutes. I am pretty pleased with the milder version below and I praise the Lord for the wisdom. James 1:5 KJV is how I start each day, especially in relation to my culinary experiments…. And, the Lord is good (See Psalm 34:8 KJV)!!!

Now, what do I use this seasoning for? Well, I use it for just one thing really — my plant-based seafood substitutes! Lobsterless rolls, crabless patties, and whatever else you can think of! It’s a great substitute. Why a substitute instead of the “real thing?” Well, the Bible is our ultimate health book. It tells us not to eat these things that do not have fins or scales. It is all laid out in Leviticus 11:10-12 KJV. It is an abomination (yes, abomination) to eat these sea creatures! I care about my health and do not desire to eat anything termed an abomination. After all, “You are what you eat!”

Seafood, like lobster and crab, are scavengers of the sea, similar to what a pig is upon the earth. These these sea creatures clean up the sea. They were never meant to be eaten but have a specified hygienic duty to the sea. TRUE STORY: As a little girl in Connecticut, we lived at City Point and the sound was near our house. I remember that fishermen had netted a windfall of shrimp, which is yet another sea scavenger of the sea, and as they were separating the mass of them, discovered that these scavengers were FEEDING on a dead body. Now… now…. now!! I have always wondered if they sold those skrimps (shrimp) to the population. I believe they did. Mercy!!! Can you even imagine the people cluelessly eating them?!!?! I certainly have a reaction imagining that!

Thank God for plant-based foods!! Hallelujah!!! This seasoning will have you turning your tempeh, tofu, walnuts, heart of palm, chickpeas, mushrooms, artichokes, and/or jackfruit into the non-stimulating seafood substitutes. Google any “Plant-based” or “Vegan” seafood substitute recipe you’d like to try (such as plant-based crab cakes) and substitute this seasoning for the Old Bay Seasoning. It’s just that simple. I will share my favorites on here in the future. Health and happiness is the goal. By the way, I usually marinate for 2 to 3 hours, but if you marinate longer, it tends to be better.

Now, a word of caution regarding the star anise in this recipe. A little goes a LONG WAY!!! I blend about 1/4 cup of star anise in a coffee grinder and then sift it, storing the powdered sifted particles in an airtight container. This would last me for a good long while. I use only an itsy-bitsy amount (which is plenty because this spice can TAKE OVER your dish if you are not careful). A very small amount on the very tip of a toothpick is enough for this recipe (1/64 to 1/128 teaspoon or less) and will be plenty to mimic the taste of allspice when combined with the Monk’s pepper (or the grounded chasteberry tree tea). I would use the smaller amount FIRST! Go small!

Now, let’s make this OBEY Seasoning! …