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It took me several tries to perfect my own version of vegan Sloppy Joe filling. The last attempt set my mouth on fire! Technically, it’s a bit too thin to use as a sandwich filling. It’s more like a thick soup. You can adjust the water quantity if you like.
I’m avoiding processed grains, so I chose to eat my creation over boiled, mashed sweet potato. This is Vegan Style NSNG (No Sugar No Grains) except for the 1 tablespoon of molasses. (The recipe makes about 7 pints, though. That’s close enough to no sugar for me.)
Sloppy Lentils Over Sweet Potato, with Avocado
INGREDIENTS:
Coconut oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
20 crimini mushrooms, sliced
dash garlic powder (I like garlic!)
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 t BBQ seasoning blend (Omit if you don’t have it. I found mine in the bulk spices area of my food Co-op)
1 t salt
3 t chili powder
4 t oregano
2 cups lentils, rinsed (I like to use a combo of red and green)
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes with basil
4 cups water
1 vegan broth cube
1 T molasses
2 T mustard
ASSEMBLY:
Use a large soup pot. Use about 1/2 T oil to saute the veggies and spices for several minutes on medium heat. Add the lentils, tomatoes, water and broth cube. Simmer covered for 1/2 hour. Add the molasses and mustard and simmer for another 1/2 hour, until the lentils are fully cooked. Turn off the stove and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes. Freeze in 1 pint size wide mouth canning jars. Makes about 7 pints.
Sloppy Lentils
This is heavenly with slices of ripe avocado.
Avocado
I created this dish as a healthier alternative to the packaged vegan taco meats that I’ve used in the past (like Yves Meatless Ground Taco Stuffers and Soyrizo). For sure, they are delicious (YUM!), but they’re also highly processed (BOO!). I’m striving to use more whole foods.
Tempeh is a fermented, whole soy food. My favorite brand is Turtle Island Foods. The Organic Five Grain flavor contains (organic) non-GMO soybeans, millet, brown rice, sesame seeds, apple cider vinegar, and rhizopus oligosporus starter culture.
Tempeh can have a bitter edge, so it’s best to cut and steam the pieces of tempeh for about 10 minutes before using. I like tempeh best when it has a chance to soak up flavors from a liquid-based marinade or sauce. The black spots are molds that are supposed to be there.
Steaming the tempeh.
Chopped steamed tempeh.
INGREDIENTS
1- 8 0z “block” or “cake” tempeh, thawed, steamed and chopped
20 crimini mushrooms, chopped or sliced
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, chopped
1-2 carrots, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and minced
1/2 red pepper, chopped
Dash garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2-1 t chili powder
1 t oregano
1 t cumin
1 1/2 t salt-free fajita seasoning blend (contains paprika, onion, garlic, black pepper, oregano & cumin)
2 T apple cider vinegar
1 T tamari
1/4 C tomato paste
3/4 C water
Chopped Crimini Mushrooms
ASSEMBLY
While you’re steaming the tempeh, chop the veggies. Keep the mushrooms separate, but you can combine the garlic, onion, carrots, jalapeno, and red pepper in a bowl. Combine the spices. Combine the wet ingredients (vinegar, tamari, tomato paste & water.) After the steamed tempeh cools, chop it.
I used 2 large saute pans, each on medium heat with a little coconut oil.
In the first pan, saute about half of the veggies, half of the spices and all of the mushrooms.
Sauteed crimini mushrooms, veggies & spices.
In the second pan, cook the other half of the veggies and spices with the chopped tempeh and wet ingredients. The liquid marinade will soak into the tempeh. Cook down some of the liquid, but not all.
Tempeh, veggies, spices and liquid marinade.
Finally, combine the two. Portion in 1 cup sized wide mouth freezer jars. Makes 6- 1 cup servings.
Tempeh Mushroom Taco Filling
Eat this filling with your favorite taco fixings, in tortillas or as a salad.
Don’t forget the Pinto Bean Dip!
Bird-Friendly White Bean Burger (GF) with barbecue sauce.
Well, this is #3 in my bean burger series. When I discover a formula that works, I go with it!
Burger #1 had a Mexican flavor. Burger #2 had an Italian quality.
Now, burger #3 has seasonings that most people associate with poultry (i.e. dead chickens and dead turkeys.)
In December 2008, I was newly vegan but the rest of my family was still eating animals. My niece was 4 years old. While preparing dinner for Christmas, my sister made a comment about the “bird” in the oven. A few hours later, my little niece sat down to eat and said,
“But mommy, I don’t want to eat a bird.”
I’ll never forget that. Fortunately, that was the last turkey that my niece had to eat. My family no longer cooks birds. We have Vegan Holiday Meals.
Here is a savory burger that you can enjoy without causing chickens and turkeys to die.
I’d like to stop seeing the chicken trucks regularly, when I drive to work.
Bird-Friendly White Bean Burgers (GF)
WET INGREDIENTS
2 C (or 1- 15 oz can) white beans (Cannellini (white kidney) or Great Northern beans)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/3 C chopped onion
1/3 C chopped celery
2 T tahini
1 T tamari (GF)
DRY INGREDIENTS
1/2 C oat flour (GF)
1/4 C ground sunflower seeds
1 T nutritional yeast
1 t EACH: dried parsley, thyme & sage
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t EACH: ground *rosemary, celery salt & black pepper
dash garlic powder
(*I grind dried rosemary to a fine powder using a coffee grinder)
ASSEMBLY
Use a small food processor to puree the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the wet puree with the dry ingredients.
Divide the burger “dough” into 4 balls or 4 portions. You can do this right in the bowl using a spoon, or you can pour a drop of olive oil on your hands to handle the balls manually.
The burger dough will be very sticky and soft- don’t panic! Create 4 patties (see the other burger recipes for pictures of this phase). If you want to keep your hands clean, just spoon the dough balls right onto parchment paper and flatten them there.
Refrigerate the patties on parchment for at least 30-60 minutes before cooking. The time will allow the excess moisture to soak into the oats, which will bind the burgers. Trust me!
Cook the patties on medium heat in a saute pan using the oil of your choice (I use coconut oil). It should take about 10 minutes per side. Shake the pan periodically to make sure they aren’t sticking.
Try these with some barbecue sauce or mushroom gravy.
Thank YOU for caring about birds of all kinds.
Kauai Chicken – May 8, 2011
This is a quick vegan lasagna I whipped up tonight. My goals were:
- to use up some lasagna noodles I’ve had in my pantry for a long time.
- to use fewer noodles, to substitute vegetables (zucchini and cauliflower) for some noodles.
- to use a packet of Road’s End Organics Cheddar Style Gluten Free Chreese Sauce Mix that I had in the pantry.
INGREDIENTS:
6 Lasagna noodles: Cook them partially and set aside
1 Zucchini, sliced lengthwise in 1/4″ strips
Cauliflower, sliced in 1/4″ strips
Artichoke hearts
Make 1 packet Road’s End Organics Cheddar Style GF Chreese Sauce Mix
OR use some Daiya Cheddar Style or Mozzarella Style Shreds
OR make some vegan cheese sauce from a homemade dry mix (i.e. recipes in The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook, by Jo Stepaniak)
1- 26 oz jar pasta sauce
1 C Italian Mushroom Saute
Italian seasoning blend
Garlic powder
Crushed red pepper flakes
ASSEMBLY:
First Layer
Use a square glass pan. Spoon some pasta sauce on the bottom. Add 2 noodles. Spread vegan cheese sauce (or shreds) over the noodles.
Second Layer
Set some zucchini slices, cauliflower slices and artichoke hearts on top of the cheese. Spoon some Italian Mushroom Saute and pasta sauce over the vegetables.
Repeat the layering process 3 times. Spread the remaining pasta sauce on top, then sprinkle with Italian seasoning blend, garlic powder and crushed red pepper flakes.
Line the bottom of the oven with a piece of foil to catch any bubbly overflow.
Bake at 375 degrees, covered for 35 minutes. Continue baking uncovered for 25 minutes, to evaporate excess moisture. Turn off the oven, crack open the door and let it rest in the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
Thank YOU– for making your lasagna without meat and dairy.
WET INGREDIENTS:
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
chopped onion (~1/4 to 1/3 cup)
chopped red pepper (~1/4 to 1/3 cup)
1- 15 oz can organic Cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed & drained
1 T tahini
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t capers
DRY INGREDIENTS:
1/4 C ground sunflower seeds
1/2 C oat flour (GF)
dash garlic powder
dash salt
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 t fennel (crushed with mortar & pestle)
1 t dried basil
1 t Italian seasoning blend
1 T nutritional yeast
ASSEMBLY:
Use a small food processor to puree the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the wet puree with the dry ingredients.
Divide the burger “dough” into 4 balls. Pour a drop of olive oil on your hands to handle it easier. The burger dough will be sticky and soft– don’t panic!! Create 4 patties. You can just drop the ball right onto parchment paper and then flatten into a patty.
Refrigerate the patties on parchment paper for at least 30-60 minutes before cooking. The time will allow the excess moisture to soak into the oats, which will bind the burgers. Trust me!
Cook the patties on medium heat in a saute pan using the oil of your choice (I use coconut oil). It should take about 10 minutes per side. Shake the pan periodically to make sure they aren’t sticking.
Serve these burgers with a dollop of spaghetti sauce. If you want to dress it up more, add vegan cheese, kalamata olives, and fresh basil.
THANK YOU for not eating animals.
Today we passed through Kelowna on the way to Big White Ski Resort.
We’ve never been to this part of Canada before. Of course, every trip away from home is a fun opportunity to check out new vegan/vegetarian restaurants. That’s definitely part of the fun of being vegan!
In Kelowna, we were excited to find (on Happy Cow) a completely vegan restaurant. Spoiled! I have a vegan life of abundance, not deprivation.
We ordered some pan-fried dumplings for an appetizer.
For dinner, we split an order of sweet & sour veggie meat.
It was very dessert-like, actually!
We also split an order of stir-fried vegetables. I adore broccoli and cauliflower.
Along with the bill, we were served a small “pineapple donut.” YUM!
You can find this restaurant at:
1958 Kirschner Rd., Kelowna, BC V1Y 4N6
Telephone: 778-478-9931
Carrot Sunflower Bean Burger (GF)
I just made up this recipe today…
“WET” INGREDIENTS:
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
small wedge chopped onion (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup)
1 chopped carrot
1- 15 oz can kidney beans (rinsed and drained)
1 T tahini
2 T ketchup
1 t hot sauce
1-2 T water (only if needed to puree the other wet ingredients)
DRY INGREDIENTS:
1/4 C ground sunflower seeds
1/2 C oat flour (GF)
dash celery salt
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t fajita or taco seasoning blend
1 t dried chives
1 t dried parsley
1 T nutritional yeast
ASSEMBLY:
Use a small food processor to puree the wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the wet puree with the dry ingredients.
Divide the burger “dough” into 4 balls. Pour a drop of olive oil on your hands to handle it easier. The burger dough will be sticky and soft– don’t panic!! Create 4 patties. You can just drop the ball right onto parchment paper and then flatten into a patty.
Refrigerate the patties on parchment paper for at least 30-60 minutes before cooking. The time will allow the excess moisture to soak into the oats, which will bind the burgers. Trust me!
Patties on parchment.
Cook the patties on medium heat in a saute pan using the oil of your choice (I use coconut oil). It should take about 10 minutes per side. Shake the pan periodically to make sure they aren’t sticking.
(Eric noticed that the “raw” burger color looked a bit like pink slime…HA!)
Bean burgers cooking.
Enjoy! The fajita seasoning provides a little kick, and the carrot provides a subtle sweetness.
I ate my burger with a side of steamed cauliflower topped with Frontera Tomatillo Salsa.
Carrot sunflower bean burger and steamed cauliflower with tomatillo salsa.
When in Chicago…Eat at The Chicago Diner! There are 2 locations. We went to the Logan Square one…
FRIDAY DINNER…
BUFFALO WINGZ
Spicy buffalo seitan “wings” with vegan ranch.
THE RADICAL REUBEN
Corned beef seitan, grilled onions, peppers, sauerkraut, thousand island & cheeze, on marbled rye.
No animals in here!
THE SOUL BOWL
Seasoned quinoa, black beans, charred balsamic brussels, mashed sweet potatoes, spicy blackened tofu with chimichurri sauce, and avocado slices.
FLAUTAS
Corn taquitos with mashed potato-cheeze-jalapeño filling, enchilada sauce, lettuce, tomato, sour cræm, guacamole, black beans & Mexican rice.
NON-DAIRY MILKSHAKES
Lucky leprechaun mint shake.
Chocolate peanut butter shake.
CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CAKE
Chocolate peanut butter cake.
SUNDAY BRUNCH…
FRENCH TOAST COMBO, PANCAKE COMBO
2 French toast wedges, scrambled tofu, potato hash, seitan sausaeg, seitan bacun & fruit garnish.
Pancake combo
MONTE CRISTO
French toast sandwich with melted cheeze, veggie bacun & creole mustard, and potato hash.
CINNAMON ROLLS
Vegan cinnamon rolls.
Need I say more?
So…I have the Curry Lovers set of spices from the Savory Spice Shop (Bend, Oregon) that I need to get using. I don’t want stale spices! I got to thinking– what better way to work them into my cooking repertoire than to “curry up” some split pea soup? Here’s my yummy creation…
Curried Split Pea Soup
CHOP THESE VEGGIES:
1 onion
2 carrots
6 garlic cloves (minced)
*1/2 of a cauliflower
*3 Yukon Gold Potatoes
(*A variation of this recipe is to omit the potatoes, increase the cauliflower to a full head, and add a yellow pepper.)
COMBINE THESE SPICES:
dash garlic powder
dash celery salt
1 bay leaf
1/2 t oregano
1/2 t turmeric
1 t sage
1 t parsley
1 t thyme
1 t Garam Masala (Mine is from the bulk section of the Skagit Valley Food Co-op. It contains cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, pepper, and coriander)
1 t Savory Spice Shop’s Thai Green Curry powder (use your choice of dried curry powder)
1 T nutritional yeast
RINSE:
1 1/2 C green split peas
SET ASIDE:
Coconut oil
1/2 t fenugreek
6 C water
4 t Vogue Instant VegeBase (Low Sodium)
Large soup pot
Vitamix Blender
ASSEMBLY:
Heat 1/2 T coconut oil and 1/2 t fenugreek in a large soup pot on medium heat. Add the veggies and sizzle for a few minutes. Stir in the spices and wait several more minutes. Add the split peas, water, and VegeBase. Heat to a boil. Simmer covered for at least 1 hour, then turn off the heat. Remove the bay leaf.
Now…my preference with split pea soup is to puree part of the soup in my Vitamix blender. (I just like the texture of the peas better that way.)
Here is the half that stays chunky…
Chunky Curried Split Pea Soup
Here is the blended half…
Smooth Curried Split Pea Soup
And here is the combination…
Half smooth, half chunky Curried Split Pea Soup
This recipe makes about 12 cups and is quite mild on the spicy index.
I don’t think I could ever tire of soup! 
Several weeks ago, I spotted this Gardein Holiday Roast on sale at my favorite grocery store (the Skagit Valley Food Co-op, in Mt Vernon, WA). Of course I had to buy a box, since I’m always eager to try new vegan food products.
Gardein Holiday Roast
Since we’re skiing for 4 days over this New Year’s holiday weekend, I thought it would be the perfect time to cook up this animal-free treat. The roast will feed Eric and I for 3 dinners. The box suggests that the roast serves 8, but I think 6 servings is more realistic and appropriate.
Preparation is a snap…
1. Keep the roast frozen until you’re ready to cook it.
2. Prepare the (optional) Basting Glaze from the recipe on the box…
Whisk together: 1 T tamari, 1 t vegetable oil, 1 T orange marmalade, 2 T orange juice, 1 t Dijon mustard and 1/4 t dried thyme.
(I didn’t have orange marmalade, so I used the apricot jam that I already had in my fridge. I also used all of the juice from a fresh-squeezed orange.)
3. Place the frozen roast on top of your choice of veggies with about half of the glaze. I chose onions and carrots. My loaf pan was perfect for the job.
4. Bake covered at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Drizzle half of the remaining glaze over the roast and bake another 15 minutes. Repeat one more time, for a total of 60 minutes.
Basting Glaze and Frozen Gardein Holiday Roast
Cooked Gardein Holiday Roast with Basting Glaze over Carrots and Onions
Instead of baking the potatoes in the glaze (which probably would have been better), I baked 3 potatoes in a pan.
Baked Potatoes
The roast includes a 14 ounce gravy packet that you simply thaw and heat. Note that we ate the whole packet of gravy in one night! We didn’t need to skimp on the gravy since I made extra (Mmm…that would be the Mushroom Gravy recipe out of “Big Vegan,” by Robin Asbell.)
Gardein Homestyle Gravy
If you follow this blog, you’ll recognize this Pineapple Cranberry Sauce:
Pineapple Cranberry Sauce
We rounded out the meal with steamed broccoli and cauliflower. After I took this picture I drenched everything with more gravy!
Basted Gardein Holiday Roast with Carrots & Onions, Baked Potato, Homestyle Gravy, Pineapple Cranberry Sauce, and Steamed Broccoli & Cauliflower
Finally, I must NOT forget to mention that the Gardein Holiday Roast is absolutely, utterly, and wonderfully delicious! YUM. I look forward to my next 2 dinners!
Speaking of forgetting…
I forgot to prepare a dessert…oh, BOO. Instead, a spoonful of Wax Orchards Classic Fudge will have to do!
