Vegan Sloppy Joes

 

 

Smoky and sweet, this lentil variation of the classic sloppy joe is a hit with the whole family, even the meat eaters. I love to make it in the slow-cooker (I love to make anything in the slow cooker!) but you can make it on the stove-top as well.

This recipe is very versatile, as the secret ingredient is the homemade bbq sauce. So feel free to try different beans or vegan "meats" or omit them altogether. For extra-deliciousness, serve with thick dill slices.

And between you and me? I put an entire package of mushrooms into this recipe. My kids HATE mushrooms and they had no idea that their burgers were packed full of mushrooms. The key is to chop the mushrooms very small.

Now go on, drag out your slow cooker before work tomorrow and have dinner ready by the time you get home.

Ingredients:

1 cup brown lentils, rinsed
16 oz vegan soy crumbles (or tempeh, seitan, etc)
16 oz mushroom of your choice, minced
1 large onion, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can of organic crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
1 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

for the sauce:
1/3 cup of ketchup
1/3 cup brown mustard
4 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp liquid smoke

In a skillet saute the onion, bell pepper and garlic until soft. Add the chili powder and cook 30 seconds.

In the slow cooker combine the onion mixture with the soy crumbles, mushrooms, tomatoes and water. Salt and pepper to taste.

For the sauce, combine all ingredients and whisk until smooth. Stir into slow-cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.

Alternatively, you can cook this on the stove top, simmering on low until the lentils are soft.  Serve on toasted buns with coleslaw and/or pickles.

Red Lentil and Barley Soup with Homemade Gluten-Free "Meatballs"

Inspired by my recent realization that masa is the key ingredient for a nice, dense veggie "meat." These meatballs are gluten-free and stand up to soup and sauces without falling apart.

This is really two recipes in one blog post. The meatballs are time intensive when it comes to length of cooking, so make them ahead of time. The can also be frozen.


Meatball Ingredients:

4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp celery powder
2 cups of shredded cheese
1 cup masa flour
3/4 cup of finely chopped nuts of your choice
2 cups of vegetable broth

Combine all of the ingredients, except the broth, in a bowl and let sit for 20 minutes to thicken. Then form into 1 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. They should be browned and firm.

Then place the meatballs in a casserole dish and pour two cups of vegetable broth over them. Cook at 350 for 45 minutes.

At this point you can freeze them or throw them into your favorite sauce or soup recipe.

For our lentil soup:
3 stalks of celery, chopped
3 carrots, diced
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp each cumin and chili powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 boxes (8 cups) of vegetable broth
1 can of diced tomatoes, or about 2 large fresh tomatoes, chopped
1 cup of lentils
1 cup of barley
salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Saute the onion and celery until soft. Add in the garlic and the spices and cook until fragrant. Next add in the broth, carrot, lentils, barley, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the lentils and barley are soft, about 30 minutes, adjusting the liquid as necessary if it becomes too thick. Remove about 4 cups of soup and blend in a blender until smooth. Pour back into the stockpot.

Place the meatballs in the soup and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes if fresh, about 10 minutes if frozen.

Smokey Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is a staple in my kitchen. I love that you can buy the dried beans that keep indefinately and that the ingredients are usually what I have on hand. In fact, it's so basic, that it's different almost every time I make it, depending on what is available. Sometimes it has carrots and potatoes, sometimes it has celery, and the herbs are always different; so whereas I usually use parsley, this time I used cilantro. Sometimes I put lemon in it, other times I use vinegar, and then I get the hankering to add liquid smoke. Keep it simple, put in what you have, it will be good either way.

Lentil soup was not something I grew up on. It wasn't until about the time my husband was in paramedic school and we had two very small children that it first made an appearance. Of course, at that time it was probably in the canned form, straight from the grocery store. How far my culinary skills have come since then, based partly that during that time we had to figure out how to eat healthy and on a very small budget.

So first went sodas, then boxed foods and then canned foods, again, partly because of money, or lack thereof.  but mostly because I was starting my own whole-food revolution.  I am amazed at the transformation that was made at that time and have been proud to see my children grow up to love things like lentil soup.

Ingredients:

1 lb. of dried lentils

1 box vegetable broth

4 cups water

4 carrots, diced

1 onion, chopped

1 bunch of cilantro, chopped

1/4 tsp liquid smoke

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp curry powder

salt to taste.

Saute the onions and carrots in a bit of olive oil until the onions are starting to turn brown and crispy around the edges. Then add in the spices and stir until fragrant, about a minute.

Add in the broth, water, lentils, liquid smoke and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are soft, about 20-30 minutes. Salt to taste.

Red Lentil Soup

I've been on a soup kick lately, inspired by a cookbook my mother gave me years ago, that I've only just begun to appreciate, called The Soup Bible. This variation can be found there, although I've tweaked it a bit, because you know, I just can't ever leave a recipe alone!

 My kids love, love, love lentil soup and it is so easy to make.

Ingredients:
1.5 cups red lentils
2 onions, minced
1 carrot, chopped
2 minced cloves of garlic
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 bay leaves
a 1/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp. turmeric
4 cups vegetable stock, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Saute the onion, carrot, celery, garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock, lentils, bay leaves, spices and stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for about an hour to an hour and a half. Add more stock, as needed, if it gets too thick, and stir occasionally to keep the lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Remove the bay leaves and add the vinegar, salt and pepper. Garnish with lemons, sour cream or parsley.

Leftover Night = Lentil Hodgepodge

Sometimes you find yourself with a bunch of leftovers and end up with....a really tasty meal! I used some leftover brown rice, sauteed it up with fresh mixed greens, a bit of oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper and topped it with.....





Yup, leftover lentils, tomatoes and avocado. It was so simple, fast and so so yummy! Some of my best meals have come from leftovers. This one will definitely be a future make-on-purpose meal!