Sloppy Joes

I always loved Sloppy Joes as a kid.  Sloppy Joes with Hunt's Manwich = deelish!  Even after going vegan and swapping out the meat for TVP, beans, or lentils I still used Manwich.  After all, it's vegan!  Then I started to pay attention to what's in it.  High fructose corn syrup is the second ingredient in Manwich, followed closely by corn syrup, and sugar!  Not exactly the most healthy way to go.  So I started seeking out homemade recipes for Sloppy Joes that would be healthier but still relatively quick and simple.  I've tried a lot over the years.  Some have been better than others.

This recipe was in USA Weekend a few weeks ago.  It called for ground beef but I used TVP instead.  I made mine in the slow cooker but also included directions for the stove top.  It doesn't taste just like Manwich but it's fresh and flavorful and best of all it's full of healthy and good-for-you ingredients. 

Sloppy Joes
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 cups TVP (texturized vegetable protein)
2 cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth
1-2 tbsp. olive oil or water
1 medium sweet onion, diced
3 gloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 cups no-salt-added tomato sauce
2 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 tsp. salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Whole-grain hamburger buns

Directions:

STOVE TOP

1. Bring the water or broth to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Remove from the heat and stir in the TVP.  Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil or water.  When the pan is good and hot, add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes.  Then add the garlic, jalapeno, and bell pepper and cook 5 minutes more, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the rest of the ingredients, including the reconstituted TVP, reduce heat to low, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

3. Scoop a portion of the mixture onto each bun and serve.

SLOW COOKER

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add olive oil or water.  When the pan is good and hot, add the onion and garlic and saute for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a 4-quart slow cooker.  

2. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to combine.  Cook on low heat for 4-6 hours - or 10 if you're gone all day like we usually are!

3. Scoop a portion of the mixture onto each bun and serve.

Makes 6 servings. 

Do you have a favorite Sloppy Joe recipe?

Creamy Lentil Soup

One of my favorite soups is lentil soup but I rarely make it.  I have a delicious recipe but it's rather time-consuming.  A couple of months ago there was a simple version in The Detroit Free Press (adapted from Secrets of Healthy Middle Eastern Cuisine).  It required a cook time of about 40 minutes on the stove.  I made it for dinner the other night but simplified it even more by cooking it in my Crock-Pot.  

Don't let the name fool you.  It's vegan!  Despite the lack of cream, this soup definitely earns it's name.  The end result is quite thick and creamy - almost dip-like - particularly when reheated.  If you prefer yours more soupy, stir in some water to thin it out before serving.

Lentil Cream Soup
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion (I used a Vidalia)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup red lentils
1/2 cup rice (I used brown basmati)
1 tbsp. cumin
6 cups water
1 tbsp. Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base*
Black pepper, to taste 

Lemon wedges

Directions:

In the evening:  Heat olive oil in a medium pan.  Saute the onion until tender and brown, about 5-10 minutes.  Transfer to an airtight container.  Add cilantro.  Cover and refrigerate.

In the morning:  Transfer onions and cilantro to slow cooker.  Add remaining ingredients, except for lemons.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Puree using an immersion blender or carefully in batches in a regular blender.

Serve with lemon wedges and fresh pita bread.

Makes 4 servings.
  
*NOTE: This was not in the original recipe.  I added it for extra flavor.  Alternately, you could substitute broth for some of the water.  

Are you a fan of lentil soup?  How does this compare to your favorite recipe?
 

The Golden Ticket

When we first started to get beets in our share this summer, Katie and I were really excited.  Beets are awesome!  Golden beets are even more awesome!  But when we got beets week after week after week, the novelty sort of wore off.  We couldn't keep up with them.  Seriously, you can only eat so many beets. 

Neither of us wanted the beets.  When I went back to work, Katie started getting the share and she would sneak the beets into the bottom of the bag when she'd drop off my half.  Gee, thanks, Katie.  Soon my vegetable drawer had a month's worth of beets in it.

Last week I picked up our share and found myself with 6 more beets.  I was going to make Katie take them but then I had an idea to make a golden beet soup.  She didn't mind me keeping all of them so I combined them with a few beets I already had and some carrots I bought from Farmer Glen.  

This is probably the first soup I've made completely on my own without following a recipe. It turned out so well I'd make it again.  It's smooth and creamy, sweet and delicious.  The addition of rosemary at the end is essential - don't leave it out!  We enjoyed it with a simple salad and the easiest, cheapest, best biscuits ever.  

I was happy to use up so many beets all at once.  Not that my vegetable drawer is beet-free yet...but there's definitely a lot more room in there now!

Golden Beet and Carrot Bisque
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

9 golden beets, peeled and cut into chunks
5 sweet carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
4 cups vegetable broth
black pepper, to taste

Fresh chopped rosemary, or dried, as garnish

Directions:

1. Prepare all the veggies and put them into 4-quart slow-cooker.  Add broth and pepper.  Stir to combine.

2. Set slow-cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.

3. Puree soup using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender.  Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh or dried rosemary.

Makes 4 servings.

What is your favorite way to prepare golden beets?