K is for Kale- Meatless Monday- Kale, Potato Corn Chowder

Today's post is brought to you by the letter "K" or rather a vegetable that begins with the letter "K".....have you guessed what it is boys and girls?  Kale!!! That's right, that wonderful, beautiful and tasty leafy green vegetable that should be on your dinner table everyday (in my humble opinion).  

It was love at first sight when I say my first kale plant last Autumn in New York City. I was drawn to it's lovely pinkish leaves and was shocked to find out by the salesperson that you could eat it too. Wow, pretty and edible that is a two for one!  

The second time around, I rendezvoused with Kale, was at Whole Foods. I decided that not only did I like the way the name sounded, but I would rather like to taste it (I was tired of spinach and broccoli). 

So there it went into my cart, a organic green vegetable I had never cooked with was coming home with me.  I wasn't sure what I would do with it, but I now had a challenge. 

I scoured the Internet and found this great recipe for kale and corn chowder. I absolutely love soup, particularly a good chowder in the Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, for lunch or dinner; I really enjoy the creativity that can go into making soup. 

Did you know that kale is a nutritional powerhouse vegetable? 

KALE NUTRITION FACTS
per 130 grams, 1 cup steamed
calories: 36
Vitamin A: 354% RDA
Vitamin K: 1328% RDA
Vitamin E: 6% RDA
Vitamin C: 89% RDA
calcium: 9% RDA
fiber: 3g
iron: 6% RDA
protein: 2g
carbs: 7g
fat: 1g

• Researchers can now identify over 45 different flavonoids in kale. With kaempferol and quercetin heading the list, kale's flavonoids combine both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits in way that gives kale a leading dietary role with respect to avoidance of chronic inflammation and oxidative stress.

Armed with organic frozen corn, freshly washed kale, salt, pepper and hope, I began to make this amazing soup! I hope you enjoy making it as much as I enjoyed eating it. 

KALE, POTATO CORN  CHOWDER RECIPE

Ingredients:

• 1 Tablespoon canola oil
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 5 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 3 cups stemmed and chopped kale leaves
• Salt and ground white pepper, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 Tablespoon tepid water
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

Heat oil in a large nonreactive pot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, red onions celery, bell peppers, and potatoes 3 minutes. Add thyme and turmeric. Combine well with vegetables. Add tomatoes and broth; simmer 20 minutes. 

Add corn, kale, salt, and white pepper. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with cayenne pepper. 

To Thicken the soup: Combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon tepid water. With soup simmering, stir in cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir and simmer 3 minutes to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. 

You know have a wonderful serving of chowder for 4 people! 

***This recipe is attributed to Steve Petusevsky author of The Whole Foods Market Cookbook.***

Happy Cooking!!! XOXO,

Hello, is it me you're looking for?- Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup and Banana Bread Recipes

Hello lovelies, 

I apologize for not posting in the last couple of weeks but with the move and settling in, my Etsy shop, and life in general, I haven't had time to post here. 

I hear the Meatless Monday movement is gaining momentum being featured in Time magazine, which is fabulous! So, I am posting my recipe today, I can't believe it either! I am ahead of schedule today :) Wohooo!

Moroccan Spiced Chickpea Soup

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 1 large onion, medium diced
• 6 to 8 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 heaping teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
• 3 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed well
• 1 quart vegetable broth 
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (5-ounce) package pre-washed baby spinach

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until the onions begin to turn translucent; lower heat if browning starts to occur. Add spices and saute a minute or so. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, broth, and sugar. Season with a couple pinches of salt and 10 grinds fresh pepper. Stir well. Chickpeas should be just covered with liquid. If level is shy, add some water so the chickpeas are just covered.

Bring to a simmer, then lower heat to low and gently simmer for 45 minutes.

Remove soup from heat. Use a potato masher to mash up some of the chickpeas right in the pot. Stir in the spinach and let heat through until wilted, just a couple minutes.

Season again, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Serve soup, drizzled lightly with extra-virgin olive oil, if desired.

Recipe by: Dave Lieberman, Food Network

******************************************************************

VEGAN BANANA BREAD RECIPE

I love sweet treats, so here is a delicious banana bread recipe.

Equipment:  9 x 5 loaf pan  Ingredients 1 1/2 cups flour  2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon soda 1/4 teaspoon salt  1/3 cup oil (I use canola oil)  1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (I use organic turbinado raw sugar) 1 cup mashed banana ( about 2 bananas) 1/3 cup of milk (you can use almond, soy or oatmeal- I use organic light vanilla soy milk) Directions Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x 5 inch loaf pan with margarine or oil. (I use vegan butter) In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large bowl, combine oil and brown sugar. Add bananas and milk and stir to combine. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Spread batter in the load pan and bake for 43 to 48 minutes, until bread is golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen, and turn bread out of the pan to let cool on a cooling rack. Store leftover bread covered at room temperature.  Yield: 1 loaf, 10 slices **From the book: The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes by Kris Holechek** *********************************************************************

Happy Cooking!!! XOXO,

Meatless Monday- Puttanesca Scramble

Hello lovelies,

I hope you had a fantastic weekend! I spent all day painting and in DIY mode, so I was a little pressed for time when it came to cooking dinner for myself and the parents (who are complete carnivores)! What is a girl to do? Well, I pulled out my copy of  vegan cookbook author extraordinaire, Isa Chandra Moskowitz's book "Vegan Brunch" and found this quick and appetizing Italian inspired dish: Puttanesca Scramble. I have to admit that I am not a big fan of tofu, but this recipe made it very tasty :)

Inspired by the classic Italian dish, pasta puttanesca, this scramble is screaming with flavor. Olives, capers and plenty of fresh herbs make for an easy to throw together scramble that tastes like a Mediterranean feast you’ve been slaving over for hours.

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 - 8 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 lb extra firm tofu, diced
4 roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1/2 cup mixed olives, roughly chopped
1 tablespoons capers
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Preheat a large heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the olive oil until lightly browned, but be careful not to burn. 3 minutes ought to do it. Add the red pepper flakes and the tofu and saute for about 10 minutes, until tofu is browned. Add a little extra oil if necessary.

Mix in tomatoes, thyme, oregano and oregano and cook for about 5 minute, until tomatoes are a bit broken down but still whole. Add olives, capers and salt to taste. Cook just until heated through.

I hope you have fun cooking up this dish with your friends and family!!

Happy Cooking!!!
XOXO,

No Cook Friday: Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls

Happy Friday! I hope you had a fantastic week and are looking forward to the weekend :) 

In the spirit of Social Friday and to everyone tired on slaving over  a hot stove to cook some yummy food, I bring you this recipe for Raw vegan sushi rolls. I must confess it is not my own recipe, but I have made it and it is delicious! Additionally, is a bit selfish on my part to favor sushi for today's post since I am currently experiencing a sushi craving, paired with a nice glass of Italian  raspberry soda. 

 Please do not think I am asking you to concoct some sushi with raw fish or anything of the likes, instead I am opting for an energy friendly and time saving recipe.  

Raw Vegan Sushi Rolls (this will make a "pate" textured paste)

• 2c. Sunflower seeds
• 1c. Pine nuts
• 5 stalks of celery
• 3 Tsp Red Onion
• 5 Tbl. Lemon juice
• 2 Tbl. kelp powder
• 3 green onions sliced thin
• 2 tsp. Sesame seeds (mixed black and white is nice).
• 1 sheet nori soaked and chopped
• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp. Celtic salt

Directions:

Blend all of the ingredients well in food processor. Stop occasionally and stir, use the pulse setting to be sure you do not over mix. Should be sticky but not oily.

For the sushi

• 2 peeled and quarter cut cucumbers
• 1 - 2 peeled and quarter cut avocado
• 1 carrot cut in matchsticks
• 5 sheets of nori
• Sprouts (optional)
• Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce

Tools

• Sushi matt
• Blender / food processor
• Bowls (one for water, one for pate)
• Chef knife

Assembly
On a nori sheet spoon 2 tbl. of pate, spread evenly. Place cucumber, avocado, and carrots across the long side of nori sheet. Place sprouts on top. Carefully roll the nori into a tight roll and seal with a bit of water. Cut with a sharp knife on the diagonal and serve with Nama Shoyu Soy Sauce.

Happy Cooking!!!
XOXO,

Meatless Monday- Vegan Chicken Pot Pie

Happy Monday to all!! I hope you all had a fantastic Mother's Day with your family and friends. I am so excited today to share this delicious Vegan Chicken pot pie recipe with you. I remember eating pot pie as a child, of course mine always came from the frozen food section of the supermarket, so when I stumbled across a homemade version, I was over the moon.

This pot pie is better than any I have tasted before and I love the carrots and peas the best. I hope you can get your kids involved in making this dish, it is a winner all around!


VEGAN CHICKEN POT PIE

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 T olive oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil
2 cups diced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. minced garlic
4T nutritional yeast or flour (all-purpose organic or conventional, whole wheat is best)
1 ea. 10oz bag organic frozen peas and carrots
2 cups vegetable broth
2 cups diced vegan sausage, salted eggplant, fried or frozen tofu, mock chicken, seitan, or mushrooms (this part is the “meat replacement”)
1 package vegan pie crust or homemade pie dough
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a small pan and sauté onion and celery until they are clear.
Add garlic and sauté a few minutes more.
Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon until well incorporated.
Pour in vegetable stock and stir.
Simmer until the mixture has thickened.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add remaining vegetables and meat replacement. Simmer till meat replacement is heated through.
Roll out pie crust and cut it about 1/2 an inch larger than the ramekin you are using. Rub top side of crust with a little oil.
Place the sautéd mixture in ramekin and top with pie crust.
Bake in pre-heated 450° oven for 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Happy Cooking!!
XOXO,

Meatless Monday- Vegan Raspberry Chocolate Cake

The last couple of weeks have seen more than my fair share of birthdays and cakes! I decided to make a raspberry chocolate vegan cake for my friend's birthday and here is the recipe I used. Since I just finished taking a cake decorating class, I was practicing my rose making and decorating skills as well. The photograph above is the finished product.

I normally post a dinner menu item, but I decided to do a dessert for today's post instead. The outcome was absolutely delicious! I hope you have some fun in the kitchen making this yummy recipe.



RASPBERRY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE

3 cups flour (cake flour works best)
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cocoa
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup raspberry “all-fruit” preserves (reserve the remainder of the jar for the filling)
1 tsp. vanilla
4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp. vinegar mixed with 2 cups water

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 8-inch pans.

Mix the first 5 dry ingredients together. Then add the wet ones. Beat with a mixer for 1-2 minutes, until all indredients are thoroughly blended. Pour into the prepared pans and bake on the middle rack until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Allow the cakes to cool for 10 minutes; then invert onto wire racks and allow to completely cool. Place one cake onto the serving plate and top it with about 1/2 cup of raspberry fruit spread. Spread one side of the other cake with frosting (recipe below) and put the two sides, raspberry and frosting, together. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting.





VEGAN BUTTERCREME FROSTING

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, we use Earth Balance
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted if clumpy
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup plain soy milk or soy creamer
INSTRUCTIONS
Beat the shortening and margarine together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes.
Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy.

HAPPY COOKING!!!

Meatless Monday- Vegan Baked Macaroni and "Cheese" Recipe

Happy Meatless Monday!!

I apologize for being away for a bit, but I am in the middle of house cleaning, packing and getting ready to move next month. I will try to at least continue the Monday posts now.

So, I have been craving comfort foods lately and remembered this yummy recipe for a vegan version of Mac and Cheese. When I made it, I have to confess that I ate the entire thing over a course of 2 days. It was so delicious, who knew Tofu could taste so good?

Enjoy the recipe!!

Vegan Baked Mac and Cheese

1 pound artichoke, semolina or whole wheat pasta shells
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup canola or olive oil
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
6 cups water
3 Tbsp "Bragg Liquid Aminos"
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp turmeric, ground
2 tsp sea salt (optional)
1 3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
12 ounce package soy mozzarella or rice cheese, shredded (vegans, check the label to make sure the "cheese" has no casein)
12 ounce package tofu hot dogs, sliced (optional)
1/2 tsp paprika
3 cups corn flakes, organic preferred


DIRECTIONS:

Spray 10 X 15 inch glass Pyrex casserole dish.

Cook pasta according to directions, or until al dente. Drain and set aside.

Saute onion in 1/4 cup canola or olive oil until it just starts to brown.

Stir in whole wheat pastry flour to make a paste and add 2 cups water slowly to thicken.

Add the remaining water, Bragg's, garlic powder, turmeric and salt. Heat on low until it comes to a boil.

Using a whisk, add nutritional yeast flakes until well blended.

Remove from heat and stir in shredded soy or rice "cheese". Mix until "cheese" is melted.

Stir pasta into sauce, add sliced tofu "hot dogs" and pour into a greased 10 X 15 inch casserole pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Serve with a garden salad and a loaf of bread.

Makes 10-12 servings.

HAPPY COOKING!!!

Meatless Monday- A Taste of India

I apologize for not having posted last week and so late today, but in between Holy Week, Easter and classes, i have been a bit swamped.

Today's recipes are from India. I discovered the flavorful and delightful cuisine of India while living in London, I can't believe it took me this long for my mouth to taste such tantilizing flavors! I tried Palak Paneer and loved it, right until they told me it was cheese! Ah, what is a vegan to do?? Well, here is a veganized recipe for the tasty Palak Paneer and I have included a recipe for a delicious Vegan Tofu Mango Lassi drink.


Traditional Indian Palak Paneer is made from a soft cheese that is not aged, called paneer, but this recipe uses TOFU instead.

VEGAN PALAK PANEER

Ingredients:

1 package firm or extra firm tofu, well pressed and sliced into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp cumin
1/4 tsp ginger
2 tbsp water
1/3 cup soy yogurt
6 bunches of spinach
Preparation:

Sautee tofu and garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil until tofu is lightly crisp.
In a separate large skillet or a wok, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil. Add the spices and water, then whisk in the yogurt.

Add the spinach, stirring to cover in the yogurt sauce. Remove from heat and process the spinach mixture in a food processor or blender until almost creamy.

Return the spinach to the skillet and add the tofu. Cook and stir until the tofu is well mixed with the spinach.


VEGAN TOFU MANGO LASSI

Ingredients:

1 cup mango pulp or 1 fresh mango, sliced
1 package soft (silken) tofu
2 cups rice or almond milk
2 tbsp sugar
Preparation:

Puree all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth, adding more liquid as needed.

HAPPY COOKING!!!

Snack Attack Giveaway Winner

Good morning!!! I would like to thank all of you for participating in the Snack Attack Giveaway and would like to sincerely apologize for the delay in the announcement of the winner, (Easter duties and preparations got in the way). 

So, let's not keep you waiting any longer, the winner chosen at random, is.... 

Madelyn! 

Congratulations, Madelyn! Please send me your mailing information, so you can enjoy the yummy Seaweed Rice Balls treat as soon as possible. 

Keep checking back as I will be posting other giveaways in the months to come.

Happy Cooking!! 

Sunday Snack Attack- SESAME SEAWEED RICE BALLS GIVEAWAY!!!

Hello and Happy Sunday! I hope you are all enjoying your Sunday with friends, family and loved ones. As you get ready for the work week, I wanted to introduce you to one of my recent and favorite snack discoveries! Trader Joe's Sesame Seaweed Rice Balls!



They remind me a bit of cheetos brand, but when you eat these you don't end up with mysterious orange goop all over your fingers. If you are looking for another comparison, they are quite similar to Pirate's Booty snacks, they are light and airy but i have to say that these rice balls are superior!! Did i mention the super, spectacular, space packaging that is super fun?
I have to admit, the packing steered my eyes in their direction, it's totally wacky!



So you have your reservations about eating Seaweed? Rice? You don't consider yourself fan of seaweed iIn my humble opinion, you can't say you don't like something until you've tried it!

These puffy, crunchy, morsel-sized snacks are absolutely delicious! Did I mention they were Vegan and Gluten-FREE!! Isn't that amazing??

These rice balls ROCK MY SOCKS and I stock up on them on my monthly trip to Trader Joe's, at only 120 Calories per 1 1/2 cup serving with 40 Calories from fat, I can eat these and not feel guilty about it the next morning.


I like these so much, that I am GIVING AWAY ONE bag of the Sesame Seaweed Rice Balls! There are a few ways to enter the contest!

To make this a little easier for everyone you can copy, paste & fill-in-the-blankscomment on my blog telling me:

What is your favorite snack:
Why you want to try the Sesame Seaweed Rice Balls?:
Your Email address, so we can reach you if you win:

Contest ends Friday, April 2nd at 6pm EST - winner will be chosen randomly & announced on Saturday, April 3rd.

Bonus Entries:

If you do any of the following let me know by leaving a separate comment for each one you do. If you do any of the following already, let me know in an extra comment. Please, please make a separate comment for each of the bonus things that you do or your comment won't count. The separate comments help me to stay organized & makes choosing a winner so much easier...& it also ups your chances of winning! If you have any questions please e-mail me!

1. Follow my blog.
2. Follow VeganMsAdventur on Twitter & Tweet about this giveaway.


Good Luck to everyone!!!

Happy Cooking!

Cake Decorating 101- The Miss Adventures Begin!

So if there is anything you need to know about me is that I love cakes and cupcakes!! I wish I could eat cupcakes all day, it would be great, but then I'd probably been in pretty bad shape both physically and mentally. I am also obsessed with Ace of Cakes, Cake Boss and any other cake show on television. If I could marry anyone, it would be Duff, from Ace of Cakes!! A man who is talented enough to make cakes with a blow torch, is my kind of guy!

In my quest to make every recipe I come across a vegan version, I decided to sign up for the Wilton Cake Basic cake decorating class. Yesterday was my first attempt ever to decorate a cake!

First off, my first attempt did not go off without it's glitches... I am definitely not Martha Stewart! So my cakes, in order to keep it somewhat vegan, I resisted the instruction on the cake mix box and did not add the eggs... This was a big mistake!! My cakes were too moist and so fragile that they almost split in half when I tried to transfer them to my decorating wheel. Oh my!

What is a girl supposed to do when everyone else in class has 2 perfectly round solid cakes to work with? The lessons learned from this assignment was: 1. Add the eggs (I am not eating the cake anyway!) 2. Make your cake ahead of time, not the same day of the class! This will allow for the cake to settle and be sturdier for decorating.

Although the cakes were a miss, my homemade buttercreme frosting was the right consistency! Yeah for me, 1 out of 2 is not terribly bad :) So the things I am learning, I will put to use and learn how to make vegan versions of everything!

Here are some photographs of my cake. The design was supposed to be a rainbow, but we ran out of time and they were hurrying us up to leave, so they could close the store. Therefore, I only used the orange frosting I had.




Happy Cooking!!!

Meatless Monday- CHUNKY POTATO AND SPINACH CURRY

Happy Meatless Monday! Today, I am in the mood for some good Thai food and this dish does not disappoint.  It is a wonderful dish to serve with white rice or basmati rice as your main dish. 

I love the spicy quality of the red curry paste mixed with the garlic and spinach leaves, it will leave you wanting more. 

(Serves 4)

INGREDIENTS 

4 tomatoes 

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

2 onions, cut into thick wedges

1 inch gingerroot, peeled and finely chopped 

1 garlic clove, chopped 

2 tbsp ground coriander 

1lb. peeled potatoes, cut into chunks

2 1/2 cups vegetable stock (I use vegan stock cubes) 

1 tbsp red curry paste

8 oz spinach leaves

cooked rice, to serve 

DIRECTIONS

Put the tomatoes in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Leave for 2-3 minutes, then plunge into cold water and peel off the skins.

Cut each tomato into quarters and remove and discard the seeds and central core. Set aside. 

Heat the oil in a preheated wok. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes, or until starting to soften.  Add the coriander and potatoes and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the stock and curry paste and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. 

Add the spinach and the tomato quarters and cook, stirring, for 1 minute, or until the spinach has wilted. Serve with rice of your choice. 

Happy Cooking!

Freebie Fridays- Vaska Herbatergent Sample

I am always on the lookout for new, eco-friendly products, whether they be for household cleaning, laundry, cooking, design, furniture, clothing and beyond. So I have decided to begin a "Freebie Fridays" post and here I will share with you how to get free samples of great, eco-friendly products. It's a win-win situation for everyone. 

I just discovered Vaska, a Herbatergent liquid laundry detergent which uses real lavender and potent botanical cleaning agents to clean your clothing and linens effectively, without harmful chemicals. The liquid detergent is available in Light Lavender or Scent Free and only uses natural herbal cleaning agents to fight germs and remove soap residue that damages fabrics and causes skin irritation.

There are many benefits to using plant based laundry detergent vs. commercially chemical based detergents:

• Hypoallergenic 
  
• Extends fabric life
  
• Biodegradable
  
• Safe on colors and all natural and synthetic washable fabrics
  
• Not tested on animals
  

So, where do you get your hands on this amazing, laundry detergent? Become a Fan of Vaska on Facebook and get a FREE SAMPLE of Vaska Herbatergent- look for the free sample link (4th post) on their Facebook page. 

Have a Fantastic Friday and a Brilliant Weekend! 

MEATLESS MONDAY- Vegan Sloppy Joe's

Spring is in the air, the flowers are beginning to bud and the days are getting warmer. Since I have grown a bit tired of consuming so much soup in the winter, I was craving a Veggie burger today, but decided to make these Sloppy Joe's instead. They are so delicious, you may want to make an extra batch for these are a sure crowd pleaser!

VEGAN SLOPPY JOE'S


Ingredients:

1 lb firm tofu
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp minced green pepper
1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic OR 1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp minced onion OR 1 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp minced jalapeño pepper (omit this if you don't like spicy food)
Pinch dried cayenne or chipotle pepper
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 cup water
1/4 cup ketchup (I used the Spicy Wholemato Organic Agave Ketchup)
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp minced parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mash tofu and mince the veggies
Heat oil on medium in a large frying pan, fry onion & garlic 5 min
Add tofu, jalapeno & green pepper, fry 5 minutes, on high
Add dry spices and fry for 2 minutes
Add ketchup, water, soy sauce, br sugar, parsley and simmer 10 minutes
Tofu moisture content varies, so add more ketchup and water as needed if the mixture seems too dry
Serve over buns with a salad, oven fries, mashed potatoes or whatever you like!

Happy Cooking !! 

MEATLESS MONDAY- Spicy Rice and Black Eyed Peas

Welcome to Meatless Monday! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend and are ready to take on another amazing week. I decided to spice things up this week (as I love spicy food) and give you a "hot" dish to melt those Winter Blues away. The recipe is simple, quick and easy. Hope you enjoy making it as much as I enjoyed eating it!


SPICY RICE AND BLACK EYED PEAS

3/4 cup uncooked white rice*
1/4 cup green pepper, chopped.
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. red cayenne pepper
1 tsp. oregano
2 cloves of garlic
1 (15 oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can black eyed peas, drained.
1/2 cup water

Mix all ingredients in a 10 inch skillet and bring to a boil. Cover, turn the heat down to low and let simmer for 25 minutes or until the sauce is incorporated. Serve.

*MWL Option: Substitute brown rice for the white and increase the water to 3/4 cups and the cooking time to 45 minutes. Or, use 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice and add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking (25 minutes total).

Happy Cooking!!