The other day I entered the kitchen with the expectation of experimenting on a new vegan shepherds pie recipe, which, come to think of it, I still haven't made. Hum, anyway, I started making my recipe for vegan meat but when I finished I realized I had made vegan sausage. I love serendipity! I'm not quite sure what I did different except that I purposely left out the BBQ sauce when I realized what was happening. This worked out perfect since I had been craving some morning star sausages but we can't get them on the island. I saved a little of the dough to make sausage crumbles that were fantastic on pizza that night and we made these breakfast burritos the next morning. I wish all my mistakes were this delicious
Vegan Sausages
1/2 c cooked lentils
1 c brown rice
1/2 c oats
2 tb soy sauce
2 tb oil
3 tb flour
2 tb vital wheat gluten
1 large pinch of salt
1 tsp pepper
1 dash nutmeg
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp garlic
In a large bowl mush the lentils and rice with a fork till there are none left whole. Now add everything else and kneed it into a dough. Cover with plastic wrap and roll out. Use a cup and cut into rounds. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake on 350 for about 35-45 minutes turning once. These freeze really well and are great on their own.
Breakfast Burritos
1 eggplant cubbed
green onion
1/2 c cooked garbanzo beans
vegan sausage
tortillas
veganiase
mustard
EVOO
In a sauce pan, cook the eggplant and green onions till soft. Add the garbanzo beans and mush everything with a fork. Smear the tortillas with veganaise and mustard then layer with the eggplant mixture and vegan sausages. Wrap like a burrito and eat like you've never eaten a burrito before.
The first time I had Hawaiian meatballs was at a Samoan luau made by a Samoan auntie.....Ironic. I don't know if that makes them Samoan but whether Hawaiian or Samoan, they were really good. I was however, on a sugar high for days after. Have you ever gotten a sugar high from meatballs? So I asked my auntie what was in them and she told me her secret ingredient. I was shocked because normally I hate this ingredient in real life but in this it's not too bad. I would go a little easier on it then my auntie did or you'll be feelin the buzz for days.
Hawaiian Meatballs
1 c cooked lentils
1/4 c oats
1/4 c flour
1 c brown rice
1/4 c vital wheat gluten
2 tb soy sauce
2 tb EVOO
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 dash nutmeg
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tb bbq sauce
Sauce
1 can crushed pineapple
1/2 c ketchup
1/3 c grape jelly (yep, that's the secret)
If you can't find a safe jelly you can use brown sugar
In your food processor blend the brown rice and lentils till smooth. In a bowl combine everything else, adding the vital wheat gluten at the last. Roll into balls and place in a greased 9 x 13 pan. place on the middle rack and bake on 350 for 15 minutes, turn and bake another 15 minutes.On the other rack under the meatballs place another pan with water. This well help to steam the meatballs so they don't go rubbery. Let stand for at least 5 minutes out of the oven to firm up.
Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and let simmer for about 20 minutes. Serve over meatballs and rice.
Back in my carnivore days, nachos had to be one of my favorite indulgences. Whenever we went out for Mexican, I didn't even need to look at a menu, I already knew what would satisfy my desires. But, as a vegan this poses a real problem: the meat, the cheese, and the sour cream (ohhh the sour cream).
After much searching I've found a substitute better than the original! This is also a superb way to use up leftovers from Beloved Taco Night (if there are any).
Nachooooooos
1 bag tortilla chips
taco flavored lentils
or
taco flavored meat crumbles
refried beans
nacho cheese sauce
fresh salsa
chopped lettuce
extra cilantro
extra green peppers sliced
guacamole (optional)
On a cookie sheet or 9x13 pan place the tortilla chips then layer the refried beans, lentils, and cheese sauce. Broil on a low rack till everything is heated through and the chips are really crispy. Top with fresh salsa, lettuce, cilantro, peppers and guacamole. If you're using leftovers this will make up in less then 10 minutes!
“Aaaaaah...the lentil. The humble, earthy, slightly frumpy, a bit dowdy, no-I'm-not-looking-for-a-date-I'm-staying-home-and-washing-my-Birkenstocks lentil. And brown, so very broooooowwwwwwn is the lentil. But! With a little love, a few spices, and a bit of simmering the humble lentil becomes something entirely different.” (beanplate blog)
I LOVE THE LENTIL. I don’t know what it is about this simple little….thing. I mean, what is it? A bean, a grain, a veggie….what? http://www.pea-lentil.com/consumer.htm.
Well, for those out there who don't like beans, the lentil is only a cousin of the bean family. Kind of like a family reunion. You know your all somehow related, you even look like some of them but the line is still a bit blurry. Though they are distant cousins, eating the lentil feels like coming home! Lentils are just great! They’re versatile, inexpensive and they get the job done!
This recipe is for Lentil Sloppy Joe’s. Now, before you gawk at it, give it a try. It really does taste good, and the nutritional benefits are fantastic! In one cup of dry lentils (which is way more than I can eat....) there are 230 calories, 1 g of fat and 18 g of protein! http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/legumes-and-legume-products/4338/2. Gram for gram that’s more protein v. fat than a beef steak! So try enjoying this old favorite with a healthy twist.
Sloppy Joe's
1 cup lentils
2 cup water
1 minced onion
1 minced green pepper
1 pkg sloppy joe seasoning
1 small can tomato paste (or a can of sloppy joe sauce)
In your lovable rice cooker cook the lentils till tender, but not mushy. Sautee onion, green pepper till soft, and add to the lentils. Add dry ingredients and tomato paste.
Serve on whole wheat rolls. Makes excellent leftovers and freezes very well!!! I make a bunch and freeze it to pull out for a quick meal. You can also use leftover lentils from lentil tacos for this.
For more fun than a lentil should supply check this out!!!
http://www.pea-lentil.com/kids_page.htm
This next weeks recipes are for those that think they have no will power or are too weak to become vegan. With food this good it takes no will power at all. Like I said, being vegan is enjoyable, it's not a tortuous exercise of will power unless you make it so. I would hate to be a vegan too if it meant eating tofu and gnawing on a raw carrot every day. So, welcome carnivores, brace yourselves strict vegans, I give you this weeks menu.
Week Two
Monday: Sloppy Joe's
Tuesday: Tacos
Wednesday: Meatloaf Sandwiches
Thursday: Nachos
Friday: Burgers & Fries
Saturday: Pizza
Sunday: Pepper Sandwiches
Bonus : Cheese
Now, before all my vegan friends have a conniption, I promise all these meals are vegan. And, I promise all the carnivores out there that you'll enjoy these meals! My favorite carnivore has tested and approved of them. So, belly up to the bar, grab your knife, and fork over your spare ribs. Now, prepare for a week of sumptuous indulgence.
Grocery List
1 pkg taco shells or tortillas
lentils - and lots of em'
2 cans refried beans or homemade
1 bunch leaf lettuce
4 large tomatoes
3 onions
1 bunch cilantro
fresh green chilies
1 sloppy joe season packet
1 can tomato paste (or 1 can sloppy joe sauce)
2 dozen rolls
1 bell pepper per person (different colors are great)
sprouts (or sprout your own. It's much more affordable)
chili sauce (I prefer homemade...no, that's the name of the brand)
sesame oil
1 bag tortilla chips
mustard
spaghetti sauce
spinach
flour
1 can stewed tomatoes
1-2 carrots
corn starch
5-6 russet potatoes
1/2 lb almonds, cashews, or sunflower seeds
This weeks theme - pizza hut gets co-oped by Mike Tyson (didn't know Mike was a vegan, did ya?)
At my house as a child we had what was lovingly referred to as "clean out the fridge" meatloaf. When the fridge was over-run with leftovers my mother would blend them all up in the food processor, add a pound of ground beef and whatever spices she thought it could handle, say a prayer as she put it in the oven, and bake it. My mother is a genius in the kitchen and often her concoctions turned out to be fabulous. But, because it depended on the leftovers, her meatloaf was NEVER the same twice. I believe our favorite was leftover macaroni and cheese, onion soup, and homemade rolls as the breadcrumbs. Others were less then desirable (which might be a contributing factor to why I am now vegan....I'll have to explore that later) but being my mothers daughter, I do find myself in concoction mode on a regular basis - my husband may say a little too regular. This recipe is owed to my "creative" mother.
Meatloaf
leftover Hawaiian Chili
leftover rice
2 c plain lentils
1-2 c cooked barley
2 large cans mushrooms drained (fresh is always best)
1 pkg onion soup mix
oats
garlic powder (to taste)
salt (to taste)
In a blender or food processor blend up your leftover hawaiian chili till smooth. Now blend the rice, barley, lentils, and mushrooms. Add to the chili. Add onion soup mix, garlic powder and salt. Mix that together. Now mix in enough oats so you can form it into a small meatball and it holds together (tender but not falling apart). Fill a greased bread pan and bake on 350 for about 40 minutes or till you can insert a knife and it comes out clean. Let it sit out of the oven for a few minutes to firm up. Serve with chili sauce or gravy. If you have more "meat" left over they make great meatballs!
Anyone who has lived in Hawaii, or even been there on a visit can tell you about Zippies Chili and Rice. It's legendary. Whenever we go back, the first place we stop, after the luggage carousel, is Zippies. And true to Hawaiian style, one serving usually satisfies both of us...depending on the in-flight meal. It's one of those things that if you're in Hawaii you've got to try - like surfing and Motsimotos (try the shaved ice with the beans....you won't regret it). But, If you're not planning a trip to the rainbow state any time soon, this recipe will satisfy for now. Or, if you've been there it might make you more anxious to go back.
Hawaiian Chili and Rice
Lentils
1 can refried beans or homemade
1 lb black beans
1 lb kidney beans
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 onion chopped
1 can corn
salt
garlic powder
brown sugar to taste
First, soak the black beans and the kidney beans over night. This will help cut down on the "end result" that beans can have. If that's not an option then just put them together in a pot with water and cook. Once the beans are cooked add the stewed tomatoes, chopped onion, refried beans, and lentils. (remember those left over beans and lentils from the bean burritos? throw em' in!) Now add the salt and brown sugar till it tastes slightly sweet. At the very last add the can of corn. This way the corn will stay crisp. Serve over rice. (this is a great way to use up the plain rice left over from the fried rice).
Now, grab a bowl, head out to the backyard with your slippas and some island music. You can thank me later for saving you on your grocery bill AND your travel expenses.
Ahhh....The bean burrito, savior of many a starving college student. Less than a buck, cooks in under a minute, AND you can eat it on the go. Where can you go wrong? Well, for starters, how about the calorie count? I'm very sorry to be Johnny rain cloud but truth cannot be silenced. I won't go into the details about the evil temptings of the burrito but, to be a ray of hope, I offer a healthier solution. By eliminating the oils and fat from the cheese, AND beans (pig lard) you can turn a vegans nightmare into a vegans dream, that, even carnivore's will love. Here's some proof. Even my Samoan friends came back for thirds!
Now, The Bean Burrito contains one very important ingredient....Beans. If, in your shopping, you grabbed the vegetarian can of refried beans then please read on. If you bought bulk pinto beans then click here for FRIJOLATION! (i.e. how to make homemade refried beans)
Bean Burritos
12 flour tortillas
1 lb brown lentils
refried beans
1 Taco seasoning packet
In a rice cooker cook the lentils with double the amount of water to lentils, then add the packet of taco seasoning. You may have to add more water as you go along and you may have to go for 2 cycles till they are soft. On each tortilla spread the refried beans then the cooked lentils. wrap up burrito style and place on a cookie sheet. Bake in the oven on 350 till heated through. You can also heat these up in a pan on the stove.
These are great served with chips and fresh salsa! Finger food works great with kids, no pesky forks to wrestle with, and they freeze exceptionally well. So you can pull them out, nook em (if your still into that - Matthew has even forbidden use of the toaster due to some sort of ionnisticatinng emitting waves) and go....so easy even a college student can do it!
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