Day 9 - Sloppy Joes At Midnight

There are times when the taste of a single dish gets into my head and I just can’t get rid of it.  The only solution is to eat it.  I used to have this problem with Taco Bell.  I’d imagine the taste of a beef Baja chalupa and start obsessing over it until the only solution was a late night trip to the drive-thru.  The problem was, it never, ever tasted as good as I’d imagined it.

From the time I’d put the Boca Veggie Crumbles in the grocery cart, I knew they’d be great as Sloppy Joes.  I’ve made them in the past for vegetarian friends, so when I needed just a taste of something from my former diet, what better to eat than Sloppy Joes.  I didn’t have buns so I had to settle for a few slices of whole grain bread.  But it definitely hit the spot.  In truth, it was so much better than I’d imagined it, because I could eat it without a single ounce of guilt.

 

Here’s my recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart’s.  I always like my tomato sauce a little sweet, so I add brown sugar.  Leave it out if you're concerned about processed sugar.

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Makes six servings

1 medium onion

1/2 green pepper

1 celery stalk

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. vegetable broth (or olive oil)

1 12 oz package of Boca veggie crumbles

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 T. Dijon mustard
1 T. brown sugar (opt.)
1 T. vegan Worcestershire sauce

Finely chop onion, green pepper, celery and garlic in food processor or by hand.    Saute veggies in broth in large skillet until tender.  Add Boca veggie crumbles, tomato sauce, ketchup, brown sugar, and mustard.  Cook until bubbling and flavors meld, about 15 minutes.  Serve on whole grain buns.