Sloppy Joes - Vegan - Vegetarian - GF - soy free

 One of the hardest things about eating vegan is missing out on the dishes you used to love. 

At least that was what I thought. I have been on a mission to recreate those dishes, with some twists, so that I can eat them. 

Here is one of those twisty ones for you; 

Vegan Sloppy Joe's!

Joe has become health conscious and done away with his meat.

 Here is how he makes a pretty bomb sandwich now. 

Here is what you will need:

1 tbsp vegetable oil

1 sweet onion - minced

2 garlic cloves - minced. 

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 c cooked white rice

1 tsp. brown sugar

1 c tomato puree

1/2 c ketchup

1/4 c water

You sandwich ends of choice *

Here is what you do:

Heat the oil in a skillet big enough to hold all the ingredients. 

Add the onion and cook until it is browned, about 5 mins. 

Add the garlic and chili powder and cook for  1 min.

Add the rice, tomato, ketchup, and water. Stir until the rice is broken apart. 

Cook for 5 mins.

Season to taste (you want spicy? you want salty? you choose) and enjoy!

* shlopp it on a bun. Fill it in a pita, toss it with some toast. Our family fave is to make sloppy tacos and spoon it into a grilled corn tortilla! So good you may end up spooning it straight into your mouth! 

Veggie pot pie - vegan - vegetarian

I eat vegan.

I eat lots of yummy veggies, grains, seeds, fruit, and raw foods.

Eating this way is VERY healthy for you....

But sometimes I want some comfort food! I want something warm, creamy, and wholesome

 (without any animal products please :).

Here is a go to of mine to satisfy that 'hit the spot' meal. 

It is my veggie pot pie.

Here is what you will need:

4 tbsp of non dairy butter (my fave is earth balance). 

4 carrots - peeled and sliced

4 ribs of celery - sliced

1 onion - chopped

4 garlic cloves - minced

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 c flour

1/4 c dry white wine

3 c veggie broth

1/4 c almond milk

2 russet potatoes - peeled and cubed

1 can peas

1 can corn

2 tbsp fresh parsley* - minced

1 recipe for biscuits or pie crust. 

Here is how you do it:

Heat your oven to 425

Get a big pot on the stove.

Melt your butter in the pot.

Add your carrots, celery, and onion to this pot. 

Cook for 8 mins.

Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook until you smell that flavor.

Stir in the flour and and keep stirring until it coats the veggies. 

Stir in your wine. 

Make sure to not burn the bottom of the pan. Scrape up all that is sticking, it is the most flavorful part!

Stir in the broth and almond milk and cook for 10 mins. 

Stir in your potatoes, and let that all cook for 10 more mins.

Now add your parsley, peas, and corn and stir until they are incorporated.

Once this is all done turn your stove off and pour the mixture into a casserole dish. 

Top this dish with a recipe for a pie crust, or with biscuits (I always to biscuits because they are easier to make vegan). *

If you are going pie, then roll the dough out thin and top the entire casserole dish so it forms a solid layer over it. If you are going biscuits, cut the dough as you would anyways and place them on the casserole dish like you would on a cookie sheet (like four rolls of three for example).

Top your casserole dish with your crust of choice and bake until the top is golden brown, about 20 mins.

Remember that there is nothing in this that will make you sick if you don't cook it enough, so don't feel like it is 'not done' on the inside. Don't burn that crust!

MMMMMMM I want some right now! I may have to make some this week. 

Enjoy!

*You are going to have some left over fresh parsley if you bought a bunch of it (I am speaking literally. They come in bunches). Try and plan out your meals for the week with recipes that require parsley. If not, then freeze it! I mince mine and put it in a baggie, or mince it and add a little olive oil and freeze it in an ice cube tray. Great to add to soups and pasta sauces! Parsley is also high in antioxidants, folic acid, vitamin C and A, and contains anti inflammatory properties. So be nice and add that spice!

*Need a good vegan biscuit recipe? Just check out my previous posts! I have a great go to one up there. 

My go to biscuits - vegan - vegetarian - soy free

  We are living in the south Y'all! 

And even though I am eating vegan, I still can partake on some good homemade biscuits.

 They are a necessity out here! 

They go with almost anything and I want to share them with you. 

Here is what you will need:

2c all purpose flour

2 tsp. Sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c almond milk

Put your oven to 450. 

Whisk all the dry ingredients together in one big bowl. 

Stir in the almond milk until a dough forms.

Turn that dough on a floured surface, and knead for about a min. 

Roll out this dough and cut your biscuits*.

Put your biscuits on a cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper. 

Bake for about 15 mins, or until they are that golden brown that we all love. The cooking time will vary slightly with how big you cut your biscuits. 

ENJOY! 

*If you do not have biscuit cutters, then use the rim of a wine glass. 

The best most bomb waffles - Vegan - vegetarian

Waffles are a HUGE hit in my kitchen. I make them by the dozens, freeze them, and give them to my son every morning for breakfast. He LOVES them, and so do everyone else who has tried them, so I would love to share them with all of you. 

ENJOY! 

To make these you will need a waffle iron. We have a round kitchen aid, and it is wonderful. 

Here are the ingredients

2c flour

 (I have not tried this with any flour substitutes, 

but I am sure that it would come out great. Potato flour would be my go to)

2 tbsp ground cornmeal 

1 tea salt

1/2 tea baking soda

2 cubes frozen apple sauce (or 6 tbsp thawed apple sauce)

4 tbsp vegan butter (I love earth balance), melted

1 3/4 c almond milk 

pinch of cream of tarter 

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and baking soda in a big bowl. 

In another bowl whisk together the applesauce (if frozen, melt), and the cream of tarter for two mins. Then whisk in the butter, then the almond milk. 

Make a hole in the dry ingredients and  pour the wet ones inside and mix. There may be some bumps, and that is ok. Do not over mix.

Then cook this baby per the waffle iron instructions.

 If you want to get crazy toss in some blueberries or bananas....YUMMY!!!! 

These freeze well, and fit into a toaster for easy cooking.

Happy waffle eating!

Love,

Beka Oakley 

No meat Beef Stew - Vegan - Vegetarian - GF option - soy free

It's February, cold, and I was in the mood for some winter thawing, soul warming, filling food.

I wanted something like beef stew, but I have not eaten red meat in about 5 years, and was not about to suffer the consequences from that one. So I Vegan-ed it.

 Here is what I came up with. 

Enjoy!

Here is what you will need. It takes about two hours to make. 

3 Tbsp Vegetable oil 

2 sweet onions

1-28oz can diced tomatoes 

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp dried thyme

3 tbsp flour 

(this is the only gluten in the recipe. 

To make GF sub for rice flour or corn meal)

1 cup dry red wine

2 cups veggie broth

3 lbs red potatoes 

1 lb carrots

1 bag frozen peas*

1 bag frozen corn*

Get yourself a big pot and put it on high on a burner.

Heat the oil then add the onion (chopped fine). 

Cook the onion for 5 mins (longer if you like them brown like I do).

Once the onions are to your desired brown-ness, add the can of tomatoes and cook for 5 mins more. 

Add the garlic and thyme and cook until you can smell it, like 30 secs.

Add the flour and cook for about a min, stirring constantly. 

Add the red wine and stir, then add the veggie broth. 

Mix it all together, but a lid on it, and turn the heat down to med-low. 

Cook this base until for an hour, stirring every five to ten mins. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the good brown down there, and to avoid the burn. 

In the mean time thoroughly wash the red potatoes and cut to your desired size. I left them pretty big, because these are subbing for the meat in this dish, so I wanted them to be substantial. 

Then wash*, peel, and cut the carrots. I sliced them thin so they would be soft.

After the stew base is done, add the potatoes and carrots, and stir them in so they are covered in the base. Cook all of this for one more hour, stirring the same. If you need you can add more water, a half cup at a time. 

About five mins before the hour is up, add the frozen peas and frozen corn.

Turn off the heat after the hour is up, and let the peas and corn warm up. 

We served this over beed bread (I will post that soon too!). 

I know you will enjoy, we did! In fact I am going to get me a bowl of leftovers now. 

Happy eats! 

Love,

Beka Oakley

* Make sure when you are shopping for frozen veggies that the ingredients only say the vegetable. No added salt or sugar or preservatives. Also make sure the bag is loose inside, and there are no big lumps (which means it was thawed and re-froze). 

* Even though you are peeling the carrots, please wash them, especially if you do not buy organic (which I do not on many things, carrots included). The pesticides will get onto the peeler and you will just transfer it to back  to the carrot. So wash those suckas!