Recipe: Vegan Sloppy Joes

My finished Sloppy Joe, which is comprised of a homemade sauce mixed with Neat Meat Replacement's Original flavor. 

When I was younger, Sloppy Joes were a favorite meal in my household. My mom would buy a can of Manwich sauce and mix that with some cooked ground beef. As a sandwich, the mixture was sweet, tangy, and messy -- everything a kid loves.

I just saw a commercial on TV for the Manwich sauce, and I thought about making my family some Sloppy Joes for dinner. I made a sauce from ingredients I had around the house, and I used Neat Original Mix as the protein base (It's a product that's gluten-free and soy-free, and it can be prepared vegan-style by using an egg substitute, such as Ener-G).

Vegan Sloppy Joes

Sauce Ingredients: (You can double the recipe if you like your sandwiches extra saucy)

• ¼ c water
• ½ c organic ketchup
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tablespoon coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar)
• 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp sriracha (I used Sky Valley Organic Sriracha)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (from spice aisle)
• Pinch of salt

Directions:

Whisk together all the sauce ingredients and set aside. Prepare the Original Neat Mix per the directions, and when the Neat is finished cooking (it will resemble ground-beef crumbles), turn off the stove and stir in the Sloppy Joe sauce. Serve on toast or buns. I didn't have any veggies around, but you can add some diced bell peppers, carrots, and/or celery that you sauteed separately in another pan. 

A closeup of the Neat mixture after it's been cooked and just after I stirred in the Sloppy Joe sauce. 

It's best to add the sauce to the Neat mixture at the very end so the Neat holds its form and texture, which is important if you want an authentic Sloppy Joe.

Recipe: French Onion White Bean Dip

This bean dip is salty with a strong onion flavor -- just like commercial French Onion dips. 

If you're looking for a simple Super Bowl snack to make ahead of time, this French Onion White Bean Dip does the trick. You can make it as creamy as you like by adding more water during the blending process, but I find that keeping it chunky is just as delicious. 

While the miso adds an additional salty component, it also adds umami. If you leave out the miso, the dip is soy-free.

You could always leave out the beans and just incorporate the onions and seasoning into vegan sour cream, but this recipe allows for you to get some fiber and nutrients into your diet via the small white beans.

French Onion White Bean Dip

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup minced dried onion (the kind you find in the spice aisle) and 1/2 cup of water to re-hydrate it.

• 1 tsp oil 

• 15-oz. can of small white beans 

• 1 tsp garlic powder 

• 1 tsp salt 

• 1 tsp white miso paste 

• 1 tsp organic sugar or other sweetener 

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or vinegar 

• 1 cup water 

Directions:

Re-hydrate the onion in 1/2 cup of water. After 15 minutes, drain excess liquid if any. I just tilted the bowl slightly over the sink and pushed on the onions with the back of a spoon to remove the excess water. 

Heat the oil in a skillet and cook onions until lightly browned (10-15 minutes). While onions cook, add all other ingredients to a food processor. When onions are done, reserve 1/4 cup of the onions and add the rest to the food processor. Blend until smooth and add extra water 1 tablespoon at a time if too thick. Once smooth, taste and see if you want more salt or lemon juice. Add the remaining onion except for 1 tablespoon that you will sprinkle over the top before serving. Blend the mixture for 30 seconds and refrigerate until cold.

Review: Match Pimento-Stuffed Burger and Mushroom-Stuffed Burger

Last night for dinner I enjoyed a Match mushroom-stuffed burger that I baked in the oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I served it atop mashed avocado, grilled green onions, and carrot slices. I added cilantro for an extra kick. Cilantro helps remove mercury from your body.

Match Premium Vegan Meat burgers are "meaty" and flavorful. As with any product, my cooked burgers didn't resemble the pictures on the bag.

When I'm craving a burger and fries, I love to reach for more "gourmet" offerings than the thin veggie burgers sold in the frozen aisle at the grocery store. The conventional offerings will fill my belly just fine, but if I'm famished and want a hearty meal, these burgers from Match will have me patting my stomach before dozing off on the couch. 

Previously, I reviewed Match's Mediterranean Stuffed Vegan Chicken, and I was impressed with the texture and bold flavors. After tasting these two burgers, I still rate the stuffed chicken as first, followed by the mushroom burger, and then the pimento burger.

The gooey, "cheesy" center of the pimento-stuffed burger.

Although the pimento-stuffed burger (at top) has a center that looks moister and nice and cheesy, the flavors were dull when compared to the well-seasoned filling of the mushroom-filled burger (pictured above in between two pieces of bread).

Both burgers were very filling and had a great texture -- tender, yet chewy like meat. But the pimento burger fell flatter in the flavor department. It was as if someone forgot to season the burger or was just relying on the creamy center to provide all the taste (which it didn't). Don't get me wrong, it's not a bad burger, but if you have the opportunity to buy the stuffed chicken or the mushroom-stuffed burger, go with either of those offerings.

The mushroom-stuffed burger had a beautiful earthy flavor from the well-seasoned mushrooms. I enjoyed every bite of this burger. It held it's own against sandwich spreads and toppings, such as vegan cheese and raw onions.

Review: Hilary's Eat Well Original Veggie Burger

Hilary's Eat Well Original Veggie Burger is mild in flavor, which is perfect if you want to taste condiments and other toppings. I enjoyed my veggie burger with Follow Your Heart's Chipotle Spread, three onion rings (under the patty), and sliced avocado.

It can be dreadful trying veggie burgers because some are too mushy, some taste too much like one particular vegetable (too much carrot flavor, too much broccoli flavor, etc.), and some are very dry. Like Goldilocks, I'm looking for something that's just right.

Hilary's Eat Well Original Veggie Burger definitely would be the missing food item in the three bear's cottage because the patty is delicious. It's interesting that I find it tasty because, honestly, it lacks any strong flavors.

You can taste hints of the organic garlic and organic onion, but what makes this burger a winner is the texture: slightly crispy, yet soft on the inside. The mouth feel was similar to that of the breading on a perfectly executed onion ring.

The first ingredient is listed as "Love." 

It's also a pretty patty. The burger looks like a golden hash brown, with flecks of spinach throughout.

If you want substance to your veggie burger and want to taste the other toppings, such as peppers, onions, and condiments, then this is the burger for you. There are two patties in each package ($4.29 on VeganEssentials.com), and I find the price to be worth it for the quality.