Lentil Sloppy Joes

Another fantastic recipe from Veganomicon (Snobby Joes). My husband and I like to have "fun food" nights, food that you eat with your hands while watching a good movie, and these was the perfect fit. They were super filling and satisfying-I made a vegan coleslaw to put on top to make it Carolina Style. The leftovers were equally delicious.

Lentil Sloppy Joes (serves 6)
1 cup uncooked lentils

4 cups water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, small dice
1 green bell pepper, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 (8-oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon mustard
Whole Wheat Buns

Pour the lentils and water into a small saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil; once the mixture is boiling, lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are soft. Drain and set aside. About 10 minutes before the lentils are done, preheat a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Saute the onion and pepper in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.
3. Stir in the cooked lentils, chili powder, oregano, and salt. Add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through. Turn off the heat and let the pot sit on the warm burner for about 5 minutes so that the flavors can meld.

Coleslaw

3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until use.

BLT with Avocado-Basil Mayo and Garlic Sweet Potato Fries

It's officially hot as H-E double hockey stick here. Yesterday, when I got in the car to leave work, the thermometer read 107...ridiculous. We had this light dinner, which is the essence of summer and was satisfying with out weighing us down afterwards. I purchased local tomatoes and lettuce, which are in full effect right now, and paired it with an avocado mayo with basil from my herb garden. The sweet potato fries (also local) are dusted with garlic powder, cumin, and sea salt, pairing wonderfully with the sandwich.

BLT with Avocado-Basil Mayo (makes 2 sandwiches)
4 slices of whole wheat bread
1/2 avocado
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tomato, sliced thinly
2 leaves of lettuce, ripped in half
6 slices of bacon, cooked and cut in half
Ground black pepper-to taste

Scoop the avocado half into a bowl. Add mayo and mash until almost smooth (I leave mine a little chunky for texture). Stir in the chopped basil and set to the side. Toast bread slices until lightly browned. Spread all slices with the avocado mayo. Top two slices of bread with lettuce, then tomato. Add black pepper to the tomato and then top with the bacon. Finish with the other slices of bread and cut in half.

Garlic Sweet Potato Fries
2 sweet potatoes, washed, peeled, and cut into batonnet (1/2"x1/2"x2-3")
1 Tablespoon of cornstarch
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt to taste

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. In a large bowl or Ziploc bag, add the sweet potatoes and the cornstarch. Shake or stir to coat the sweet potatoes. Add the olive oil and toss again. Lay in a single layer on a large cookie sheet. Make sure they have plenty of room, otherwise they will steam and not get crispy. Make for 10 minutes and flip. Bake for another 10 minutes. While baking, in a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, cumin, and salt. When the fries are done, remove from oven and immediately season.

Fourth of July Fun-Funnel Cakes

I was off for an actual weekend, and was uber excited to spend a good chunk of time with my husband. We planned nothing, just drank Sangria, played games, watched movies, and danced. It was amazing. We went to Gatlinburg, TN for Memorial Day weekend and he had his first funnel cake. Honestly, I thought it was weird that he is 26 years old and has never had a funnel cake. How does that happen? He has also never been to Disney World, which I guess I find weird since I grew up in the south (I'll fix that as well). So while we were Gatlinburg, he watched the tourist channel in our hotel room and found a funnel cake restaurant. He had to go. This was no state fair funnel cake, it was crispy, not greasy, and dusted with the perfect amount of powered sugar and cinnamon. His eyes lit up with joy and amazement. When we returned home, he gave me a mission-make him funnel cakes. So I began looking at recipes, analyzing their ingredients to make sure they wouldn't be heavy or super sweet. I found this recipe and added fresh lemon zest to give it some brightness.

Funnel Cakes (makes 2 giant ones or 4 mid sized)

1 1/2c All Purpose Flour
1t baking powder
1/4t salt
1/4c powdered sugar
1 1/3c milk
1/4t lemon zest
1/2t vanilla extract
1 egg
Canola Oil-for frying



Sift the flour, salt, baking powder, and powdered sugar together in a bowl. In a smaller bowl, mix the milk, zest, vanilla extract, and egg together. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until the batter is smooth. Heat 1 in of canola oil in the pan over medium heat until small bubbles form. Pour the batter into a funnel, squeeze bottle, or a Ziploc bag and snip one of the corners off. Over the oil drizzle the batter in a back in forth pattern, first going side to side, then up to down, and then angled.

Awesome graphic, huh? I forgot to take a picture while I was pouring the batter

Cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown. You should be able to see some color peek through the openings of the funnel cake. Using tongs, flip and continue to cook for another 4 minutes. Remove from oil and lay on top of paper towels. Dust with powdered sugar and cinnamon. This recipe was perfect. Crispy, light, not greasy, and super soft on the inside. It was delicious.

The possibilities are endless with these- top with chocolate or strawberry compote. Instead of chicken and waffles, what about chicken and funnel cakes! Top with crumbled bacon and syrup or use as a base for an ice cream sundae...and and and...