Vegan Sloppy Joes

OK, so my kids are HUGE fans of my sloppy joes. A Rachel Ray recipe from Cooking with Kids. Anyway, it is a definite on my monthly meal menus. Since adopting a vegan or no meat/dairy diet I struggled at first with these kinds of family favorites. Well here is my No Meat Sloppy Joes. My kids tore it up, just have to finely dice up those onions and peppers in my house.

1/2 lb firm tofu diced (for J until she adjusted tofu was called "diced chicken")
1/4 c diced mushroom

• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons to 1 tablespoon steak seasoning blend (McCormick Montreal Seasoning)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 small red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbls (2 cloves) diced garlic
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon vegan worcestershire sauce (Martha Stuart has a homemade recipe)
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil then add onion, garlic, and red peppers (or whatever color you have on hand) to the skillet. When soft add tofu, mushrooms and the sugar and spice mixture to the skillet and combine to the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and paste to pan. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to simmer and cook Sloppy Joe mixture 5 minutes longer. Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, pile sloppy meat onto toasted, buttered bun bottoms and cover with bun tops. Avoiding bread add it to a grilled beefstake tomato thickly sliced or large sliced zucchini. Serve with your favorite sides.

Since adopting a vegan like diet people have had varied responses! I find it weird that people care so much about us eliminating meat from our diet.

Dinner:
No-tuna casserole
1 lb whole wheat pasta
1 can cream of celery soup (no milk)
1 can soy milk (use cram of celery can +/-)
1/2 cup cube tofu - I mashed mine with about 1 tbls nutritional yeast (not necessary)
1/4 cup diced zucchini
1/2 cup diced mushrooms
1 tsp salmon seasoning (McCormicks)
1 tsp new orleans creole seasoning (or like spices. to taste)
1 cup +/- non dairy (mexican) cheese blend

1 tsp salmon seasoning
salt/pepper


Pre-heat over to 350. Cook pasta as directed. In baking dish mix remaining ingredients. add cooked pasta sprinkle top with non-dairy cheese. Bake 20 minutes uncovered. Serve warm.

Vegan-ish

Health concerns are making us re-evaluate our diet! While I am not ethically vegan at all, I can appreciate their healthful cancer, diabetes, lupus, and more fighting food choices! 

breakfast:

oatmeal with misc fruit and nuts or granola of choice plus flax seed

banana with peanut butter

whole wheat or Ezekiel toast with apple butter

pancakes a million healthful ways 

crepes a million healthful ways

smoothies with protein powders

non-dairy yogurts

lunch:

Veggie loaded salad with black beans

Veggie loaded hummus wrap with white or black beans

minestrone (homemade) soup

pbj with veggies

http://easylunchboxes.smugmug.com Has AMAZING kid lunch ideas!! Not all vegain-ish, but you'll be sure to find something!

quick stir frys with brown rice

non-dairy yogurts with fruit

fruit kabobs

banana with peanut butter wraps

pita pockets with hummus, veggies, beans..

dinners:

2 bean chili

avacado 'alfredo' pasta

burritos with white and black beans

roasted summer veggies with white beans

spaghetti with red sauce and with tofu and mushrooms

veggie soup

stir fry with beans and loaded with all types of veggies over brown rice

white bean burritos - cumin type spice so good

stir fry noddles with peanut sauce white beans

tomatoes with rice and black beans

whole wheat pizza with homemade pizza sauce, mushrooms, olives, garlic, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers drizzle with olive oil and seasonings

Snacks:

apples/fruit

bananas with peanut butter

Green Monster Smoothies

crunchy veggies

Garlic Salt sweet potato fries

homemade fruit leather

granola

Clean Eating 101

Loads of folks are currently dieting and exercising for their new year resolutions, but often can't figure out what to eat and how. Here are some quick ideas 1) eat 6 small meals per day with 2 being 'snacks' or protein drink 2) you need a proper mix of carbs, proteins, and fat; replace heavy carbs like pasta with veggies.

1) 2 whole eggs, 1/2 - 1 cup oatmeal

2) protein shake

3) Oat bread w/light hummus/sour cream dressing and roast beef, 1/2c fruit or veggie

4) lettuce wrap

5) brown fried rice w/egg, steamed chicken w/bell peppers and garlic and veggie mix

6) 94% fat free popcorn w/sprinkle of lawrys and Parmesan cheese

And lots of water!

Casting Spells done Julia's Way

Julia is casting spells on Alex waving her wand around like a little merlin pretending to be a very powerful wizard.. but its not a stick that she is using as a wand, it's a broken off barbie doll leg!

Julia Booger Seed

Julia decides she wants strawberry jam on her biscuit. All of the sudden she starts creeping out "eeww, gross, yuck eeewww!" She is looking at her biscuit and jam with utter revulsion and then picks something off it.. "ewww a jam booger!!" she squeals as she holds her finger out like a toddler holds out their booger for Momma to see. Haahaaa, it was a strawberry seed lol!!!

Julia-ism

"I love you like a comfy pillow." She says to me at 4:00am as she is chattering non-stop.. I ended up bursting out laughing. How can you growl at her to shush-up and sleep after a compliment like that?! I mean really?

No pasta what?

I like to eat - but I have always eaten pretty healthy. When my hubby wanted to remove pasta from his diet I had a bit of a heart attack! I LOOOOVE pasta - white - in all it's glorious carbohydrate bliss. Drat! Ok..

Swap ground beef for ground turkey, veggie loaded salads, brown rice, or quinoa for pasta and lettuce, tomatoes or wheat wraps for bread. Healthy salad dressings are everywhere.. got it.

Steamed shrimp, quinoa, and salad YUM!
1/2 c water
1/2 c apple cider vinegar
2 tbls seasoning (I chose garlic and old bay)
1 lb un-cooked shrimp.

Steam 5 minutes or until pink and curled up. Serve with salad or brown rice or veggies or in a wrap with salsa..