Veggie Joes

Love Manwich?  Then do not read this post.
Love meatless chili? Then you might be intrigued.

I found a recipe for vegetarian Sloppy Joes, I made it my own without oil and with extra veggies, but then I served it up on brown rice and had a meal that even my healthy brother could eat.  It’s tasty, but it has a bit more of a kick than I expected, so watch for that if you’re sensitive.  We aren’t super spicy people around here but Jay and I devoured it, no prob.
 
If anyone tries this on buns I’d love to hear about how it holds up.  I also think it would be great with the rice I used but also in lettuce wraps and with a glob of sour cream.

Veggie Joes (adapted from Allrecipes.com)

• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c chopped celery
• 1/2 c chopped carrots
• 1/2 small zucchini, cubed into small pieces
• 1/2 bell pepper (I used yellow), chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 Tbs tomato paste
• 1 Tbs white vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• Rice, rolls, buns, lettuce wraps, whatever you plan to serve it with

Add onion, celery, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic to a large frying pan. Saute using water until veggies are tender (by this I mean, add water one tablespoon at a time, adding the next after the first evaporates – no oil, tender veggies, no extra moisture). Stir in tomatoes, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in kidney beans, and cook an additional 5 minutes. Serve however you want.

Kim’s note: Next time I’m thinking of cutting back about half a can of beans and adding even more carrots and some corn.

Black Bean & Rice Veggie Burgers

This is actually a 2 part recipe, so we’ll start with beans & rice:


For beans and rice, in a 10-inch skillet cook 1/2 cup finely chopped onion until tender, just a few minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup uncooked brown rice; stir for 1 minute. Add 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat to med-low. Cover and simmer 40 minutes. Stir in 1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained. Heat through. Makes 2 cups.

Black Bean & Rice Veggie Burgers

• 2 Tbs. finely chopped carrot
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped red pepper
  
• 2 Tbs. frozen whole kernel corn
  
• 1.5 cups cooked beans and rice*
  
• 1 egg yolk
• fine dry bread crumbs

Instructions: Combine carrot, corn, and red pepper in a small microwave safe bowl, cover with loose saran wrap and microwave on high for about 2 minutes until softened. Meanwhile place beans and rice in a larger mixing bowl and mash. Stir in the veggies and egg yolk until well combined. Using your hands form a small palm size ball of the bean-veggie mixture. Roll ball in the bread crumbs then flatten to the size of a burger patty. Repeat until all of the mixture is used, makes about 4 patties. Cook veggie patties in a skillet on med-high heat for about 3 minutes per side, or until they reach desired doneness. Serve in hamburger buns with all of your favorite hamburger toppings.

*Some fun ideas – before cooking time ends on burgers add some grated cheese and cover with pan lid four about a minute to make veggie cheeseburgers. Top with lettuce, tomato, A1 sauce, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, onion, whatever you like! I also had one patty in a lettuce wrap and it was great!

Sweet Potato Sandwich

Right after having a foot surgery, Hubby took me to get some lunch so that I wouldn’t need to get up for the rest of the afternoon. We wanted to be quick since he was away from work so we popped over to the Flour Power Café* in our neighborhood.

It wasn’t exactly what we expected (and a bit pricey), but with TONS of yummy sounding options we were happy to be there. I got a vegetarian sandwich that used sweet potato as the “meat” then loaded the bread with more veggies and a veggie-spread as well.

It was so yummy I swooned, and not because of the heavy medication.

I can’t recreate their sandwich perfectly since I don’t have a clue what went into that spread (it was kind of hummus-y), but I decided to take the idea and make it my own.

Sweet Potato Sandwich

• 1 medium/large sweet potato, peeled, steamed, sliced
• Grainy sliced bread, toasted
• Sweet BBQ sauce
• Avocado Dip - (1 mashed avocado with dashes of onion powder, cumin, garlic powder, and chili powder)

Possible toppings:

• Baby spinach
• Sprouts
• Onion
• Tomato
• Cheese
• Cucumbers

Spread BBQ sauce on one of the slices of bread, then arrange sweet potatoes on top. Spread avocado dip on the other slice of bread. Stack sandwich with as many toppings as you like, sandwich together and enjoy! Makes 3 sandwiches.

Happy Cooking!

*I was in no way compensated for the review of this restaurant (which is now gone, sad).

Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad Sandwiches

I hate mayo. I always have, and therefore tend to steer clear of classic summer “salad recipes” that consist of some yummy food smothered in the stuff. But with this Chicken Salad the mayo is altered so drastically that Hubby and I both were singing its praises. This is definitely a recipe that will stick, especially in the hot months ahead.

Cilantro Lime Chicken Salad Sandwiches

• 2 cooked and shredded chicken breasts
• 1 sweet onion, cut into half rings
• 1/3 c fat free mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. roughly chopped cashews
• 1 heaping Tbs fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 Tbs. lime juice
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• toasted bread or buns and other sandwich toppings including tomatoes, spinach leaves, and cucumbers.

In a frying pan over med heat cook the onion slices with only a little cooking spray, adding water if needed to keep onions slightly moist. Allow to cook about 10 minutes or until the onions have a caramelized color. If you really want them “caramel-y” add a little sugar near the end of the cooking time – I did and it was pretty tasty. While the onions cook combine mayo, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic powder. In a large mixing bowl combine chicken, cashews, and the cooked onion. Add the dressing mixture and stir until all is well combined and lightly coated.

Serve chicken salad on toasted buns or sourdough bread (I used a multi-grain bun which was tasty and really filling) topping with spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, or whatever you like.