Summer Series: Sloppy Joes
One of the most nostalgic foods for me is a Sloppy Joe. Just one bite recalls muggy nights at Girl Scout camp - the sound of cicadas humming, seeing the fireflies twinkle below the cozy, encompassing, thick darkness of trees; the smell of the rich, tangy sloppy joes mixing with the musky scent of the damp earth of the forest and the sap of countless pines, oaks, and hickory trees.
Of course, when I was actually there, I hated it and wanted to return home immediately. I pined for my dolls and the bug-less air conditioning. I was truly a terrible girl scout, perhaps in rebellion to my mother being the scout leader. I remember my best friend Emily and I being tasked with dish duty after dinner one night, and instead of making quick work of it, we decided to make a two foot tall mountain of bubbles with the dish soap.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp vegan butter (I use Miyoko’s)
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp yellow mustard
1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
Salt and pepper to taste (stir in about 1/4 tsp each, and then taste and adjust)
1 lb beefless crumbles (I used Gardein)
1 cup water
Vegan hamburger buns, to serve
Instructions:
In a large pan or pot, melt butter over medium-high heat.
Add onions, green peppers, and garlic and continue cooking over medium-high.
Add mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, coconut aminos (or soy sauce), tomato sauce, chili powder, crushed red pepper, salt, and pepper, and stir until everything is well mixed.
Continue cooking until veggies are soft, stirring occasionally so as not to stick to the bottom of the pan (de-glaze with a little water if there is some sticking).
Stir in beef-less crumbles and cook until soft.
Add water and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan. Simmer on med-low for about 20 min until thick and saucy (If too thick, add more water, if too thin, keep cooking until it thickens up).
Serve on warmed (or not!) vegan hamburger or slider buns.
Enjoy, and don’t forget the napkins ;)
