Lentil Sloppy Joe's, vegan and delicious...

Lentil Sloppy Joe's

 This is a recipe for lentil sloppy Joe's. There are a whole lot of vegetables hidden in these sloppy Joe's including some that my daughter doesn't like but she eats it anyway. The secret is that they are really, really tiny. In fact if you want you can even pulse them in the food processor a few times instead of dicing them by hand. So this recipe is a good way to get a variety of vegetables into a pickier eater. I change this recipe all the time depending on what I have available and you could too. So here is what I put in the last time I made it...

1 large carrot
1 onion
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
3 celery stalks
1 jalapeno
3-5 cloves garlic
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP dijon mustard
1 TBSP Brandy
2 TBSP soy sauce
2 TBSP worcestershire sauce
1 can tomato paste
2 cups lentils
4 cups water
1/2 veggie bullion cube


1. Check lentils for rocks, rinse and put in pot. Cover with 4 cups water. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer. Add 1/2 veggie bullion cube.
2. Clean all vegetables and cut into 1 inch chunks
3. Mince garlic and jalapeno add to lentils.
4. Pulse each vegetable in the food processor about 8-10 times. Add each vegetable to lentils and water.
5. Increase heat bring to boil again and reduce to simmer again. Simmer about 10 then star checking lentils for tenderness. You may have to add a little more water periodically before lentils are tender
6. When lentils are tender and most of the water is gone add tomato paste and the rest of the seasonings. Simmer for about 10 more minutes until it is pretty thick.
7. Salt and pepper to taste and adjust seasonings.

*You can change this around pretty easily, We've made them with bourbon and more brown sugar, you can add tobasco, use whisky, liquid smoke has been good, you can also use different vegetables.