BBQ Tempeh Sandwiches

A midsummer night's bbq tempeh sandwich

When I say “temp,” you say “eh!”

“Temp” (“Eh!”)

“Temp” (“Eh!”)

I’ve got a confession to make.  I made these sandwiches a while ago, took my pictures and have since forgotten exactly what I put in them.

It was a last-minute meal but one that was surprisingly delicious and very filling.  The end result is something resembling a sloppy Joe in texture, but with a little more crunch and a lot more bbq.

The most vivid memory I have of making these was that I thought I had way more bbq sauce than I actually had.  So, my “sauce” was half bbq and half ketchup/honey/red wine vinegar/salt/pepper/etc.

And as far as the tempeh goes, I like the three-grain.  It’s got the best texture, and it doesn’t have that bitter taste that some tempeh has.  And you can buy it in most grocery stores (well, at least Publix).

I know, it doesn't look appetizing yet... keep scrolling.

I know, for a fact (because it’s in my pictures), that I made some roasted asparagus as a side dish.  Tossed them in a little olive oil and sprinkled with salt and placed in the oven until they were soft but not mushy.

Roast 'em.

So here’s what I remember from this meal:

Here’s what you need:

• 1 package of three-grain tempeh (you can make your own, but it’s complicated, and this ain’t the blog for that)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 cup or so of your favorite bbq sauce (check before you start cooking)
• 4 buns
• vegetable broth (optional)

Here’s what to do:

Step 1) Slice the tempeh into relatively thin slices and boil in vegetable broth for ten minutes or so.  This helps prevent the tempeh from getting too rubbery and gets rid of any bitterness that may develop after cooking (this step may be entirely unnecessary, but I’ve never not done it, so I wouldn’t know).

Step 2) Use tongs to remove the tempeh and lay it out on paper towels to drain off excess moisture.

Step 3) Cut the tempeh into small cubes and sautee with just the slightest bit of olive oil.  The goal is to get them golden brown on all sides but first…

Step 4) After the tempeh has been cooking for a few minutes, add to the pan (or start in another pan, as I did) some diced onions and bell pepper.  I didn’t want them fully carmelized, just a little softer than raw.

Stir it up, stir it up good, uh!

Step 5) When the tempeh is sufficiently golden (maybe 7-10 minutes on medium heat), add in the onions and peppers and a small bucket (okay, a cup) of bbq sauce.  Keep adding sauce until you get a sloppy-Joe-ish texture and everything is hot.

Step 6) Add to a toasted bun, and grab some napkins.

I paid extra for that sesame seed bun, just for this picture.

 

Tasty Beer Bread

Easy, butter beer bread - so, so good.

Yeah, I hadn’t heard of it either.

But if someone says you can put beer in bread, or beans in brownies, I can resist trying it out.

So this one is exactly like what it sounds – it’s regular bread, except it has beer in it.  You leave out the yeast, and the yeast in the beer does the trick.  The resulting bread was extremely good.  And way easier than I expected.

The recipe I used made from a bread that had a slightly buttery, crunchy crust and a dense, moist bread.  It’s not the kind of bread you’d make PB&J on, but it’s perfect as a side to an otherwise light meal.  OR, as we did, just make it in the middle of a lazy afternoon and eat half the loaf while you watch a movie.

As far as the beer goes, I have no idea.  I’ve made this once, with Miller Light (because the other beers we had around have citrus flavors, and I wasn’t sure how that would taste), and it was delicious.  I’ve heard/read that Guinness makes a good bread as well.

Oh, and you can make it vegan by subbing vegan margarine (like Earth Balance) for the butter.

(Recipe adapted from food.com)

Here’s what you need:

• 3 cups flour (sifted – or at least spooned into the mixing cup – do not pack!)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if using Self-Rising Flour)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) can beer
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1/4 cup will do just fine)

Here’s what to do:

Step 1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2) Mix the dry ingredients and the beer in a large mixing bowl, making sure to get rid of all clumps.  Add half of the melted butter to the mixture.

Step 3) Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan, and then pour the remaining butter on top (you could leave this out if you want, but I liked the buttery crust)

Step 4) Bake for 1 hour, uncovered.  Then remove and let cool for 15 minutes (or don’t, but it’s going to be hot – fair warning).

5 seconds after I burnt my hand trying to cut the bread right out of the oven

But, if you’re in the mood for a different flavor, my good friend and fellow blogger BNF coincidentally whipped up her own batch of unconventional bread recently – I’ll guarantee you it’s good.

Vegan Lentil Curry

Vegan Lentil Curry | Photo by HFLP

I had an excellent food-day last week.  Ali and I made this awesome curry for lunch, and our friends (and writers of Veganerds) cooked an amazing Afghani feast for dinner.  I went to bed fat and happy, as another friend likes to say (I’m looking at you, Mr. L).

This delicious lentil curry was fantastic and way easier than the length of the ingredient list would seem to indicate.  It’s really lentils + tomatoes + spices.  I adapted the recipe from here.

I hadn’t really cooked with lentils much before, but turns out it’s no different than rice or couscous or anything else.  Fill a pot with water (according to the package instructions, of course) and let ’em simmer until they plump up and soften.  I read that it’s very important to wash them thoroughly before cooking, but the ones I bought were pre-washed.  I tried rinsing them anyways, but the water ran clear immediately.  So, just keep that in mind.

This would make a great side dish, or, as we had it, a great main course if served with some pita or rise.  All vegan, all the way.

I’m going to try my hand at beer bread and homemade polenta in the next few days, so be sure to check back in!

Here’s what you need:

• 2 cups red lentils (I used regular, green-ish lentils)
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
• 2 tablespoons curry paste
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon ginger root, minced
• 1 (14.25 ounce) can tomato puree (I used crushed tomatoes)

I don't know one curry paste from the next | Photo by HFLP

Here’s what to do:

Step 1) Begin cooking lentils according to package directions – this usually takes between 20-30 minutes.

Dry lentils in a towel in a strainer (for rinsing) | Photo by HFLP

Step 2) Begin cooking the onions in a large skillet or pan with a little oil until they begin to carmelize.

Step 3) Mix all of the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the tomato puree, in a mixing bowl.  When they are nice and mixed, add them to the onions and let cook for about 2 minutes, mixing the onions into the spice mixture.

A plethora of spices | Photo by HFLP

Step 4) Next, add the tomato puree (or crushed tomatoes) to the spices and onions and let simmer until the lentils are done to you liking.

Step 5) The lentils should have absorbed most of the water.  Taste a few and make sure they are soft and tasty.  When the lentils are done, mix with the curry base and serve immediately.

Plump and delicious | Photo by HFLP

We loved this recipe, and it’ll definitely enter our monthly rotation.  Quick and easy, healthy and lazy, and a good way to mix in some vegan meals into my diet.

Thanks for reading!

My Top 3 Healthy Desserts

My three favorite food groups are, in order of favoriteness, ice cream, Juicy Juice and sweet potatoes.

That’d be my last meal request, if I was ever so unfortunate as to find myself in place that has last meal requests.

I’ve reigned in my Juice Juice addiction, for now – it costs significantly more than $0, so I’ve been sticking with water.  Once I’m one of those bigwig journalists with the six-figure salary (including the right of the decimal), I’ll fill jacuzzis with the stuff.  And sweet potatoes are limited by the fact that it takes time to make it edible, and time doesn’t fit into my schedule at the minute.

So I’m left with ice cream, which is always easy, always delicious, always cold.  And I’m not sure what the amount of ice cream consumed by the average American is, but if I’m not in the 90th percentile, I’d be surprised.

So today’s post is a rumination on healthy ways to kick the ice cream habit, but still have creamy, tasty treats on a daily basis.

Let’s start with some product placement for which I don’t, but should, get paid for.

Talento Sorbetto | Photo by HealthyandLazy

This stuff is delicious – and it’s vegan, fat-free, HFCS-free, sugar-free, gluten-free and free of lots of other things as well.  In line with our upside-down food production system, the fact that this has nothing in it makes it pretty expensive.  It goes BOGO at Publix, though, so I’d snatch ’em up if you get the chance.  The wife and I can knock one of these back together in one sitting, not that we did last Friday afternoon.

Have less money?  Here’s another idea, courtesy of a family friend: plain Greek yogurt with cinnamon and honey.  Greek yogurt is all the rage at the moment.  Go to the grocery store late at night, when the old folks and soccer moms are gone, and you’ll see  all the hipsters with Chobani in their Earth-friendly totes.

I’ve been eating this regularly, and it’s a great stand in for ice cream (fat-free as well, if you care about that sort of thing).

Greek Yogurt, Honey and Cinnamon | Photo by HealthyandLazy

Last but not least, we’ve got some vegan banana ice cream.  I’ve made it, but didn’t take pics, so I’ll borrow from a good friend and super blogger, the Homemade Chocolatier.

The idea is simple – freeze a banana, then put it in a food processor until it’s blended smooth, and it has all the creamy of ice cream and none of the dairy (and almost none of the fat).  You can add in other things, like cocoa powder, peanut butter or, in my case, a packet of hot chocolate mix to make it even better.

I know, I know, mashed banana doesn’t sound like the best dessert/desert, but I swear it tastes more like soft serve ice cream than fruit.  Check out her post for more details.

 

Pre-blend | Photo by Homemade Chocolatier

Post-blend | Photo by Homemade Chocolatier

That’s it for now, folks.  If you’ve tried any of this, let me know what you think in the comments section.  One lucky commenter will be selected at random to win a free virtual high-five courtesy of yours truly.

Vegan Sweet Potato Burritos

Vegan Sweet Potato Burrito | Photo by HealthyandLazy

Spring break!

I’ve changed cities, temporarily, and have left the comfy confines of my Gainesville kitchen for the spacious kitchens of parents and in-laws.  These folks even have dishwashers!

With all the extra space, we decided to make a big, vegan feast.  For dinner, a burrito unlike any I’ve ever had – sweet potatoes and black beans seem like an unusual pairing to me, but we went for it.  It’s not a Healthy/Lazy original, but it might get added to the regular recipe rotation.  We found the idea over here.