Meat Free Monday: Slow Cooker Snobby Joe

Tags

dinner, lentil, meat free, recipes, slow cooker, snobby joe, vegan, vegetarian

A few years ago, I discovered a love for lentils. I discovered my lentil love when I attempted a lentil sloppy joe recipe. Aside from not having any meat in it, it really tasted like those delicious and oh so messy joes from the middle school cafeteria. Only these were lean and healthy (but just as, if not more, messy).

I’ve made this recipe before but to save time, I decided to use the slow cooker. It worked out really well!

Ingredients (serves 6-8 ppl)

1 cup of dry lentils (+ 4 cups of water to boil)

1 bell pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup tomato sauce

1/4 cup of tomato paste

1 tsp mustard

3 tablespoons of maple syrup

3 tablespoons of chili powder

1 tsp salt

Optional: kaiser rolls

1. Prepare all the ingredients the night before and set in the fridge. In the morning, set the slow cooker on low and allow to cook for 8-10 hrs or 5 hrs on high. (the night before trick is helpful as the soaking of the lentils allows them to be tender and fully cooked at the end of the 10 hrs)

When ready to serve, lightly toast a kaiser roll and place a cup of snobby joe mix onto roll.

I served with oven fries.

These were great. They were quite messy as one would imagine. They were also really flavorful. I might have been a tad sneaky by not telling BR these were meatless. But he loves lentils and loved this dish. The lentils are very filling so a little bit goes a long way. I ate the leftovers chili style with bread for dipping and sopping.

This freezes well too!

Meat Free Monday: Vegetarian Chili

Tags

meat free, slow cooker, vegetarian

Whoa! Has it really been that long since my last post?!?

While enjoying a nice happy hour over some wings on Friday night, my coworker Dan told me I was slacking on the posts. He was right. I have been slacking. Sorry!

I recently took the Graduate Record Exam as part of the application process to grad school. As an undergrad, I graduated with honors and thought this standardized test would be a piece of cake. I studied with my Kaplan guides and took lots of practice exams. The practice exams were going well and on the day of the exam, I flopped. Like flopped it. I was so upset. And after so many days with my nose in the books, I felt so unprepared. But, I still have a chance at grad school and I have faith that I will make it in!

Sometimes BR gives me some ideas for the menu planning. I mean, considering that we now live together (surprise!) he gets to put his two cents in every now and then. He had the brilliant idea of incorporating more veggie dinners into our plans. With a  slight chill in the air these days, I felt like making a chili.

One of the best veggie chilis that I have had contains zero soy and is super filling comes from Hungry Girl. Dan Good Chili. A chili that can be thrown together in an instant or in a slow cooker. Its healthy, its filling, and its delicious.

4 1/4 cups canned tomato sauce
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with green chilies
3/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup canned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup canned jalapeno slices, chopped
1 cup canned sweet corn kernels, drained
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 3/4 cups chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Optional: salt

Directions

Place the tomato sauce, tomatoes, jalapenos, chili powder, and cumin in a large pot slow cooker. Stir over low heat. Once the mixture is heated, stir in the garlic and continue to cook for about 5 minutes.
Add carrots and continue to cook over low heat. Meanwhile, over medium heat, cook onions, peppers, and mushrooms for 3 to 5 minutes in a large pan with just 1/2 cup of water (and some salt if desired). The onions and peppers should still be a little crunchy. Using a slotted spoon to drain any excess water, and the veggies to the pot.
Add beans, corn, and Worcestershire sauce to the pot. Mix Well. Everything should now be in the pot.
Cook on low heat for about 2 8 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. Chili is done when carrots have lost their crunch.
Makes 10 servings.

Each 1 cup serving is 147 calories, That’s a hell of a bargain. I served this over fluffy white rice and topped with sour cream and shredded cheddar.

A great freezer friendly meal, and nearly effortless to put together.

We liked the meat free night… but we are true carnivores!