Quickie Eats:Homemade Barbecue Sauce & Lentil Joe’s

Who didn’t love a good sloppy joe sandwich as a kid? I remember needing at least 20 napkins throughout the meal, making it all the more enjoyable.

At the beginning of my meat-free journey, I relied a ton on the overly processed “meat crumbles” for meals like these. And while they were obviously tasty, using lentils makes this sandwich much more nutritious without losing any of the flavor.

The nice thing about lentils is that they cook a lot faster than most dried beans, making this recipe quick and convenient for you busy folks out there. You can also buy them canned or pre-made if you’d like.  And this barbecue sauce couldn’t be any easier to throw together. Forget that bottled garbage – this sauce knocks those high-fructose formulas out of the park, if I do say so myself.

 

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

1/3 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon coconut oil

1/2 tablespoon molasses

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon mustard powder or 2 teaspoons dijon mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons vegan worcestershire sauce (found here)

pinch of salt

To assemble Sloppy Joe’s, have about 2 cups of pre-cooked lentils ready to go. 

Add all the sauce ingredients into a medium saucepan and stir until evenly mixed. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Add two cups cooked lentils directly into saucepan and mix until combined. Slather beans onto your favorite bread and top with sauteed kale and cherry tomatoes.

 

These sandwiches would be great for a 4th of July barbecue or to pack for a hearty and satisfying lunch. Add a side of raw veggies and you’ve got yourself the ultimate throwback lunch. Is anyone else feeling the mega-nostalgia going on right about now? Just me? Ok then.

 

 

Watermelon Mango Refresher

As the weather heats up, I have been craving nothing but fresh fruit in every form. Smoothies, thrown in my salads, on top of overnight oats, drinks and juices, you name it. Specifically, I can’t get enough melon and mango. They have totally stolen my heart…or belly I suppose is more accurate.

Throw in some mint and a little citrus and you have a delicious summer drink perfect for unwinding at the end of a long day. If you’re feel extra saucy, feel free to add some tequila or vodka if that’s you’re thing. I bet it’d be pretty delicious.

 

2 cups chilled watermelon

1 cup frozen mango

1/4 cup lime juice

3-4 tablespoons fresh mint, chopped

1 cup ice cubes

Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

*Note: If you have the time, make this a day ahead of serving. Blend together and throw it in the fridge or freezer overnight. If you choose to freeze it, run it through the blender one more time before serving to break up the ice. This drink taste so much better once the ingredients have some time to meld together – the mint especially comes out the longer it sits! 

 

 

 

Here’s to summer nights!

 

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What I Ate: 5-27-14

One of my favorite types of posts to read are “a day in the life” entries. It’s kind of fun to get a peek into how someone spends a typical (or not-so-typical) day and see it documented through photographs.

And since I’m mildly food-obsessed, I thought I’d share my day through the meals I made. Sound good?

This is a pretty typical day of meals for me. It’s nothing special, but I do try and mix things up a little bit.

I’d love to do more posts like this if you’re interested, especially when we have a more eventful day. Let me know what you think!

 

Breakfast was my favorite go-to: a big bowl of oats. Old fashioned rolled oats and leftover quinoa with almond and coconut milk, flax, shredded carrot, cinnamon and chopped banana for natural sweetness. Toppings: more banana, blackberries, hemp seeds and shredded coconut. Not pictured: coffee

 

My post work-out smoothie: pea protein, coconut water, 1 cup of spinach, half of a frozen banana, 1/2 tablespoon of chia seeds topped with a few cacao nibs.

 

After a long hike with the pup, this lunch really hit the spot. Veggie sandwich on whole grain bread with hummus and a side of sesame coleslaw. I don’t usually have a second cup of joe, but this really hit the spot after our hike in the sun.

 

A quick snack of frozen grapes.

 

Dinner was a veggie wrap. Ezekiel tortilla with dijon, spring greens, edamame, cherry tomatoes, quinoa and nutritional yeast and a side of steamed broccoli and carrots.

 

And my last snack of the day: Kombucha and mixed nuts. Easy peas-y.

 

So there you go. I try my hardest to eat as balanced as possible without obsessing over every piece of food that goes on my plate. I find this to be a lot easier in the summer simply because my body naturally craves more fruits and salads when the temperatures go up and more produce is in season. There are just so many more options!