As much as I enjoy entertaining friends with dishes cooked with different types of meat, I also like to keep a few recipes on hand for my vegan guests. You will always get props for preparing a dish for your friends with special diets. And as much as I love steak and chicken, there are some vegetarian meals that are the bomb. So much so, that I’ve shared some of these recipes with all of my meat-loving friends and received fantastic responses. This one has all the components of a hearty meal that anyone would love. The portabella mushroom provides a tender, meat-like texture that makes this taste amazingly like the beef version. The sweet potato fries are crispy, sweet and salty, and taste just like the fried version that I love. The only major difference is your stomach thanks you for not having to take an entire evening trying to digest meat. Though I’m not completely sold on the vegan lifestyle, this is one of those that will definitely make me explore this option further. Enjoy!
Portabella Sloppy Joe
- 1 lb of portabella mushrooms – black gills scraped out and thinly sliced
- 1 clove of garlic – minced
- 1 yellow onion – thinly sliced
- 1 small bell pepper – seeded, cored and thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil – divided into two parts
- 1 cup of tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon of sriracha
- 4 Multigrain buns
1. Heat one part of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and bell pepper, and cook until softened (about 10 minutes). Add mushrooms and the remaining olive oil and toss well. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are soft, and the liquid is absorbed (about 8 minutes).
2. Reduce heat, add remaining ingredients and stir. Cook uncovered, stir often, until mixture thickens.
3. Remove from heat. Spoon over toasted multigrain buns.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
- 2 Large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.)
- Coarse Kosher salt
- Cracked black pepper
- Vegetable oil spray
Set oven to 400 degrees. Peel potatoes, and cut each in half lengthwise, then cut each half into about 6 strips, then set aside. Spray baking sheet with a coating of vegetable spray, then arrange potatoes in a single layer. Spray potatoes with a light coating of vegetable spray, the sprinkle salt and pepper to taste. Place in the oven, and bake until edges are crisp and potatoes are cooked through—about 25-30 minutes. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.
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