Vegan Diner (19 page)

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more as needed

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

10 ounces cremini, baby bellas, or brown button mushrooms, sliced

¾
teaspoon smoked paprika

½
teaspoon ground cumin

½
teaspoon dried garlic or garlic powder

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

½
teaspoon agave nectar

½
teaspoon liquid smoke

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dash of cayenne pepper, or to taste

In a medium bowl mix together the TVP and boiling water and cover with a piece of aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Set aside for 10 minutes to rehydrate.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onions begin to change color. If onions are starting to stick, you can add a tablespoon or two of water or another tablespoon of oil. Add the mushrooms and cook for another 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms have softened. Add the reserved TVP and the smoked paprika, cumin, and dried garlic, stirring until well combined. Cook for another 3 minutes, stirring often so that the TVP doesn't stick, and adding an additional tablespoon of oil if needed. Add the tomato sauce, Bragg Liquid Aminos, agave nectar, and liquid smoke, stirring well until mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the cayenne to taste, stirring well. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring as needed. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Divide the Sloppy Joe mixture equally among 4 hamburger buns and serve hot.

Tip:
For a spicy kick, add a little hot sauce to the cooked Sloppy Joes mixture before serving.

Here's a fun twist on the slider-burger craze.
This version uses homemade seitan, which is fried up Philly cheesesteak-style, “wid Whiz.”

MAKES 4 SLIDER SANDWICHES

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

2 large bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips

2 small to medium onions, halved and thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12 ounces thinly sliced seitan (see Pot Roast,
page 117
, or Smoky Seitan Roast,
page 114
)

8 dinner rolls or small hamburger buns, homemade or store-bought, sliced in half

Cheezy Sauce (see
page 167
) or vegan cheese of your choice, as needed

Preheat the oven to 300°F.

In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the peppers and onions and cook, stirring as needed until they are just starting to soften, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add the seitan and cook until lightly seared and peppers and onions are lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes more.

While the peppers and onions are cooking, place the rolls on a baking sheet and gently warm the rolls in the oven.

Remove the warm rolls from the oven and fill with the sautéed seitan, peppers, and onions. For a Philly-style sandwich, drizzle with cheese sauce (or use another cheese of your choice) and serve.

These sandwiches are finger-licking good!
Although they make me think of summertime barbecues, they are really good anytime of the year. There's just something about that savory barbecue layered with slightly crisp coleslaw, and a nice soft bun.

MAKES ABOUT 4 SANDWICHES

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound Smoky Seitan (about
¾
of a loaf of Smoky Seitan, see
page 114
), thinly sliced

¾
cup Rough Rider Barbecue Sauce (see
page 178
), plus more for serving

4 hamburger buns, homemade or store-bought

1 recipe Sandwich Slaw (see
page 75
)

Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and coat the bottom of the pan. Add the seitan and cook, stirring until lightly browned. Add the barbecue sauce and cook, stirring as needed for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is starting to caramelize and the seitan is coated. Add more barbecue sauce as needed.

Divide the hot seitan mixture among the 4 bottom halves of the hamburger buns. Drizzle with additional barbecue sauce as needed and top with a big scoop of the Sandwich Slaw. Place the top halves of the hamburger buns over the slaw and serve right away.

Veggie burgers come in many different incarnations,
some firm and meaty, and others softer and vegetable-laden. This recipe is of the softer, vegetable-based variety, which is fantastic served up on a bun. The cashews lend a subtle sweetness and a dose of heart-healthy protein along with the tofu.

MAKES ABOUT 6 BURGERS

2 large slices of fresh bread

6 ounces (about 1
½
cups) sliced cremini mushrooms

2 carrots, grated
(about 1 cup)

½
cup chopped yellow onion

½
cup raw cashews

7 ounces (
½
of a 14-ounce container) firm tofu, well-drained and coarsely grated or crumbled

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce

¼
teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Brown rice flour, as needed for dusting

Olive oil, for cooking

6 hamburger buns, homemade or store-bought

Lettuce, for serving

Sliced tomato, for serving

Sliced red or sweet onion, for serving

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the bread until finely minced. Remove the breadcrumbs to a large bowl. You should have 1
½
cups. Set aside.

In the food processor, finely chop the mushrooms. Transfer the mushrooms to a large, dry nonstick skillet, and cook the mushrooms over medium-high heat for several minutes to soften. Set aside.

In the food processor, combine the carrot, onion, and cashews, and pulse until finely ground. Add the cooked mushrooms and grated tofu. Pulse until just mixed. Don't purée. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of breadcrumbs. Add the nutritional yeast, liquid aminos, salt, and pepper, and stir well to combine. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Place the brown rice flour on a small plate. Divide the burger mixture into 6 patties and dredge on all sides with rice flour.