Lentil Joes

I have always disliked sloppy joes, but I can not get enough of this new version. Adapted from Post Punk Kitchen's "Snobby Joes"

ingredients:

1 cup uncooked green or brown lentils
4 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced small
1 medium or small zucchini, diced small1 or 2 medium carrots, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon salt
16 oz can diced tomatoes and juices 
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 to 3 tablespoons maple syrup 
1 tablespoon yellow mustard

4 to 6 baked potatoes (optional – for serving)

directions:

Put the lentils in a small sauce pot and pour in 4 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, lower heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.

About 10 minutes before the lentils are done boiling, preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onion and zucchini in the oil for about 7 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and saute a minute more.  Add the cooked lentils, grated carrot, the chili powder, oregano and salt and mix. Add the diced tomatoes and paste. Cook for about 10 minutes.

Add the maple syrup and mustard and heat through.Turn the heat off and let sit for about 10 minutes, so that the flavors can meld, or go ahead and eat immediately if you can’t wait. Serve over baked potatoes.

Baked Oatmeal

ingredients:
2 eggs equivalent of Energy Egg Replacer
2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
5 cups, Old Fashioned rolled oats
1 banana, mashed
2 3/4 cups dairy-free milk (rice, almond, coconut, ect) 
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 cup of agave, maple syrup or honey
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
Optional toppings: raisins, walnuts, chocolate chips


directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Mix egg replacer, vanilla, applesauce, banana and sweetener together in a bowl.
3. Add in oats, salt, baking powder, flax and cinnamon and mix well with wet ingredients.
4. Finally pour in milk and combine.
5. Spray a 12 and 6 capacity muffin tin with cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
   Pour mixture evenly into muffin tin cups.
6. If using toppings add them onto the tops of muffins now. If using fresh or frozen fruit, drop it right into the batter.
7. Bake 30 minutes until a toothpick in center comes out clean. Cool and enjoy or freeze them in gallon freezer bags.