Recipe: Spicy Sloppy Split Peas

Spicy Sloppy Split Peas

  • 1 large onion, diced
  • 1/2 bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2T oil
  • 2-3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 cup yellow split peas
  • 1/2t paprika
  • 1t cumin
  • 1t granulated garlic
  • 1t Italian seasoning
  • 1/2t chipotle chili powder or hot chili powder
  • dash of cayenne
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup mild salsa or crushed tomatoes
  • 2T nutritional yeast
  • 2T fine cornmeal (not polenta or grits)
  • 1T tomato paste or tomato ketchup

In a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat the oil and then add in the onions and peppers and sautee for 5-7 minutes until softened and getting a little color.  Add in the paprika, cumin, garlic, Italian seasoning, cayenne and chipotle chili powder and stir to coat.  Stir in the first two cups vegetable broth, tomatoes and split peas and bring to a boil; turn down and let simmer for 25-30 minutes until the split peas have started to soften some. Add additional broth if the split pea mixture begins to look dry.  Sprinkle over the nutritional yeast and cornmeal and stir in to thicken the dish; the split pea mixture should come together well if it still seems too wet to put on a bun you can add more cornmeal.  Serve on buns, bread, over rice or pasta!

Sloppy…Split Peas?

This afternoon I got home from work and did the workout I didn’t do this morning. I decided to try the newest EA Active Wii game and will be doing the 6 week challenge.  Have you ever done the EA Active challenge?

I was craving sloppy joes tonight and thought I had lentils to make them with but I couldn’t find them (we still are unpacking) so I decided to try something new Spicy Sloppy Split Peas! I put the sloppy split peas on a bun with dijon mustard and baby spinach and had sauteed purple cabbage and baked sweet potatoes on the side.

Tonight I plan on getting some school work done as well as attempting to do a little more unpacking so we can get all settled in.  However first I will enjoy one of my new yummy raw cookies.

Raw Almond Super Food Cookies

Makes 12-15 cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup raw almond butter
  • 2T agave nectar
  • 1/2t cinnamon
  • 2T cacao nibs
  • 2T goji berries
  • 1/4 cup shredded dried coconut
  • 2T chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Mix the almond butter and agave nectar together.  Stir in remaining ingredients; the batter should hold together if it doesn’t add more coconut.  Scoop out tablespoon size cookies and place on a wax paper lined sheet pan.  Cover the cookies and place in the fridge.  These do well for 5-7 days in the fridge however you can freeze them and take them out shortly before you want to enjoy.

More Hours In The Day

I really need more hours in the day! I have been crazy busy this week between preparing to move on Monday, moving and working on Tuesday and then Wednesday I had a 13 hour work day which was exhausting.  Yesterday calmed down a little bit and the Hubz and I were able to get some unpacking done but there is still so much to do! Today I slept in and my slept in I mean I got up at 7 instead of 5:30 which was nice.  Tonight we are headed to the VT Brewer’s Festival so it is going to be a fun and crazy night that I will be sure to blog about tomorrow!

Since it’s been crazy around here and we have done a lot of eating out (we haven’t had any food at home) I feel like my body is lacking the nutrients that I get from when I cook/uncook at home.  So for lunch I made a nice salad of spinach topped with apple slices, fennel and pecans.

In that cute little nut butter jar is my dijon agave dressing which is to die for!

Dijon Agave Dressing:

  • 2T olive oil
  • 2T coconut vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
  • 1T dijon mustard
  • 2t agave

Put everything in a jar and shake! This is enough for 2 small salads or 1 huge salad.

Also I encourage you all to take a minute and Support the Walk For Farm Animals:

Super Simple Summer Salads!

Hi Bloggies!  Thank you all so much for your support regarding my last post.  I appreciate it so much!

Anyways back to business, it has been crazy hot here….like nearly 100F.

When it is this hot out raw foods/salads are the perfect thing to cool you down.  Lunch today is amazing, refreshing and cooling- Massaged Kale Salad, Sauteed Portobellos (cold) and brown rice salad.

We also had it for dinner last night

Massaged Kale Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of kale, washed and ripped into large pieces
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2t garlic powder
  • 1t salt
  • 1/2 pepper
  • dash of cayenne
  • 1T nutritional yeast

Directions:

Place everything into a bowl and then take your (clean) fingers and massage everything into the kale for 2-3 minutes; until evenly coated. Let sit for 5 minutes. Taste for seasonings and serve!

Brown Rice & Veggie Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked, day old brown rice
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 1/3 cup green onions, sliced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • Dressing: (whisk together)
    • 1T dijon mustard
    • 1t agave
    • 2T red wine vinegar
    • 2T olive oil

Directions:

Toss everything together and serve.  However this is best made at least 30 minutes prior to eating so that all the flavors can marry.

Alright Bloggies this is short because I have to get back to working.

Q: What is your favorite salad?

Breakfast Trends

I have been loving breakfast lately and have whipped up some great treats for the Hubz and I.  Monday morning we enjoyed some banana bread protein pancakes with agave glazed fruit and of course enjoyed with Kicking Horse Coffee– I am addicted to this stuff!

Banana Bread Protein Pancakes

Serves 3-5 people

Ingredients:

  • Dry
  • Wet
    • 2 bananas mashed
    • 1+1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
    • 1t vanilla
    • 1T canola oil
  • Agave Glazed Fruit (for more than 3 people add more fruit and and extra tablespoon of agave)
    • 1/2 cup sliced strawberries
    • 1/2 cup blueberries
    • 1/2 cup raspberries
    • 3T agave nectar

Directions:

Preheat a griddle.

In a small bowl blend the wet ingredients until mostly smooth; it is okay to have some small banana chunks. In a large bowl whisk all of the dry ingredients together.  Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients in and stir together.  At this point you can add a little more non-dairy milk if you like your pancakes thinner otherwise it’s time to cook.

Spray the preheated griddle with cooking spray and drop 1/4 cup of pancake batter on it. Cook 3-5 minutes on the first side and 1-2 on the second side until light and fluffy.

Top your pancakes with the agave glazed fruit and enjoy!

Since the weather has been crazy hot the past few days I’ve decided to keep it light and make some cooling coconut yogurt parfaits.  This morning I even made my dad a greek yogurt parfait since he was up bright and early with us. I layered coconut yogurt, strawberries and a blend of oats, chia seeds and flax meal.

Strawberry Coconut Yogurt (hubz)-Passionate Mango Coconut Yogurt (mine)-Oikos Blueberry Greek Yogurt (dads)

Q: What have you been enjoying for breakfast?

A Lovely Weekend Day

This weekend it has been beautiful in Vermont, summer has finally arrived! Bianca’s guest post this weekend inspired me to make my own version of eggs benedict, specifically my absolute favorite version that I used to get all the time before I went vegan at Sneakers in Winooski VT.  It is a California benedict which includes avocado which just makes this dish wonderful.  We enjoyed our benny with homefries, hot sauce and the best coffee ever from Kicking Horse Coffee in British Columbia.

California Benedict (serves 4)

  • 1 avocado, sliced into 16 slices
  • 2 cups arugala, divided
  • 4 whole wheat english muffins, toasted
  • hot sauce (optional)

“Eggs”:

– 2/3 block of tofu sliced in 2 then again into 4 triangles

  • 1T nutritional yeast
  • 1C vegetable broth
  • 1/4t chipotle chili powder
  • 1/4t cumin
  • 1/4t garlic powder
  • 1/2t dried thyme
  • 1t red wine vinegar
    • Mix all the ingredients together and place the tofu slices in the mixture to marinade for 30 minutes.

Hollandaise Sauce:

  • 1C non-dairy milk
  • 1T lemon juice
  • 3T nutritional yeast
  • pinch cayenne
  • 2T vegan margarine
  • 1T cornstarch
  • 1/2C vegetable broth
  • salt and pepper
    • Blend all the ingredients together and then place in a small sauce pan over low heat.  Whisk occasionally to create a smooth sauce.  Heat until thickened and then remove from the heat until ready to use.  Warm the sauce gently before serving- you may need to add a little more non-dairy milk to thin the sauce.

Putting it all together:

Top each side of the english muffin with 1/4 of the arugula and place 2 slices of avocado on each side.  Top with 1 piece of tofu and the drizzle with the hollandaise sauce.  If you would like top with a few drops of hot sauce.

After breakfast we were feeling pretty full so lunch was light just a wonderful coconut milk yogurt parfait which was delicious and very pretty to eat.

Dinner was per the request of my hubby who was craving some spicy delights- tempeh bites.  I decided to make three variations a Chipotle BBQ, Sriracha Hoisin, and good old Frank’s Hot sauce. I served it with a little sweet corn guacamole and bean and veggie salad.