Vegan Food Isn’t Boring

This site is made possible by visitors who click ads, purchase food guides, cookbooks, and handmade jewelry. Thank you for your kindness!

Contrary to popular belief, leaving meat out of your dish will not have you grazing on grass in the front yard. Of course, back in the day, vegans or vegetarians had very few options to choose from…some would opt for a simple salad filled with delicious protein-filled greens like kale, romaine lettuce, broccoli, and so much more; while this may have been appetizing for the one eating it, everyone else in the room was thinking “yuck, rabbit food.”

As a lifelong vegetarian who went vegan and never “cheated” (I seriously think I have a “I hate real meat” gene), I know this story all too well. I have sat through the many dinners with friends, family, and strangers alike that subjected me to a tease-fest for my dietary choices. I heard things like “aren’t you going to starve?” and “where do you get your protein from?”

While I think it’s wrong to give anyone a hard time for a proven, healthy diet, I can understand why everyone was so concerned. My meals didn’t always look like filling meals. And I spent a large portion of my life subsisting on side dishes. But I’m happy to announce that those days are over, and plant-based diets no longer consist of boring vegetables.

Don’t get me wrong, I still think a crisp salad is a delicious item to add to lunch or dinner, but the new faux-meat options are amazing, and they finally invite the non-meat eaters to the classic recipe party. And they are also a wonderful choice for the meat lovers who are hanging around vegans, or who maybe want to start eating healthier options.

Going out to eat and finding vegan food near me used to be tough as well. Dining out and finding appetizing vegan meals or vegan desserts was next to impossible. Some restaurants had limited options, but few actually specialized in serving plant based dishes or even vegan fast food.

I was always expected to cook my own meals and try to come up with an easy vegan dinner. And most recipes required some sort of meat substitute, which was hard to come by back in the day. Even when I was a vegetarian as opposed to being on a vegan diet, I had trouble finding meals that were not only tasty, but that met the requirements for vegetarian protein.

Thankfully, I learned that most protein consumed in a vegan diet comes from vegetables and legumes, and it’s more than enough to maintain proper health. High protein vegan foods such as lentil, quinoa, chickpeas, and tofu can be eaten as is, or converted into amazing dinner ideas and dinner recipes.

I have been able to turn these items into all sorts of exciting dishes that allow for things like a vegan Thanksgiving feast, vegan appetizer options, and even a decadent vegan breakfast. Whether savory or sweet, a vegan meal plan can include almost anything!

So how can I prove to you that vegan food isn’t boring? Allow me to present to you:

The Sloppy Joe

This time-honored favorite was definitely one of those dishes that convinced people to continue the wannabe carnivore lifestyle. But now that there are so many exciting options, there’s no more excuses!

There are a lot of amazing meat substitutes that work well in recipes where all you need is texture since the flavor comes from what you add in. But my favorite is Beyond Meat® because in my experience it has the best consistency and taste.

Access a previously undisclosed secret to manifesting that offers insights that haven't been revealed before. Deep dive into a transformative experience where hidden knowledge holds the key to your manifestation abilities. Watch to find out how to balance your mind in a way that will allow you to manifest what you need.

Follow this mouthwatering recipe for a very exciting vegan delight! It takes ten minutes to prep, and around 15-20 minutes to cook:

Ingredients:

1 Package of the unfrozen ground faux-meat of your choice
1 Large red or green bell pepper (I prefer red because they’re sweeter)
1/2 Yellow onion
3/4 Cup of ketchup
2 tbsp of Brown sugar (you can also use the sugar substitute of your choice, homemade apple honey would work too)
2 tsp of Chili powder (halve the amount or leave out if you’re sensitive to spicy food)
1 tbsp of Vegan Worcestershire sauce (I make my own, but you can buy this online or at a specialty store)
1 tsp of Garlic Powder
1/8 of a tsp of the Salt of your choice
1/8 of a tsp of Black pepper
*1 cup of Water
A dash of the cooking oil of your choice, or a pat of vegan butter
1 Package of Sesame Rolls or Kaiser Rolls (the gluten-free kind works too)

Directions:

You will need two separate pans on your range that are set to medium-high heat. Add a dash of cooking oil or vegan butter to each pan.

In one pan, begin to “brown” the faux-meat. No need to worry about draining fat because there isn’t any! Make sure to stir so it doesn’t stick. You’ll be surprised by how much this smells, cooks, and even sizzles like real meat.

In the other pan, add in the peppers and onion. Stir a few times.

In a large bowl, combine all of the other items and mix well. Then pour the entire thing into the pan with the peppers and onions. Keep stirring and turn down to medium-low heat. Combine the faux-meat from the other pan, and keep stirring. Cover for 15-20 minutes until the vegetables are soft.

Have toasted rolls ready to receive the sloppy, vegan goodness - just spoon on as much as you want. I’ve been able to make 4-6 Sloppy Joe rolls depending on how much of the mix that I scoop onto them.

*You may need more water. I usually keep an extra cup near the range and slowly pour it in as I’m stirring if the mix gets too thick or starts to stick. Just don’t overwater. The consistency should be like chili, not soup.