GF Vegan Meatloaf Cupcakes

It's hard finding a suitable meatloaf recipe when you're a vegan. Every now and then you just really want comfort food with all the ease of tossing ingredients in a bowl, mixing it up, and 20 minutes later you've got dinner for days. Enter in this meatloaf. My friend Erica made it and packaged me up an entire container worth for lunch and dinner as I was pulling a 15 hour day at school, 9 of those hours being a clinic shift. This meatloaf got me through those 15 hours. Literally. Not even a week later I harassed her for the recipe so I can replicate it at home.

What's the deal with the cupcake sized meatloaf you may ask? Well, it's super convenient. You don't have to slice the meatloaf up to serve and it's already divided out into little portions for tomorrow's lunch and such. Ideally a normal size muffin tin is the way to go, but since I only had a mini muffin tin I just went with it.

3 garlic cloves, minced
2 shallots, chopped
1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 8-ounce package organic tempeh
3 heaping tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons vegan worcestershire sauce (found at Whole Foods)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup gluten-free oats
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons ground chia seeds + 6 tablespoons warm water- combine and let rest for 5 minutes until thick

Ketchup topping:
2 tablespoons remaining tomato paste
2 tablespoons maple syrup
*Or use store bought ketchup

Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin tin by spraying it with nonstick spray.

In a pan over medium heat saute the garlic, shallots, and bell pepper in some oil until translucent, about five minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a food processor add the tempeh until it is ground into little pieces. Poor the ground tempeh into a mixing bowl and add in the cooked vegetables, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and dried herbs- stir until well combined. Add in the chia mixture that has congealed in the water- this is your egg replacer. Mix in the remaining ingredients: oats, sunflower seeds, and parsley. The mixture will be very thick, so use your hands to make sure everything is well incorporated. If you need to you can add a splash of water to get it to mix better, maybe a tablespoon or so.

Mix together the ketchup ingredients if you aren't using store bought. Honestly, it's convenient just making it yourself since you'll have leftover tomato paste anyways. 

Using your hands, press the meatloaf mixture into the muffin tin. Spoon over the ketchup mixture before baking the meatloaf in the oven for 23 minutes, 15 or so for a mini muffin tray. Allow to cool for five minutes before serving.

I served my meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy.

Recipe from Fork and Beans

Three Bean Chili

What's better than chili when it's chilly outside? Yes. I'm a huge dork and that was my play on words for the day. On a serious note, it did dip below 55 degrees here in South Florida and therefore the fire place was lit and the chili was simmering on the stove top. We get very festive around here for the three days of winter that we can actually put a sweater on for.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced 
1 diced jalapeno + more for garnish
2 cans beans of your choice (I used kidney and black), rinsed well
1 can chili beans (yes, this is a thing- you can find it in the bean aisle. It's pinto beans in a chili sauce, I bought the medium spice version, but it also comes in mild or hot), don't rinse these!
1 can corn, rinsed well
2 cans diced tomatoes, juices and all
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 heaping teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning 
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Water
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar (don't skip this, it adds an extremely important flavor profile)
Hot sauce to taste
Daiya cheddar shreds
Soy sour cream or vegan mayo

In a large pot over medium heat add the oil, once hot add in the onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes. Next add in the bell peppers and jalapeno, continue to saute for another minute. Add in the beans, chili beans, corn, tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, paprika, taco seasoning, salt, cornstarch, and water (fill an empty bean can up with water and then add it to the pot). Stir to combine. Stick a lid on the pot and bring to a simmer, cook for 30 minutes. Turn the heat off and stir in the ketchup, sugar, and hot sauce. Allow to cool on the stove top while the flavors marinate for a minimum of one hour. Before serving reheat by bringing it up to a slow boil to cook off any extra liquid to reach your desired consistency. Serve with a handful of Daiya cheddar shreds, a dollop of sour cream or mayo (vegan mayo really is kind of the same as vegan sour cream if we're going to be honest here), and extra jalapeno pieces. Leftovers freeze excellently.

Original recipe collaboration between me and Erica Sanes

Shaved Brussels Salad Dusted with Black Sesame Salt

The Brussels Sprout has such a bad rep, they're really the underdog of all veggies. They sadly lay idle in the supermarket next to the bitter melon (okay, okay, that reference may be slightly exaggerated, no one likes a bitter melon, Brussels on the other hand are love-hate). Regardless, when I moved back from San Francisco I made my mom some crispy roasted maple balsamic Brussels and she forever has loved them. My dad and brother however were never enthusiastic about them, until now. Behold the raw shaved Brussels salad, who would've thought?

2 lbs Brussels sprouts, if you can find them shredded that will save you some work
1/4 cup lemon juice, from 2-3 lemons
2 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup pure maple syrup (none of that thick sticky diner stuff)
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds, toasted over dry heat
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup Bacon Bits (yeah, most bacon bits are vegan surprisingly! Double check the ingredients, but Betty Crocker brand is. If you're GF omit or use 1/2 cup homemade coconut bacon) 
3 tablespoons black tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon good quality salt


Using a knife carefully shred your bag of Brussels and place the shreds in a large bowl, this can be tedious so plug in your favorite playlist and totally make this a jam sesh. At least that's what I did.

In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, maple syrup, and olive oil. Pour your dressing over the shredded Brussels and toss well to coat.

In a pan over medium heat add the sunflower seeds (no oil or non stick spray), and toast for a few minutes. Keep an eye on these to make sure they're not burning underneath. Add the toasted seeds, cranberries, and bacon bits into the salad and toss.

Using a mortal and pester, or a small bowl and a wooden spoon, add in the sesame and salt and grind together. Grinding these two together always give them a deep flavor profile. Dust the salad with the salt and sesame mixture and serve.