Vegan Sloppy Joes

I have a fond memory of going to my Great Aunt Rosemary and Uncle Mickey’s house in Arizona when I was a kid. They had a large pool in their backyard and we would swim and have lunch with them each time we visited Arizona. My Aunt always served good food, and I especially remember loving her sloppy joes!  My sister and I would add chips to our sandwich for an extra crunch and scoop up the extra filling on our plates with more chips. There is something special about a sloppy joe sandwich that makes me think of those sunny days by their pool in AZ.  Today this Vegan version is dedicated to my Great Aunt and Uncle who have since passed away. I hope you enjoy this flavorful sandwich and that it is accompanied by sunny days and happy moments. 

Ingredients

½ cup diced yellow onion
1 small green pepper diced
1T olive oil
16oz tempeh 
¾ cup of tomato sauce
½ cup ketchup 
1T yellow mustard
1T apple cider vinegar
2 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
1tsp smoked paprika 
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat
2. Add the diced onions and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant
3. Add the diced green peppers and saute for 1 minute
4. Crumble the tempeh with your hands, it should resemble the texture of ground meat, and add it to the onion and peppers saute for 2 minutes
5. Reduce heat to low and add the remaining ingredients, stir to incorporate.
6. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on low or until the tempeh is tender. 
7. Serve on toasted whole wheat buns with a side of potato chips! 
8. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one week.