Country Fried Seitan Sandwich with Coconut Cheddar Cheese & Organic Baked Fries

I started a new job about two weeks ago.  It is a very interesting and fun job!  I am working at a food truck downtown and having a great time with it.  It is something I have really missed about NY - working for a place that doesn't have a ton of structure and allows me to do what I need to do, but without a ton of supervision and demands.  It's a pretty cool gig.  I am still working part time as a vegan pastry chef, which is good, but doesn't include a lot of hours.  This past week I definitely made my hours, which was great.  

The place is called Ez Cheesy, which is basically a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich truck.  Pretty cool and different menu.  Obviously it is not all vegan, but all but one of the sandwiches are vegetarian and the rest can be made vegan with the inclusion of daiya.  I love that!  This is part of the menu this year:

Tampopo: Ramen Noodles mixed with Kimchee, topped with Brussel Sprouts and Cheddar/Daiya

Old Mission Torta: Smashed Beans, Avocado, Queso/Daiya, Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, Shaved Radish, Spicy Mayo

City Middle: Local Made Donut with Goat Cheese and Fig Jam (would be great with vegan cream cheese)

Sweet Caroline: Shaved Carrot, Goat Cheese, Walnuts & Honey

There are more items on the menu, but I thought I would put a couple so you could see how different and cool this place is!

Making sandwiches all week, you would think I would get tired of them, but it actually inspired me to work more on the menu for our upcoming cafe and make a couple different sandwiches at home.  I made this tasty one as well as a couple veggie paninis.  Yum!  I found a really interesting recipe for vegan cheddar cheese, using coconut milk as the base.  It's very meltable and cheesy in texture, but I really didn't care for the flavor.  I definitely think it is something that warrants more testing and playing around with.  How cool would it be if it were actually that easy to make a meltable vegan cheese?!

This was Hubby's plate.  So Good!

To make the Sandwich:

- Country Fried Seitan

 - Fresh Baguette, sliced into portions and cut in half, toasted

 - Veganaise or other topping

 - Sliced Veggies: tomato, green pepper, red onion

 - Coconut Milk Cheddar Cheese or other vegan cheese

 - Baked Fries or side of choice


1.  Toast baguette.  Slather veganaise on both sides of the bread.  Place veggies on the bottom, followed by the seitan.  Layer the cheese in there somewhere.  (I should have put it next to the seitan so it could have melted slightly.)
2.  Add fries or other side and eat!

You can barely see the vegan cheddar peeking out from underneath the veggies!

Enjoy!

Koko

A Passing in the Family & a Simple Vegan Meatball Sub

Today my Grandma on my father's side passed away rather suddenly.  She had been living in a nursing home for probably the last 3-4 years and my mother was taking care of her for two years before that.  She has not been in good health for many years, but did not seem to be doing too badly.  Very much a shock.  I'm very sorry to say that we were not close.  None of my siblings and I were too close with her.  I saw her about four years ago, then probably not for ten years before that.  I feel terribly for my dad and feel sad for the relationship we never were able to have with her.  My dad was able to take off three days from work for bereavement to take care of all the details - he is the oldest sibling and in charge of the details. 

 

I felt an overall sadness today, not really inspired to do too much.  I had a lot of things I should have been doing, but really never got around to them.  I spent most of the time with my dad and other siblings that stopped by to support him.  When he left to look into my Grandmother's affairs, I realized it was midway through the day and that I should eat something.  I decided on the quickest thing I could think of: a sub.  I had just bought some nice, fresh bread with the hubbs and had a package of Gimme Lean Ground Beef in the freezer for a couple months that I bought on discount at the local food coop.  I also had some homemade marinara sauce hanging out in the freezer so I knew a meatball sub would come together nicely.  Super easy and satisfying. 

 

 



Easy and delicious - before being toasted

1/2 package Gimme Lean Ground Beef, rolled into balls
olive oil

Fresh Rolls/Baguette
Marinara sauce
Vegan Sliced Cheese
Vegan Cashew Parmesan Cheese

Toppings:
Sliced Green Peppers
Sliced Onions
Fresh or Pickled Jalapeno Peppers
Sliced Dill Pickles
Kalamata or Black Olives

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2.  Cook the meatballs in a small amount of olive oil until crispy and heated through.
3.  Slice the roll/baguette in half, spoon some marinara sauce on top, followed by the meatballs, the vegan cheese(s) and the toppings.
4.  Place the loaded sub on a baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bread is toasty and the cheese is nice and melty.
5.  Cut in half and serve with additional marinara sauce on the side for dipping.


Koko

Vegan Breakfast Sandwich: Tofu Egg Hollandaise

It is definitely no secret now that my Hubby and I plan to open our own vegan cafe here in Michigan.  We are working hard on it everyday it seems like.  In theory it doesn't seem so hard or involved - people open restaurants and other food businesses everyday.  But do they do it well?  Do they open simply because they like to eat?  Or because they see themselves as good cooks?  It definitely takes more than that to open a food establishment!  I have known since I was a teenager that I wanted to open up my own place.  It has certainly evolved over the years in regards to the theme.  I didn't always want to open up something vegan.  But I definitely know what I want now and have been working so hard over the last 10+ years to build experience and make it happen. 

 

 

I test recipes pretty much everyday.  Some days that means baking and decorating like 6 whole cakes, 10 different kinds of cookies, 5 different sandwiches, etc.  Some days that means only testing a smoothie or soup recipe.  Some are very involved, some are pretty simple and straightforward.  This is a recipe I tested recently.  As simple as it may look, it took quite a bit of time because each component was homemade.  And it was very tasty.  Hubbs and I had our own critiques, but both thought it was a great idea and definitely warranted further testing.  After I finish this post, it's time to work on the business some more.  Phew!  A lot of work, but it is going to be so worth it once we are open!  Can't wait!!

 

 





Crazy delicious!  And awesomely messy!
On a fresh baked vegan biscuit.



Fresh Baked Biscuit - it ended up being a bit too big for the sandwich.



Biscuit cut in half  - it looks so fresh!
And a juicy sliced tomato.



Tofu Egg cooking.



Almost done - just needs the sauce!  So pretty!

Hope you enjoyed the pics of the tasty sandwich!

Koko

Testing Recipes: Country Fried Seitan Caesar Salad & Smoked Tofu Sandwich

Now that Hubbs and I have broken our fast and gotten back into eating (yay!), I have been testing recipes maniacally.  Even if it means I only take a small bite of whatever it is.  I am definitely staying away from more refined sugars and trying to use more local maple syrup and agave as sweeteners, plus dates, when that works for the recipe.  I am also trying not to eat anything fried, or at least a very small portion.  Just really trying to keep things healthier. 

 

I was going through a bunch of photos and recipes I have saved as drafts for this blog and have found a ton that need finishing, which I will publish soon.  It's funny how many of them have fried foods and tons of carbs.  I'm not saying that's bad - it's damn tasty, but just how different it is from how I'm trying to eat now.  I also found a ton of photos of recipes I've tested over the years, especially gluten free.  I'm going to do a post soon with all the pictures of the gluten free items I've tested but don't necessarily have a recipe for.  It either got lost along the way or wasn't exactly great, but the pictures are always fun to look at. 

 

 

Here's two recipes I've been working on over the last several days.  One is for a Seitan Caesar Salad and the other for a Smoked Tofu Sandwich.  I liked the Caesar, I just wasn't crazy for the dressing.  I have researched and made tons of vegan Caesar-type dressings, but none of them have been nearly as tasty as I recall a "true" Caesar dressing tasting.  So I've still got to work on that.  The Smoked Tofu Sandwich tasted great, but was too hard to eat with that bread.  It was a locally made organic baguette that was just too crispy and hard to eat.  I ended up with a sore mouth afterwards!  But definitely easy to fix - I'll have to find another, less crispy local baguette and problem solved!  Testing these both another time, but that's the fun part, right?! We'll get to sample them all over again!

 

 

 

Vegan Caesar Salad with Country Fried Seitan

Smoked Tofu Baguette on Local, Organic Baguette



Closer view on that beautiful sandwich!

Enjoy!

Koko

Wrap: Leftover Rice & Beans with Crispy Veggies

I am the self proclaimed queen of leftovers!  We always had leftovers while growing up and it was not a problem for us.  At least, it wasn't a problem for me.  I thoroughly loved leftovers.  Hubby is not of the same opinion, and in fact, he pretty much despises them.  He did not grow up eating them and has a completely different idea of what they represent than I think they actually do.  To me, it is simply using up the food I made the day or so before.  Not wasting money, effort or food.  There is nothing wrong with that.  In fact, there are complete blogs out there dedicated specifically to using up miscellaneous ingredients and leftover foods. 

However, the Hubby, having grown up in the Dominican Republic, has certain ideas and behaviors that I have never really understood before, just kind of attributing them to a little quirk.  :)  Once I visited his home country last fall, everything just seemed to click into place.  I could see why he loved listening to music so loud it made me cringe and picture the downstairs neighbor banging her broom on the ceiling, as well as a lot of strange behaviors regarding food.  He has these ideas about certain foods equating low class or poverty.  The Dominican Republic, like any other country, definitely has its poor areas, as I experienced first hand when I visited his village, but it is an amazingly beautiful place with generous people that will gladly help out their neighbors or fellow members of the community even if they do not know them intimately.  It's the kind of place that if you're struggling, your friends, community and family will help you out.  Happily.

Strangely enough though, he still has these ideas, and they are especially strong regarding leftovers and black beans.  To him, the poorer people are known for eating their leftovers, because they do not have anything else and they cannot spare to have any food go to waste.  The same goes for black beans - he will 100% of the time choose pinto beans over black beans.  That is something I don't quite understand, but he would prefer if I didn't have them in the house at all.  Evidently, black beans are much more inexpensive than other beans, and therefore, they are a "poor person" food.  He refuses to eat seasoned black beans - he will only eat them if I add them in a small amount to something, such as stuffed peppers.  Since we have been married, I have been finding creating ways to use up our leftovers without making them seem like leftovers.  So I made this dish as leftovers for us one day, not saying it was leftovers, just that I had a great idea for a wrap to make with some beans and rice and he ate it gladly.  And so should you - it's very tasty!

Rice, Bean & Veggie Wraps:

Crunchy, Creamy, Spicy - It's Got It All!

Serves - as many as you would like
Leftover Beans & Rice
Tortillas
Red Cabbage, Shredded
Minced Red Onions
Vegan Sour Cream
Black Olives, Sliced
Sriracha

1.  Reheat the beans and rice in a medium pan over medium heat, until nice and hot.  (If you have a microwave, I guess you could use it, although I am pretty freaked out by them!)
2.  Have the rest of your ingredients ready.  Place a medium sized pan over low-medium heat and add your tortilla.  Allow it to heat for 30-45 seconds per side, or until warmed through and flexible.  Place the tortilla on your plate and the hot beans/rice mixture on top.
3.  Add as much of the shredded cabbage, minced onions and olives as you want.  Add the sour cream in a line over top of all of the ingredients.  Add the sriracha on top of the sour cream.  Close tortilla and eat.  Super tasty!

Enjoy!

-Koko

Tofurky, Daiya, Tomato Pinwheels

Hey guys.  Things have been so crazy with me lately, and I have had absolutely no time to even think about blog posts, let alone actually make any!  I am thinking I will likely not be able to focus on the Gluten Free Wednesdays as much as I have in the past, and will likely post them once or twice a month from now on.  On the good news end, I recently found out that I am going back home to Michigan with the Hubby in about three weeks to visit the family.  (I haven't seen them in a year, and Hubby hasn't seen them in two years!!)  While we are there, my mum is intending to host a super belated wedding reception (we were married in NY), and in order to be able to take off those 7 days, I will have to do all of those days' work in advance to actually leaving.  It is damn hard to leave the city!  

Anyway, onto food...  This past weekend, Hubbs and I had Sunday off together.  We had lots of plans, but the weather interfered by raining allll day, so we ultimately decided to spend a lazy day at home.  When we were hungry for lunch, I didn't want to get out of the lazy mood, so I thought about something easy I could make and remembered these from back in the day.  They are so delicious and it has been forever since I have eaten these in their original form.  Now, the ingredients definitely seem a bit strange, but believe me, you will be happily surprised by the flavor combination.  I was working in a deli back home in Michigan, slicing meats cheeses, making party trays, sandwiches and salads when I was in my teens and this was by far one of the most popular, and expensive (for Michigan standards- in NY it would be ridiculously cheap!) sandwiches we sold.  I was vegetarian even then, so I would make the sandwich without the turkey, and loved it! 

I haven't thought about it in years though.  I was shopping at Trader Joe's a couple days ago, randomly browsing the bread section, not really sure what I wanted, when I discovered the lavash flat bread.  I hadn't seen it in years, since I made the sandwich in Michigan, and grabbed it without thinking.  I smiled and thought back on the good old days, deciding then and there that I would make the sandwich as soon as I got home.  That didn't exactly happen, though I made it several days later.  Seriously so good, but surprisingly filling - I couldn't eat a whole roll, and  gave the rest, plus a whole roll to the Hubby.  When I first put it in front of him, telling him I had a new sandwich for him to try, he looked at it a bit strangely, but loved it and even asked for more!  Can't wait to make it again soon!

Pinwheel Sandwich:



Tasty, Tangy Goodness!

Serves 2

1 lavash bread slice

3 tablespoons tofutti vegan cream cheese, softened

4-6 slices tofurky (any flavor)

4 slices daiya cheese (or shreds if you do not have slices)

1 large roma tomato, sliced thinly

2 tablespoons prepared Italian dressing

1.  Carefully spread cream cheese oven surface of lavash bread, all the way to the end. 

2.  Place tofurky slices on top of cream cheese, spreading out as much as possible.

3.  Layer slices of daiya over top of tofurky.

4.  Place tomato slices over top of daiya and generously drizzle with the Italian dressing. 

5.  Working from the bottom, roll up the sandwich as tightly as possible, until you reach the top. Press the top firmly to the rest of the pinwheel, ensuring it will stick. 

6.  Using a sharp serrated knife, slice the rolled sandwich into desired size circles.  Eat!  Seriously Good!

Enjoy!

-K

Gluten Free Wednesday: "Chicken" Sandwich on Homemade Focaccia

Happy Gluten Free Wednesday!

There is this amazing little place on 23rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenues right by the F/M train at 23rd Street Subway Station, called Terri.  Strange name I will definitely admit, and it really doesn't conjure up any images of what the place could be, but it is great, believe me.  It is a quick little convenience/sandwich/salad shop that is entirely vegan and very gluten free friendly.  And they make good sandwiches.  Seriously.  I have had several of them, but really try not to, especially lately, because they can be pretty expensive - $8 just for the sandwich, no salad or drink.  If you want either of those, it will run upwards of $16.  Anyway, they make this sandwich called Chicken Bacon Ranch on Focaccia.  The first time I had it, I fell in love.  Seriously.  But as I said, it can get a little expensive, so I wanted to mimic it.  Then I had a great idea to adapt it and make it gluten free so L could have it.  Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I could not follow through and make it a true "Chicken Bacon Ranch", so it because just a "Chicken" Sandwich, but it was still damn damn damn good.  Next time though, I will definitely fry up some tempeh bacon, melt some Daiya, and add Ranch Dressing.  And I will also toast the focaccia.  Once I started eating the sandwich, I realized something was different about it, but couldn't figure it out.  By the time I had almost finished it, I realized that I forgot to toast/grill the sandwich!  Oh well, just an excuse to make this again!  Just be aware that the focaccia is seriously only good for one day - after one day, even unrefrigerated, the dough becomes really tough and dry.  So grab a couple of your friends and be sure to eat it all in one day!

Chicken Sandwich on Homemade Focaccia:



Yields 6 Sandwiches

Sandwich Components:

Homemade Vegan Mayo or Veganaise

1 tomato, sliced

1/2 red onion, sliced into strips

Lettuce Leaves

6 GF Pepper Steak Patties, lightly fried

Focaccia:

1 cup sorghum flour

1 cup potato starch

1/2 cup millet flour

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
pinch black pepper

1 1/3 cup warm water
1 tablespoon yeast
pinch raw sugar

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for drizzling over top
2 tablespoons flax eggs
1 tablespoon agave
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast, warm water and pinch of raw sugar.  Stir together and allow to sit for 5-10 minutes, or until nicely bubbly. 

3.  To the bowl of the mixer, add the olive oil, flax eggs, agave and cider vinegar.  Stir together until all the wet ingredients are well combined. 

4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and whisk together until completely combined.  Carefully pour the dry ingredients into the mixed wet ingredients in the bowl.  Using the paddle attachment, mix ingredients together until a thick batter forms.  Keep in mind that gluten free doughs do not look or act at all like wheat doughs, so do not be alarmed when you see that it looks like a thick pancake batter. 

5.  Generously oil a 9" or 10" square baking pan.  8" is too small and will make extremely thick focaccia, not suitable for sandwiches.  Place all of the dough into the pan and smooth out with a rubber spatula.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and chopped fresh rosemary. Place in a warm place and allow to sit there for 30 minutes, or until is has risen to about double the size.

6. Drizzle with a small amount more of the olive oil and bake for 20 minutes or until the edges are golden and the top is firm. 
7.  Allow the dough to cool for several minutes before removing from the pan.  The dough has to be almost completely cooled before slicing. 
8.  Get all the rest of the components of the sandwich ready. 
9. Assemble as follows:



The Dough in the Pan, Drizzled with Oil, Sprinkled with
Sea Salt & Rosemary




The Dough After Having Risen for 45 Minutes.




The Focaccia, After Baking for 20 Minutes.




After Focaccia Cools, Cut into Sandwich-Sized Squares




Cut Each Piece in Half to Make 2 Slices




Slather Both of the Slices with Vegan Mayo.




Add the Fried Pepper Steak Patty.




Top with Delicious Ripe Tomatoe Slices




Top with Red Onion Slices (As Much or Little as You Like!)




The Sandwich all Put Together (I added lettuce)

Enjoy!

-K

BLT Wrap

When I made that homemade tempeh bacon earlier in the week, I had no idea it would make so much or that it would take me so long to eat it. When it's just a regular package of tempeh, it can get eaten up pretty quickly in my household.  Once it becomes bacon though, it seems a little inappropriate to eat so much of it.  It's nicely salty, smoky and a touch sweet and I am sure it would go so well with so many things: twice baked potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, sauteed with some collards, etc., etc., etc. 

After having eaten BLT's for breakfast for literally three days in a row, I didn't really want to eat tempeh bacon anymore, but every time I opened my fridge, there it was staring a me.  As soon as I cooked it though, I couldn't get enough of it, and I find that the 3 grain tempeh has such an awesome texture, much preferred over the regular tempeh.  I again just used what I had on hand and decided to make a BLT wrap and it was amazing.  Of course I overstuffed the wraps with tomatoes and lettuce and ended up with a little bit of a saucy lap, but it was so worth it!  Whoever came up with this combination was seriously a genius! 

BLT Wrap:

Serves 2



There is Nothing Better Than a BLT!
Except a Wrap, b/c Now I Can Take it With Me!



2 whole wheat or multigrain wraps
4 green or red lettuce leaves
4 whole pieces Tempeh Bacon, cut in half to create 8-1/2 pieces
2 tablespoons veganaise
1 small tomato, thinly sliced
2 slices red onion, separated into rings
Sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste

1.  Heat the tortilla on the stove (or if you have a micro, you can heat it there for a few seconds) just until it's pliable.
2.  Spread the veganaise evenly over the surface.  Place the lettuce leaves in the center.  Add the tomato and sprinkle with sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.  Place the cooked tempeh bacon over the lettuce and place the onion over top.  Roll the wrap: Fold the bottom towards the center, followed by the two sides, carefully rolling the bottom towards the top while continuing to fold in the sides until you reach the back.  Tuck the other end underneath.
3.  Slice the wrap in half on the diagonal and serve with a salad or some baked tortilla chips.  Yum!

Enjoy!

-K

Pot Pie Wrap

It seems like ages and ages ago that I worked at this awesome cafe called 'sNice in Park Slope, Brooklyn.  It was for such a short period, about three weeks, but was a very memorable experience for me.  The people in the kitchen and bakery are really great and everyday they were generous enough to treat me to a sandwich/wrap from the menu.  I was able to try so many things and have dreamt about them since I left.  The one item that stuck in my mind  - and the Hubby's evidently, because when I made it for dinner last night he told me how excited he was and how good it was when I brought half of it for him to try so long ago- was the seasonal Pot Pie Wrap.

This was so long ago and I don't remember everything that was in it; no one else online seems to be making anything like this, at least not a vegan version, because I definitely searched.  I do remember the one thing the bakery prepared for the kitchen was the pie crust - yes, pie crust INSIDE the wrap - it's like an inside-out pot pie!  We would literally make sheet trays of pie crust, bake it, then cut it into little squares, which would then make their way into the delicious wrap.  I'm not sure what 'sNice had in their wrap, but this is my version of their pot pie wrap:

Pot Pie Wrap:

Yields: 6 Wraps

Ridiculously Easy Gravy:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1 1/2 tablespoons Better Than Boullion, No Chicken Base
3 cups filtered water
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Heat everything in a medium pot until nice and thickened, whisking frequently.

Filling:
4 small potatoes, scrubbed and diced, boiled
1 cup frozen peas, cooked according to package instructions
1 1/2 cups seitan, pan fried
1 cup cooked pie crust, broken into pieces
Gravy as needed
6 Wraps

1.  In a medium bowl, place the potatoes, peas, seitan and pie crust.  Add enough gravy so that everything sticks together, being careful not to add too much or it will pour out when you take a bite.
2.  Heat wraps in a dry saute pan over medium heat on both sides until wrap is pliable. 
3.  Place 1/3-1/2 cup of filling in front center of wrap.  Fold towards center, with sides also folded in.  Continue folding wrap until a tight cigar-like bundle has been created.  At this point you can either cut the sandwich in half on the diagonal or eat it whole.  It is also delicious dipped in a small side of the deliciously easy gravy.  Yum!

Enjoy!

-K

Thanksgiving Leftovers

After Thanksgiving, the Hubby and I have found ourselves with so many leftovers, and having eaten the same food for two days straight, I decided that I had to get creative or we'd never use any of the food before it goes bad.  After browsing and brainstorming, I decided on two items to recreate: some leftover tempeh and our sweet potato casserole. 

The hubby is not vegan or even vegetarian, so he made a turkey for himself, and needless to say, there is a TON left!  So, I had to figure out something that I could easily make for both of us.  He decided he wanted a turkey salad sandwich, so that meant I had to make a tempeh salad sandwich for myself.  Sounds boring, right?  Not necessarily- lately I've been obsessed with smokey flavor and have on hand at all times smoked paprika, smoked salt (yes you read that right!), liquid smoke and chipotle pepper powder.  So, smoky tempeh salad here I come!  The Hubby wanted chipotle sauce on the side, which I thought was a great idea - bring on the spicy, smoky flavor!  As for the sweet potato casserole, I thought I would turn something sweet into something savory and make croquettes.  The casserole was topped with chopped pecans, earth balance and raw sugar, which I removed and proceeded.  The two recipes I came up with are below.


Smoky Tempeh Salad:

(Serves 4-6)
Marinade:
8 oz. tempeh (I used wild rice) cut into 16 cubes
2 cups water
1/2 cup apple juice
1/4 cup tamari
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2" ginger, peeled and sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Salad:
Marinated tempeh
1 rib celery, chopped
1/4 small onion, chopped
2 scallions, green part only, chopped
1 teaspoon black pepper and sea salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
pinch cayenne pepper
5 tablespoons veganaise

1.  To marinate tempeh, place all ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil.  Boil for 15 minutes or until well flavored.  Remove tempeh from liquid and set aside to cool while preparing the remaining ingredients for the salad.
2.  In a small mixing bowl, place the chopped celery, onion and scallions, the black pepper, sea salt, paprika, liquid smoke, cayenne and veganaise.  Stir together until well mixed.  Once tempeh is cool enough to handle, chop into bite-sized pieces.  Stir into the spiced mixture and season to taste.  Smoky deliciousness!  Serve in a wrap with shredded lettuce and tomato or on top of mixed greens with sliced tomato and shredded carrots.
3.  The chipotle sauce was just 1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing mixed with 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder, stirred until dissolved  - this is very spicy!


Sweet Potato Croquettes:

1 1/2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 jalapeno, minced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 scallions, green part only, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
2 tablespoons cornmeal
black pepper and sea salt to taste
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In a medium non-stick pan, heat the tablespoon olive oil and add the onion, jalapeno, scallions and garlic.  Saute till fragrant and onion begins to brown.
3.  Place in a medium bowl, along with the pureed sweet potato.  Add the flour, cornmeal, salt and pepper and season to taste.
4.  Place the panko breadcrumbs on a plate and portion the croquettes.  Using a 1/4 cup measure or a portion scoop, scoop the sweet potato mixture directly into the breadcrumbs.  Flatten into discs.          5.  Meanwhile, place the two tablespoons canola oil into a non-stick pan and heat over medium-high heat.  Once heated, carefully place the sweet potato discs into the hot oil, making sure the discs do not break - they are very fragile.  Lightly brown on both sides.
6.  Once all the croquettes are browned on both sides, place on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake for about 15 minutes (this step is necessary to cook the flour and cornmeal in the middle and help firm up the croquettes).

These are delicious served with vegan sour cream to counteract the sweetness of the potatoes.  I do not recommend using the tofutti brand - it is much better to make your own.  I will type up a recipe for my sour cream, but that will have to wait for another day.   

Enjoy!

-K