The Happy Gluten Free Vegan

November puts us in a festive mood, and few foods are more synonymous with autumnal feasting than sweet potatoes. Often, when Thanksgiving rolls around, we just put a few sweet potatoes in the oven, roast them, and devour them as a side dish. Though sweet potatoes are undeniably delicious on their own, they can be combined with other ingredients to make an even tastier meal. This recipe combines sweet potatoes with millet, ground oatmeal, and black beans to make a scrumptious patty that can be devoured as a burger or used as a main course with a salad and/or a side dish of vegetables. We love this hearty entree, and feel confident you will, as well.

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (fresh, not canned!)
1/3 cup uncooked millet
1 cup oats (make sure they’re gluten-free)
1 can black beans (rinse and drain), or 2 cups boiled
½ red onion, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1 teaspoon chipotle powder
½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS
Slice sweet potatoes lengthwise and place on cookie sheet or roasting pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes until pulp is soft. Remove from oven and scoop pulp away from skin. Mash sweet potatoes in medium-sized bowl. Discard or compost the skin.

Meanwhile, boil 1 cup water in medium saucepan. Add millet, turn down heat, and simmer for about 25 minutes. Millet will soften yet retain a slight crunchiness. Drain excess water and pour millet into large mixing bowl. Add mashed sweet potatoes, black beans, chopped onion, chopped cilantro, salt and spices. Mix should be moist but not runny.

Grind oatmeal in blender until it is slightly coarser than flour. This should take no more than a minute. Add oatmeal to your mixture and stir with large spoon until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Now your concoction will be drier, but it should still be moist enough to form into patties. Make sure they’re smooth and not too thick. Fry patties on stovetop in oil (olive is best) until lightly browned on both sides.

Serve as a sandwich on gluten-free bun with lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion, hot mustard, ketchup, etc. You can also enjoy your patty as a main course. They are dense and filling! Serves 6-8 hungry people, so invite all your friends for dinner. If you have leftovers, they keep well in the refrigerator and can be re-heated the next day. Happy autumn!

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The chilly autumnal temperatures may have you longing for a warmer climate. However, if you lack the time and/or money for an impromptu tropical vacation, this zesty dish is the next best thing. It’s exotic, inexpensive, and incredibly easy to prepare. Our sweet-and-sour recipe calls for diced tempeh, rather than meat. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and filling! Tempeh is packed with protein, calcium, and vitamins and has a subtly nutty flavor that will please your taste buds. The addition of coconut oil enhances the tropical flair. Here’s how to get the feel of the islands without leaving your kitchen:

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons tamari (not commercial soy sauce, which contains wheat)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup rice vinegar
¼ cup ketchup (get a good organic variety, and check label to make sure there’s no soy sauce)
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
½ cup water
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 8-ounce packages of tempeh
1 large green, red, or yellow pepper
2 cups fresh pineapple chunks (not canned!)
5 cloves fresh garlic
½ red onion
Cooked basmati or jasmine rice

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine tamari, cornstarch, rice vinegar, ketchup, turbinado sugar, and water in large bowl and stir briskly until thoroughly combined. If you like your dish sweet, add a little extra sugar. If you like it sour, add some extra rice vinegar. Set mixture aside.

Slice tempeh into thin strips, then quarter each one. Cut onion into thick strips and dice pepper and pineapple into chunks. Chop garlic cloves into small pieces. Place tempeh, onion, pepper, pineapple and garlic into large frying pan and fry in coconut oil on medium heat for 5-7 minutes. Tempeh and vegetables should be slightly browned, but not burned. Add more coconut oil to pan if necessary.

Pour liquid mixture into the pan and combine with the other ingredients. Sautee for another 3-5 minutes, stirring thoroughly. Be careful not to overcook. Al dente is better than mushy. Your kitchen will be awash with the sweet aroma of the coconut oil. When tempeh, vegetables and pineapple are done, remove pan from stovetop. Serve your fragrant mixture over heated jasmine or basmati rice. Some gluten-free wine or beer goes great as an accompaniment.

This incredible dish serves 4-6 people, depending upon everyone’s appetites. It’s a crowd favorite. Your friends and family will clamor for more. If you have leftovers, they keep well in the refrigerator and can be served either cold or reheated. Enjoy!

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Fall is a nostalgic time, when we long for familiar comfort food. Nothing is more filling and heartier than meatloaf. However, if you’re following a vegan, gluten-free diet, like we are, you’ll want to forgo meat in favor of this savory lentil loaf. It’s moist, satisfying, and, frankly, much tastier than the carnivorous version. Try it, we think you’ll agree.

INGREDIENTS
1 ½ cups brown lentils, washed
3 ½ cups water (or vegetable broth)
2 small onions (try red for an additional kick)
2-4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sea salt (NOT the iodized version)
½ teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
2 cups cooked short-grain, brown rice
¼ cup ketchup or barbeque sauce (check labels to make sure there is no soy sauce, which contains wheat)
¾ teaspoon Italian seasoning (try fresh oregano and basil)
Additional ¼ cup ketchup or barbeque sauce

INSTRUCTIONS
Boil lentils in water or vegetable broth for half hour until they are soft enough to mash with a fork. Drain them and pour into large mixing bowl. Meanwhile, fry onions and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes, until they are lightly browned. Your kitchen will smell wonderful, and you’re just getting started!

Mash lentils thoroughly with fork or spatula, then pour the onion/garlic mixture into the bowl with them. Add the spices, rice, ¼ cup ketchup or barbeque sauce, and the additional olive oil, and stir until ingredients become a savory mash. Grease a large baking pan with more olive oil and spread mixture inside. Spoon a layer of ketchup or barbeque sauce across the top of the lentil loaf, making sure it is distributed evenly.

Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. Every 20 minutes, briefly remove pan from oven, and spoon or baste an additional thin layer of ketchup or barbeque sauce across the top of the loaf. Serve with your favorite steamed vegetables, a salad, and/or a loaf of gluten-free bread. This amazing dish serves at least 6 people, unless everyone is very hungry. Once you start eating it, you’ll find it quite hard to stop.

The loaf keeps well in the refrigerator and makes a nice lunch or reheated snack at home or in the office. It stays moist and fresh for several days. You’ll be glad you took the time to prepare this amazingly inexpensive, delicious meal. Welcome to autumn!

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