Healthy Vegan Sloppy Joe Recipe

I'm a sucker for comfort foods, and one of those meals used to be Sloppy Joes made from a can of Manwhich with some ground beef. Since I no longer eat animal products, I challenged my husband to create a vegan version. He's tested this recipe several times, and I am in love with this. I hope you enjoy it, too!


Ingredients
1 medium onion, chopped
3-5 garlic cloves, chopped
24 oz. can tomato sauce
14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, chili style
2 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. oregano
2 Tbsp. ketchup
1 Tbsp. mustard
1 Tbsp. vinegar
2 cups TVP (textured vegetable protein)
2 cups boiling water

Instructions for Sauce
1. Place the tomatoes and oregano in a food processor and pulse about ten times or until you reach the desired consistency.
2. In a large pot lined with a thin layer of water, saute the onion and garlic.
3. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of water if necessary and add cumin, chili powder, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, and vinegar.
4. Bring to boil and slowly simmer for 10-15 minutes.
5. Slowly add 2 cups boiling water to TVP in a separate bowl until all water is absorbed by the TVP.
6. Add TVP into the sauce mix and heat for 10-15 more minutes.
7. Add sloppy joe mixture to a whole wheat bun with a slice of vegan cheese, mashed avocado, and red onion for garnish (all optional).