Lentil Sloppy Joes (Vegan)

Full disclaimer: I am not a sleep specialist (in fact, I’m about as far away from a sleep specialist as one can be), but I venture to claim there are three main types of exhaustion: the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes // www.WithTheGrains.com

The ugly is the deep, bone-numbing exhaustion of sadness, when sleep is a necessity and an escape from reality. Being awake means facing the puffy eyes of sorrow and the horrible waves of realization that the nightmare is real. Bad exhaustion is the run-of-the-mill result of irresponsible bedtime habits, the consequences of a night too thoroughly enjoyed, or giving too much of yourself for someone else’s cause, i.e.: “yeah, I’m going to need you to come in this weekend.”

Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes // www.WithTheGrains.com

The good type of exhaustion comes from giving of yourself in a fulfilling way- giving life to an idea that had lodged in the brain long past checkout hours, volunteering for a good cause, making art, etc. Lately, I’ve been exhausted in the good way. I have given my all to projects of the heart while juggling the bill-paying sorts of projects, and I feel proud of that (albeit slightly guilty for neglecting this here blog a tad). 

Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes // www.WithTheGrains.com

To extend this classification game even further, I argue the same categories describe vegan food. The ugly- I’m looking at you tofurkey! The bad- the general array of over processed products masquerading as processed meats- why fake bologna, why? Seitan plus liquid smoke in NO way equals bacon! NO THANK YOU! The good? Legume and vegetable heavy dishes that leave you in a similar state of disbelief as when you discovered some standard looking white person was Canadian. They fool us every time!

Vegan Lentil Sloppy Joes // www.WithTheGrains.com

These sloppy joes are the good kind of vegan. They’re healthier than the originals yet still fill you with all the comforts of childhood. After all, slap enough ketchup on something, and it’s sure to rekindle some element of childhood, right? (I’m fairly certain Heinz invented sloppy joes. They’re really just ketchup carriers.) Even though they pack a meaty taste, they don’t feel like imposters in the way fake bacon does, so dig in meat eaters and vegans alike. Then, get some sleep!

Quelcy Signature


Lentil Sloppy Joes (Vegan)
Adapted from truRoots

About This Recipe: Lentils pack enough meaty flavor to make these sloppy joes taste like the real thing. Be sure to use an organic ketchup to avoid corn syrup and excess sugar. This is a good way to use some of those last peppers from the garden.

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Egg Salad Sandwiches for a Picnic at a Vintage Car Show

Egg Salad Sandwiches for a Picnic at a Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

In addition to the many hats he wears- farmer, beekeeper, graphic designer, photographer, environmentalistthe Urban Farmer also wears a kilt from time to time. Marching and playing the bass drum in the Balmoral Pipe & Drum band is one of the very few activities that motivates my soil-loving fella to wear shoes. These kilt & shoe gigs have made for many a unique weekend adventure to cathedrals, parades, historical festivals, a “Tartan Day” and most recently to the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix.

Egg Salad Sandwiches for a Picnic at a Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

The Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix is an annual car show and races right through the winding roads of Schenley Park, one of the city’s valuable green assets. In architecture school, we learned to use perspective and contour lines to translate our drawing professor’s slides (slides!) of Grand Prix automobiles to paper. Aside from the many sketches and hearing the yearly rumble of cars in race mode, I never really explored this massive gathering of car enthusiasts. However, bagpipe performances, vintage cars, and a sunny day in Schenley Park all called for a picnic, so I packed a farm-influenced egg salad, and to the car show I went!

Egg Salad Sandwiches for a Picnic at a Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Strolling through but a small section of the Grand Prix, I gained a new appreciation for these car enthusiasts. I once discounted this annual event as a pompous waste of resources and a flashy display of expensive collections. While I still see elements of excess (i.e.: semi trucks, with more amenities than my apartment, for carting car collections?), I also came to see the celebration of design, quality, old values and the idea of building something to last.

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

I had to quell the judgmental idealist inside me, acknowledge the charitable underpinnings of the event and simply indulge the side of me who believes in nostalgia, tradition and bringing people together. I also indulged the side of me who really just wants to cruise around town in a vintage, red beamer. After all, I am the owner of this beauty, who awaits some much needed love and care this winter (i.e.: when the Urban Farmer puts on his “mechanic” hat).

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

I hadn’t the slightest understanding of the racing rules or categories, but the people and car watching enthralled me. Plus, I may have discovered my spirit animal in this real-life Luigi. Consider this a glimpse of my future, white overalls and all!

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

The engine of this forest green car (above) might be impeccable. It might trace its roots to a pastural English village. I have no idea. I was simply blown away by the leather detail on the spare tire!

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

Vintage Car Show // www.WithTheGrains.com

I went for the bagpipes, the sunshine and the park picnic, but as it turns out, I’m really a sucker for a red, vintage set of wheels. Whether you’re browsing beamers, a flea market, or simply a park on a sunny day, try this egg salad for your next picnic. You’ll revel in some sandwich nostalgia made healthier and more vibrant by farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Single-Grain

Bon Voyage!
-Quelcy

Farm Fresh Egg Salad Sandwiches

About this Recipe: Greek yogurt, dijon and local eggs come together with accents of local celery and sweet peppers. You don’t need to measure anything. Just trust your tastebuds and your eyes to achieve the right flavor, color and texture. Using local celery makes a big difference in flavor, and be sure to include the greens. Pick a flavorful mix of greens for the sandwich such as mustard greens, which add a pleasantly bitter accent, much like a hint of wasabi. For a little sweetness, add a slathering of organic relish to the bread.

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Open-Faced Bánh Mì Sandwich with Avocado Oil Mayonnaise

If life imitates art, some of my life is starting to imitate Groundhog Day. I sit at the same table, at the same coffeeshop, writing, editing photos, trying not to hunch my neck and shoulders into Quasimodo-esque subluxations, while listening to the baristas’ same rotation of old country classics and modern grunge. Sometimes, routines can be comforting. Sometimes, routines can be lazy. Sometimes, routines can be spicy, pickled and delicious!

Bánh Mi Toast with Avocado Oil Mayonnaise // www.WithTheGrains.com

I could eat a variation of a bánh mì sandwich every day, and with the quantity of vegetables the Urban Farmer is poised to harvest and pickle, we very well may be eating bánh mì sandwiches every day!

Bánh Mì Toast with Avocado Oil Mayonnaise // www.WithTheGrains.com

A bánh mì is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich, an edible relic of French influences on bold Vietnamese flavors. As much as I may follow certain routines and respect history, I’m also one to break rules and toy with traditions. To change up my original interpretation, I replaced the very namesake bread with a hearty olive slice, added jalapeños to the pickle mix and experimented with an avocado oil mayonnaise.

Bánh Mì Toast with Avocado Oil Mayonnaise // www.WithTheGrains.com

If you’re feeling a little routine, or need a change of pace, spice up your life a bit, and take a gamble on this jalapeño-laced sandwich. If all else fails, go do something wild to your hair!

Single-Grain

Change it up!
-Quelcy

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