Tonight's Dinner

Tonight I made the following dinner.

Grits with gravy, Kale+Onions+Mushrooms, BBQ Tempeh

Italian Vegetable Salad

The Grits: These are white grits, and because finding good grits in New England is like finding the Abominable Snowman in the Sahara, they are Trader Joes variety, the best I can find here. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil, add 1TBSP of Earth Balance Organic, 1/4 TSP Salt, 1/2 cup of Grits, reduce to warm, cover tightly, let cook for 8-10 minutes, stir, turn off heat, leave uncovered for 5 minutes.

The Gravy: I can and do make gravy from time to time, but I don't always have the time or money to do it from the start, so I use Vegan-friendly instant gravy from either Whole Foods or Shaws. Tonight I used, Hain Pure Foods Vegetarian Brown Gravy. I add 1/8 cup of Nutritional Yeast and 2 TBSP of Braggs, once the mixture comes to a boil

Tempeh: No, I didn't make my own Tempeh, someday I will. The Tempeh here came from Trader Joes, it's their basic Tempeh, and I find it bakes up better than other brands.

BBQ Sauce: Again, I feel like the laziest Vegan in the world tonight, I promise to do better in the future. This is Jack Daniel's Master Blend BBQ sauce. I cut the Temp[eh into 14 pieces, sprayed a baking pan, placed the Tempeh on the pan then in the Toaster Oven, broiled each side for 6 minutes, then, after both sides were broiled, I painted (used a paint brush) to put BBQ sauce on them, broiled for another 5 minutes on each side.

Kale+Onions+Mushrooms: In a large skillet I placed 2TBSP of Olive Oil, heated up the oil on medium heat, then added 1 large thinly-sliced Vidalia Onion, added 1/2TSP of Turmeric Powder, 2 crushed cloves of Garlic, sautéed for 5 minutes, added 8 ounces of Baby Portobello Mushrooms (each one mushroom cut into fours), sauté for 5 minutes, add 6 cups of chopped Red Kale (I like to do 1-inch ribbons), mix in the pan (I use large metal tongs) for 3-5 minutes, lower heat to simmer, add 1/8 cup of Nutritional Yeast, a pinch of Black Pepper, 1/8 Cup of Braggs, let the liquid cook out for the next 5 minutes.

Italian Vegetable Salad: This one is too simple. 1 English Cucumber cut in half (length-wise), remove the seeds, then cut in slices, thinly slice 2 tomatoes (I use organic Vine-Ripened), add in 1 large jar of Pastene-brand Giardiniera Pickled Vegetables, drain the liquid, add a pinch of Black Pepper, mix well.