Sloppy Joes were always a favorite of mine in my "pre-plant-based" days. Here is a simple plant-based version that uses lentils in place of the meat and the complete protein quinoa or whole grain bread instead of the typical pasty, white bun. It's very kid-friendly too!
Sloppy Joes
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup water
1 can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
4 ounces tomato paste
1/2 tsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (if you can’t find it just just use regular Worcestershire since it's only a small amount)
1/2 tsp ketchup
1 cup cooked quinoa (available cooked in most frozen food sections) (can also use whole grain buns or bread)
Saute the onion in 1/4 cup of the water until soft and translucent (about 3 minutes), adding more water as necessary to prevent sticking. Add the lentils and 2 more TBS water and cook five minutes until heated through. Stir in the tomato paste, 2 more TBS water and stir and cook to make a thick sauce. Add the worcestershire and ketchup. Place 1/2 of this mixture over 1/2 cup quinoa or on a bun/bread. Makes 2 servings.