Recipes

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or not; it helps with cleanup, but isn’t necessary to prevent sticking).
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
3. Combine the vanilla with 1 1/3 cups cream. Drizzle the liquid mixture over the dry ingredients, tossing and stirring gently all the while. Add enough cream to make a cohesive dough, using up to 3 additional tablespoons if necessary. There shouldn’t be any dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, but the dough shouldn’t be particularly sticky, either.
4. Lightly flour a clean work surface. Divide the dough in half, and gently pat each half into a 5 1/2" circle about 3/4" thick.
5. Brush each circle with heavy cream, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar.
6. Place the two circles of dough on the baking sheet, and cut each into 6 wedges. Pull the wedges apart a bit, leaving them in a circular pattern with about 1" space between each wedge.
7. For best rising, place the pan of scones into the freezer for 15 minutes, while you preheat your oven to 425°F.
8. Bake the chilled scones for 14 to 15 minutes, until they’re starting to brown, and they’re baked all the way through, without any wet dough in the center.
9. Remove the scones from the oven. Serve warm, split and spread with a bit of sweet butter and jam or preserves.

Store cooled scones airtight at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage. To refresh, microwave individual scones very briefly; or place scones on a baking sheet, tent with aluminum foil, and reheat in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through.

1. If using green lentils: To a small saucepan, add liquid (I used 1 cup water, 1 cup vegetable broth for added flavor // amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and rinsed green lentils and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for about 18-22 minutes, or until tender. The water should have a constant simmer (not boil). Drain off any excess liquid and set aside.
2. If using red lentils: To a small saucepan, add liquid (water and/or vegetable broth) and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add rinsed red lentils and bring back to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 7-10 minutes, or until just tender. You want them to be cooked through but not mushy. Drain well and set aside.
3. In the meantime, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add oil, onion, garlic, and bell pepper. Season with a pinch each salt and pepper and stir to combine.
4. Sautè for 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until the peppers and onions are tender and slightly browned.
5. Next add tomato sauce, coconut sugar, vegan worcestershire sauce, chili powder, cumin, and paprika (optional). Stir to combine.
6. Once the lentils are cooked, add them to the skillet as well, and stir to combine.
7. Continue cooking the mixture over medium-low heat until completely warmed through and thick, stirring occasionally – about 5-10 minutes.
8. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more chili powder and/or cumin for smokiness, salt for saltiness, coconut sugar for sweetness, or worcestershire for depth of flavor.
9. Serve the mixture on toasted buns with sliced onion.

Best when fresh, though leftover sloppy joe mixture will keep in the refrigerator up to 4-5 days, or in the freezer for 1 month. Reheat in the microwave, or on the stovetop, adding water or vegetable broth if the mixture has dried out.