Hidden veggies give these beauties some delicious flavor! They are wonderful as a sidekick to any meal or as a filler for yummy sandwiches with your favorite toppings. If you have a veggie hater at home this is a great way to sneak some goodness into them! And what I love the most is that there two ways of preparing these Tasties, as you will see on the recipe. The second way makes them moist and saucy and you can add them to pasta, serve them on a bed of rice, and in many other ways. Enjoy!
These are the original Tasties:
2 Tbsp. minced red onion or 1 tsp. onion powder
1 cup cracked wheat, cooked following package instructions till soft
1 cup old fashioned or steel cut oats
1 large carrot, sliced
1 cup sliced celery
1/8 cup sweet red pepper, in strips
1/8 cup sweet green pepper, in strips
1 medium tomato, cut in chunks
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flower
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 sunflower seeds
3 tbsp. sweet paprika powder
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning
Optional: 1 tsp. vegan chicken-style seasoning
1 tsp. olive oil + more for cooking
Salt to taste
Water
In a food processor or blender, put the veggies with enough water to process and make a smooth paste. Scrape into a bowl. Add all the dried ingredients and the oil, adding bits of water until you have a good dough that is neither excessively firm nor runny. Adjust the salt as you go if necessary. Once you get your dough, heat a skillet that has been barely painted with olive oil and cook them on both sides till golden brown.
You can stop there and use them for sandwiches, you can have them as is, to accompany anything from mashed potatoes to baked yams. But if you want them to be juicy and saucy so that you can toss them with pasta, top rice with them, wrap them in tortillas, etc., you simply get a couple of cups of your favorite pasta sauce, heat it in a skillet or small pot, cut the Tasties into strips or pieces and drop them into the sauce until they are heated though and have absorbed the moisture of the sauce.
Trust me, you'll love them!