Vegetarian Jambalaya

It is a rainy day here in Memphis so of course I am longing for my big warm bed and a huge bowl of yummy goodness.  The first meal that came to mind when I walked out of the door at 5 o'clock was vegetarian jambalaya. Jambalaya is one of my favorite comfort food dishes and in my opinion is perfect for a rainy day. When I first became a vegetarian I was restricted (mentally speaking) to the typical dishes. Salads, veggie burgers, vegetable stir fry, etc. It wasn't until I started experimenting with different recipes did I realize how many options vegetarians do have!

Vegetarian jambalaya is just one of the many recipes that you can simply substitute the meat for a meatless product. In my jambalaya I like to use Lightlife brand sausage. This "sausage" has a great consistency and a really good flavor too. Overall, this is quick and rather filling dinner idea. Check out the recipe below!

Vegetarian Jambalaya

 Ingredients

2 Lightlife Sausages
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 cup baby kale
15 oz can black beans
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups water
28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 cup white rice (I use minute rice)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions

1. Heat a pan to medium with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Chop the "sausage" and cook them until they are browned. Put them in a separate bowl off to the side. We will add it to the jambalaya later. 
2. Using the same pan you cooked the "sausage" in saute the onions, peppers and garlic with another tablespoon of olive oil for about 5 minutes. 
3. Crush/Blend the tomatoes until they are smooth. Add them to the pan with water, rice, kale and seasonings. Mix everything together. 
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. 
5. Let it simmer for 20 minutes. 
6. Add the beans and "sausage" and cook uncovered for an additional 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

Huey's

When I wanted to start this blog I really had no idea where to begin. Of course I wanted to impress you guys with an awesome and intriguing post so to be honest, I have been putting it off. 

Today is the day though; the sun is out its a warm 85 degrees and Jake and I went to one of my favorite places in Memphis, Huey's! For those of you that aren't Memphians, Huey's is a local favorite, made famous by its burgers and toothpicks (yes, I said toothpicks).

At first glance you might think this is your usual  restaurant with various burgers, sandwiches, and plates. However, a quick overview of the menu and you will notice that the "Huey's Prescriptions" contain quite a few options for the odd ball vegetarians here in the dirty meat filled South.

For appetizers, they have spinach and artichoke dip, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, fried mushrooms, and my all-time favorite, fried pickles. Fried pickles really are a must have here. 

I would go into how perfectly crisp yet juicy these fried pickles are but I will hold my tongue and simply let you salivate at the picture. 

 That's right, take it all in. 

 
Ok, moving on! Huey's also has some of the best burgers for vegetarians. Yes, that is plural.

All of the burgers on the menu can be served with either a black bean patty or a veggie burger patty. I love that I can enjoy a burger without being limited to a usual garden burger hosting the usual toppings. At Huey's your veggie burger might come on a texas toast with pepper jack cheese, onions and jalapenos or it might be served on a sesame seed bun with Blue cheese crumbles, Heinz 57, and onion straws.

My favorite is the West Coast Burger with a black bean patty. It contains pepper jack cheese, guacamole, red onion, mayo, lettuce and tomato, this burger is to die for. Regardless of what you choose, it is bound to be delicious!

Along with the burgers and appetizers there is always the safe route of going with a Huey's tossed salad. I mean you can get that if you want to be a boring typical vegetarian. Just sayin.

Any who, I love Huey's! I don't know if you could tell, so I thought I would make myself clear. It is a great place to grab a quick bite while watching the Grizzlies play or take the family after church on Sunday. With 7 locations around the Memphis area there is always one right around the corner.

So the next time you want to get something Meatless in Memphis. Eat local. Eat Huey's.