A Right to be Snobby

(I apologize in advance for the awful artificial lighting....)

What you see above is the recipe that made me KNOW I had to get the cookbook, Veganomicon. I first made the Snobby Joe's from Vcon before the book came out and the recipe was posted on The PPK website. Wow- I was blown away! The chili powder, maple syrup, mustard- everything! Snobby Joe's are so amazing that I believe they are completed justified in being complete snobs. I don't even think they should be in the same category as "Sloppy Joe's." Hell, they kick Sloppy Joe's ass! The flavors in this recipe are so much more complex and satisfying, not to mention how insanely healthy these are (lentils and all other legumes are truly amazing)! I have made them several times since I first made them (especially since I got the book and no longer felt like I was "cheating" by using the recipe) and decided to make this recipe again tonight. In case you didn't know, the leftovers freeze wonderfully. I'm able to get six or seven extra portions to freeze just from about 15-20 minutes cooking- I love it! I know the recipe suggests serving these open-faced, but I can't help it. I love nothing more than a nice, soft, and rather sloppy filling in between a lightly toasted and crunchy bun. Paired with some broiled asparagus and steamed broccoli (not pictured), this meal was immensely satisfying and FILLING. But not at all in the way-too-rich-I'm-going-to-explode way; it's more of the full-of-awesome-fiber-and-protein-man-I'm-healthy kind of full.

Before you jump to conclusions, I DID NOT already give into temptation and make a batch of cupcakes. Well.... I did, but not for me! My mother works at a store where her jewelry is sold (my mother designs and makes jewelry) several days a week and has mentioned to the other women she works with that I'm a vegan and love to bake. Well, one of the women loves baking but has not really been introduced to vegan cooking/baking and another woman she works with is not a veg*n, but eats out at vegetarian and vegan restaurants very often and is not "scared" of it at all. So....out of the blue I got a call on Saturday from my mom asking if I was planning on baking anything that day. She explained that the two women at work have been asking to try something that I've baked and would appreciate it if I could make something to bring over to the store. I could never pass up an opportunity to make cupcakes for people who actually requested that they be vegan! I whipped out VCTOTW and, seeing that I had some Newman-O's, decided to make some Cookies and Creme cupcakes! I didn't try one before packing them up and driving them over to my mom's work, but I did allow my dad, brother, sister (along with some of her friends) to split two cupcakes that I left behind for them (since I'm sure 10 cupcakes would be more than enough for three women!) and tried a small bite- but that small bite was plenty for me! The cupcakes are super moist and bring out the chocolate cookies in the frosting even more. Yummy! Now wait, this isn't even the best part! Well, on the way home from dropping the cupcakes off, the older women who works with my mother (who bakes a lot but doesn't know much about veganism) called me and told me how much she loved them and how surprised she was, and even asked all about the recipe and where it was from. When my mom came home she told me that the women called Borders right after getting off the phone with me, asked if they had a copy of VCTOTW, and went and bought it! I feel so wonderful that I was able to help introduce someone to veganism and make their first experience positive! See- vegan cupcakes really are taking over the world!