Meatless Sloppy Joes

I was reminded the other day of a childhood favorite, sloppy joes. As that familiar smell came wafting back to me, I had I new thought... Why not make sloppy joes with tofu? It suddenly seemed so simple that I just had to give it a try for this week's recipe.
While I have to say this variation is a little more grown-up and less "sloppy" than the traditional, meat-filled, canned version of our childhoods I was pretty pleased with the taste of the final product.
Since I was looking to replicate a familiar flavor I didn't want to stray too far into experimenting with other spices, at least not this time around. Who knows what additions I might throw in next time (BBQ sauce, chili powder, or more chopped veggies are potential additions and substitutes that I might want to try out).

For those of you not that familiar with using vegetarian substitutes in your favorite recipes this is a good one to get you started.


Ingredients-

1 package (12-14oz) medium/firm organic Tofu

1 Roma tomato (diced)

1/8 c white onion (finely diced)

1/4 c green bell pepper (diced)

2 cloves garlic (minced)

3/4 c ketchup

1 1/2 tsp yellow mustard

4 tsp brown sugar

Salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions-
Lightly coat medium skillet with olive oil blend, begin pre-heating over medium heat
Drain tofu and cut into cubes, using fingers crumble tofu directly into skillet
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu begins to turn a slight golden/brown (about 10-12 mins) Add chopped veggies and stir. Thoroughly mix in ketchup, mustard, and brown sugar. Reduce heat and allow to simmer for another 15-20 mins. Season with sea salt and ground black pepper.

Total prep and cooking time: about 30-40 mins

Serve on gluten free bun with your choice of sides.