Anything Goes Sloppy Joes

[nverland]

Anything Goes Vegan Sloppy Joes
Prep time 5 mins Cook time 20 mins Total time 25 mins Serves: 5-6

Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 bell pepper, any color, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2-15 oz. cans of beans drained and rinsed, OR 3¾ cups precooked beans, whatever variety you've got (see note!)
¾ to 1 cup water
⅓ cup tomato paste
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. vegan Worchestershire sauce
2 tbsp. brown sugar (or turbinado or coconut sugar)
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

For Serving
5 or 6 burger buns, toasted
sautéed onions
dill pickle slices

Instructions
Coat the bottom of a medium saucepan with oil and place over medium heat. Add onion, pepper, carrot and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes, until onions are very tender and translucent.
Add beans, ¾ cup water, tomato paste, vinegar, Worchestersire sauce, sugar, liquid smoke and chili powder. Stir to blend, raise heat and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and allow to simmer, uncovered, until sauce is very thick and veggies are tender, 15 to 20 minutes, adding a bit more water if needed during cooking. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Stuff buns with bean mixture. Top with dill pickle slices and sautéed onions. Serve.

Notes
For the beans, use what you've got. Black beans, kindey beans, chickpeas, cannellini beans, great northern beans, pinto beans, navy beans, black-eyed peas and brown lentils are all great choices. Use two of the same thing, or mix it up!