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Meg Wolff

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Vegan For The Super Bowl? Do It With Dirty Rice

Posted: 02/01/2012 8:10 pm

Who said Super Bowl food can't be vegan?

I had a plant-based potluck and my friend " Crazy Dick" Rich Curole and his wife Lori, made a to-die-for dirty rice entree. Rich says he's been working to perfect it for some time and I think that he's got it just right because both my 13 year-old nephew and my 21 year-old daughter proclaimed it "the best dish!"

So when I made it one Sunday and watched my husband chow it down while watching football on television, I knew it would be the perfect Super Bowl food!

See how this super easy dish is prepared in The Good Day Cafe.


Sweet Potato Dirty Rice
1 sweet potato, chopped in small 1/4 inch square pieces (approx. 2 cups)
2-3 level teaspoons of Crazy Dick's Cajun Spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 onion, chopped (approx 1 1/2 cups)
2-4 garlic cloves, minced (or 1-2 Tablespoons pre-chopped garlic from jar)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1 16-ounce package of tempeh, broken up into small pieces
(Optional) 2 teaspoons olive oil (This can be water sauteed with 1/4 cup water for NO OIL diets)
2 cups (uncooked) brown basmati rice (use 4 cups of cooked brown rice, if you are using leftovers, or frozen rice)

To cook brown rice:
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add 2 cups of brown basmati rice (or short grain is OK, too), bring to a boil on high, turn to low and simmer for 1 hour.

While your rice is cooking chop the sweet potato, onion, garlic and green pepper.

In a dutch oven or cast iron skillet, add olive oil (or 1/4 cup of water) and saute the sweet potato for about 5 minutes. Add the other vegetables, spice, tempeh and continue to saute for about 5-10 more minutes.

Rich's note: Many traditional Dirty Rice dishes call for celery seed. If you include it, go lightly as celery seed is potent and can easily over take the dish. I once added a teaspoon to an earlier attempt at dirty rice and it was far too much.

Do you have any plant-based Super Bowl recipes? Have any ideas about side dishes to accompany this entree? Please share your ideas and comments right here in my Huffington Post comments section! I love all of your great ideas.

For another vegan Super Bowl favorite check this out!

For more easy plant-based and vegan recipes and tips, please sign-up for my free newsletter!

 
 
 

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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
07:56 AM on 02/14/2012
Happy Valentines day Meg to you and yours. Hope you are doing great. "Sweet Potato Dirty Rice",remember I froze it ? Last weekend thawed it out and it was equally delicious. Potatoes were cut into smaller pieces anyways,so did not make a difference a bit.
XO
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
09:38 AM on 02/06/2012
No other place to answer you Meg, yes I am going to order a couple of item, from the link you provided us. Thank you so much and be well. My friend in town, wants me to send all your recipes in her way...
Lots of LOVE and Hugs to you....Gypsy
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
07:32 PM on 02/06/2012
gypsy, This is a great place to answer me! Wonderful that you will order the Crazy Dick's. It does not disappoint! And, doubly wonderful that you are passing these recipes on to your friend. XO
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
09:01 AM on 02/07/2012
Absolutely, my friend already made the Katmandy Stew,I would mail the rest to her. Her husband is diabetic and she is running out of ideas of what to prepare. XO
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
07:56 AM on 02/06/2012
I am laughing and shaking my head in disbelieve Meg...This comment has been removed for an insult or attack of......

megwolff Commented 11 hours ago

"Hi gypsy, Not too far, just to NYC! Caribbean style jerk is
something I haven't used. What spices does it have in it,
gypsy. You'll have to try it with the Crazy Dick's, too, it's
the perfect combo and it does get dirty! Let me know how the
freezing goes. I'm guessing it will be fine. Always great
hearing from you, sweetie. xxoo"
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sabelmouse
i love to tumble , ask me why .
08:22 AM on 02/06/2012
i'm kind of beyond laughing, just the other day i told someone that i like carl hiaasen on a book thread.
never appeared. what is the point.
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
08:52 AM on 02/06/2012
Yes, they do it to me, and this one is the author of the thread which is sad, and Meg is all about civility. The senior staffs are trying to correct. When some of my posts to Cara ( that thread is heavily moderated ?) never makes it, I write to ~contact us~,below. Almost always they correct it . But that is a whole lot of tiresome exercise we don`t have time for .
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
07:36 PM on 02/06/2012
sabelmouse, How are you? It's been a while. How are things in the "upper Northwest corner?"
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
07:33 PM on 02/06/2012
Hmmmm, kind of strange, but how do you know, gypsy?
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
07:46 PM on 02/06/2012
Okay..I could see what is written to your comment, just as you would see mine up there, for being mutual friends.
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
02:12 PM on 02/05/2012
Wow Meg...I hope you didn’t go too far...
Okay, I prepared the sweet potato dirty rice for the afternoon. Only thing it was not dirty enough. It that a bad word I just used? I used Caribbean style jerk, oh my, another bad word.
Anyways could not find ~Crazy Dick Spice~, and the other one I had in my home. Also used regular basmati rice instead. It was simply delicious!
Next time I would zest it up bit...and this would be also my constant brunch I could use when having company. Now I have too much of it, have to freeze, I know potatoes don’t go well in the freezer, but I have no choice.
Sorry I was being silly today...XOXOXOX
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
06:20 PM on 02/03/2012
CrazyDicksSpice2011 wrote:
"Hi Meg and thanks for getting this recipe out there. Dirty Rice
was one of my favorites growing up in New Orleans. I'm thrilled
you and your biggest fans are enjoying it! After all these
years, this is the first of my recipes my mother actually asked
me to pass along to her! Thanks Again! Rich Curole
www.CrazyDicksCajunFoods.com"
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
02:13 PM on 02/05/2012
Thanks..
03:27 PM on 02/03/2012
Yum! Always looking for healthier options to take to potlucks and parties!
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
05:41 PM on 02/03/2012
Hey Christy, You got it! What are you making on Super Bowl Sunday?
06:07 PM on 02/02/2012
Did I really just get an ad before this for "Eat more Veal"?
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
05:43 PM on 02/03/2012
Hey Adam, Thanks for stopping by and commenting. Are you eating vegan for the Super Bowl. Tell me about it! We need all the great ideas we can get.
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
06:22 PM on 02/03/2012
sferd, I just went back to watch the segment and I know what add you saw... unfortunately, I have absolutely no control over that.
06:06 PM on 02/02/2012
hmmmm. Not to be picky, but the finishing directions do not appear. Am I correct in assuming that after the veggies are sauteed that everything is mixed together?
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
05:55 PM on 02/03/2012
sferd, I had to go back and look at how I wrote this out! And, no, you aren't being picky, thanks for bringing that to my attention. The last part IS MISSING! It's a pretty simple recipe and it is done at that point, but yes, the rice does need to be added to warm it up and mix in with the vegetables and spices. I should have also added "Serve warm. Make 6 good sized portions!" So sorry. Glad you figured it out. Let me know if you try it. Any other vegan Super Bowl ideas?
06:03 PM on 02/02/2012
I'm attending a vegan Super Bowl potluck and our contributions will be: spicy black bean dip (with chips & veggies) and whole-grain banana bread. I figured there would be lots of vegan junk food, so I wanted to go a slightly more 'healthy' route. Even though I don't care about the football, I'm really looking forward to the get-together!
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
05:57 PM on 02/03/2012
sferd, Good going on your potluck contributions, spicy black bean dip will be a hit and who doesn't love banana bread!? Glad you're going the healthy route, too. Getting together is fun. You sound like a good sport!
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
11:57 AM on 02/02/2012
I-us, Sweet potatoes are a great sweet addition. I'd never had them in a rice dish and was pleasantly surprised! Just have to make sure you dice them into small pieces so that they'll cook as quickly as the peppers and onions.
I-US
Beware the monsters lurking in word swamps.
01:19 PM on 02/03/2012
Thanks for sharing the recipe and tip!
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
05:59 PM on 02/03/2012
I-US, Let me know if you try it, love the feedback.
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plantbasedpunk
live from the PHX
11:37 AM on 02/02/2012
The sweet potatoes will cook all the way in the pan w/o any liquid? I usually steam, nuke, bake or boil my sweet potatoes, never cooked it in a pan. This year I'm going to be in a house with a bunch of meat eaters for the superbowl, so I think I'm going to pre-make sweet-potato and black bean flautas and just bake 'em when I arrive to the party. Of course, I won't tell anyone they're vegan because everyone still seems to think vegans only eat granola and tofu.
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
06:18 PM on 02/03/2012
Hi plantbasedpunk! Good to see you. I put just a little oil (Rich uses more) and yes, it will cook by just sauteeing if you dice them small. I was quite surprised, too. If you chose to do no oil and use a little water instead they saute up well with water, too.

Making flautas up before hand and baking or even reheating when you get there is an excellent idea!!! Yes, sometime you are better off just serving them and saying nothing!
I-US
Beware the monsters lurking in word swamps.
10:15 AM on 02/02/2012
Looks delicious. Sweet potato sounds like a tasty addition.
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
06:00 PM on 02/03/2012
Yes, indeed they are! It's almost like adding sugar, except it's nutritious.
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Kevin Chung Lin
12:47 AM on 02/02/2012
great idea
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
05:50 AM on 02/02/2012
Hi Kevin, Thanks for stopping by to comment! Any Super Bowl veg ideas?
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
06:26 PM on 02/01/2012
Wow ! Meg , another double delight,.Tonight chick peas, my Kathmandu stew turned out to be fantastic...coming back tomorrow. xo
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
08:30 PM on 02/01/2012
gypsy, Hello! Glad to hear the Kathmando Stew turned out!!! Look forward to chatting! xo
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gypsynomad
I dwell in possibility.
01:42 PM on 02/03/2012
Haha..~Crazy Dick's Cajun Spice~ too funny, okay watched it, printed the recipe, I am on my way to get my toes done and then bee line to the grocery,to buy the ingradients, Meg.
LOVE.
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Agy Wilson
For something to be a belief, it needs testing.
05:51 PM on 02/01/2012
Thanks Megan! I've shared to my Facebook and Twitter. This is just in time, as one of my daughters is going Vegan!
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megwolff
Plant-based cook & survivor
10:21 PM on 02/01/2012
Hi Agy, Thank you! If you need any help, you know where to come!