BLENDITARIAN CHALLENGE SERIES
Prelude: Blenditarian.Com has initiated a monthly challenge that incorporates their Blenditarian approach into creative and fun dishes. To clarify for my readers, a Blenditarian is “one who believes the mighty, meaty mushroom makes meals more delicious, nutritious and sustainable.” This approach stretches ground meat by adding finely chopped mushrooms to create a flavourful and more nutritious dish. The theme for the month of August is all about incorporating “The Blend”(mushrooms + meat) into a back-to-school weeknight dinner dish. As Blenditarian.com suggests, “It’s that time of year: school is back in session and schedules are jam-packed. Make back-to-school dinners tastier and better-for-you by adding The Blend (mushrooms + meat) – a quick and easy technique that’s perfect for adding nutrients to dishes for those who are always on the go or simply looking for a way to incorporate more veggies into meals.” Therefore, I am sharing a recipe below for Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes that you will want to try!
This recipe utilizes a package of savoury meat blend (the first Urb’n’Spice Blenditarian recipe). I keep several pouches in my freezer for quick meals like this and for other quick meals like date night spaghetti sauce, chili, and hamburger macaroni casserole (recipes coming soon in future Blenditarian posts). This recipe for Back-to-School Sloppy Joes can be made in under ten minutes with just a few additional ingredients.
Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes
CHEF TALK: The recipe for the Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend is included below the Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes recipe. The savoury meat blend makes enough base for several 1 lb. (454 g) packages that can be used for Sloppy Joes or other dishes as listed above. For a Gluten-Free version of this recipe: the Sloppy Joes meat mixture recipe is gluten-free and dairy free. Use gluten-free hamburger buns and for the variation listed below using garlic bread, use gluten-free baguettes.
Yield: Makes 4 – 6 servings
Makes approximately 3 + 1/3 cups (700 ml/775 g) Sloppy Joe mixture:
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. (3 cups) savoury meat blend
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- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup), or 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 cup (250 ml/or 8 oz. can) tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) ketchup
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) brown sugar
METHOD:
- Pour the oil into a small saucepan, and then add the diced onion. Cook the onion over low-medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the package of meat blend, tomato sauce, spices, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar. Stir well with a spatula and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. It should be quite thick when done.
- Place on toasted hamburger buns. Serve with a salad and enjoy!

Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes ingredients

Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joe mixture
What Else Can I Do With This Recipe?
Sloppy Joes Garlic Toast: If you have leftover Sloppy Joe mixture, use it as a topping on toasted garlic bread. Cut a French loaf in half lengthwise. Place the two halves on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread the bread with garlic butter (see recipe below) and toast in a 400oF oven until golden. Top the toasted garlic bread with Sloppy Joe mixture. Sprinkle the bread with shredded Cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice). Bake until heated through. Slice into 3” pieces. Sprinkle with sliced green onion. Serve hot.
Garlic Butter: 1/2 cup butter, softened; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley; 1 tablespoons minced shallot; 1 clove garlic, minced; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon lemon zest. Combine the ingredients and spread on French Loaf halves (or onto thick slices of bread) with a spatula.
SAVOURY MEAT, MUSHROOM AND VEGETABLE BLEND
CHEF TALK: During the slow cook process, the finely chopped vegetables break down into the same sized morsels as the ground meat. The aromatic vegetables provide a savoury flavour to the base that cannot be duplicated using just meat alone. I chose to use Cremini or Portobello Mushrooms because of their “meaty” taste and darker colour. Chopping the vegetables finely is much easier if you have a food processor. The cooked meat and vegetable base is cooled, portioned and frozen in 1 lb. portions (about 3 cups). This base is nutrient dense and delicious. Feel free to tweak it according to your taste. Build your freezer reserve then use the frozen packages to make any of the meals listed below. Enjoy!

Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend
Yield: 1575 g cooked product (approximately 3.5 lbs.)
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb. (454 g) lean ground beef
- 1 lb. (454 g) ground pork
- ¼ cup dried vegetable flakes, optional but recommended
- 1 lb. (454 g) Cremini or Portobello mushrooms, chopped finely
- 1 large onion (250 g), chopped finely (about 1 ½ cups chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (15 g), minced finely
- 2 stalks celery (175 – 200 g), chopped finely (about 1 cup chopped)
- ½ small rutabaga (300 g), chopped finely (about 2 cups)
- 2 medium carrots (175 g), chopped finely (about 2 cups chopped)
- ¼ cup parsley, chopped finely
- 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
- 2 – 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
METHOD:
- Place the ground meat into a 6 to 7-quart crockpot. Season with of the half of the salt and pepper.
- Using a food processor, chop the vegetables finely and add them to the slow cooker/crockpot.
- Add the remaining salt and pepper, in addition to the remaining ingredients.
- Stir the mixture very well.
- Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or 6 – 8 hours on low.
- Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary. It should be seasoned well, savoury and flavourful. Remember that this is a base and other ingredients will be added to it to make other dishes (i.e.: diced tomatoes, chilli powder, etc.).
- Drain the mixture, if necessary. CHEF TIP: Refrigerate any drained liquid in a separate small bowl. The next day, de-fat the liquid by lifting off and discarding the hardened fat. The remaining liquid will be gel-like. Add some or all of the liquid back into the mixture for extra moisture.
- Portion the seasoned meat blend into 1 lb. (454 g) portions and place in a zipper bag or vacuum sealer bags. Close tightly or vacuum seal, date, label, and freeze on a flat baking tray.

The meat, mushroom and vegetable blend is portioned into 1 lb. bags ready for the freezer reserve
Please CLICK the link above to access my Urb’n’Spice LEARNING TIPS, which are listed alphabetically on the Learning Tips blog post under the following subheadings:
- Parchment Paper
- Favourite Kitchen Tools – The Simple Spatula
- Oven Temperature Accuracy
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You Might Also Enjoy These Urb’n’Spice Blenditarian Recipes:
Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend
Savoury Blenditarian Brunch Pork with Vegetables and Fine Herbs
All-Canadian Poutine with a Blenditarian Twist
If you try my recipe for Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes, please leave me a comment below with your feedback. Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!
Denise Paré-Watson
The Urb’n’Spice Chef
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Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes
Prep
Cook
Total
Yield 4-6 servings
This recipe utilizes a package of savoury meat blend (the first Urb’n’Spice Blenditarian recipe). I keep several pouches in my freezer for quick meals like this and for other quick meals like date night spaghetti sauce, chili, and hamburger macaroni casserole (recipes coming soon in future Blenditarian posts). This recipe for Back-to-School Sloppy Joes can be made in under ten minutes with just a few additional ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. (3 cups) savoury meat blend_______________
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil or butter
- 1 small onion, diced (1/2 cup), or 1 Tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 cup (250 ml/or 8 oz. can) tomato sauce
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon onion salt
- ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon chilli powder
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) ketchup
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) brown sugar
Instructions
- Pour the oil into a small saucepan, and then add the diced onion. Cook the onion over low-medium heat until the onion is translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the package of meat blend, tomato sauce, spices, ketchup, vinegar and brown sugar. Stir well with a spatula and simmer the mixture for 5 minutes. It should be quite thick when done.
- Place on toasted hamburger buns. Serve with a salad and enjoy!
Notes
CHEF TALK: The recipe for the Savoury Meat, Mushroom and Vegetable Blend is included in the original post below the Back-to-School Blenditarian Sloppy Joes recipe. The savoury meat blend makes enough base for several 1 lb. (454 g) packages that can be used for Sloppy Joes or other dishes as listed above. For a Gluten-Free version of this recipe: the Sloppy Joes meat mixture recipe is gluten-free and dairy free. Use gluten-free hamburger buns and for the variation listed below using garlic bread, use gluten-free baguettes.
Don’t forget to pin this recipe for later!
Denise Paré-Watson
The Urb’n’Spice Chef
Follow me on Social Media
Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram
Did you Make my Recipe?
Tag me @urbnspice on Instagram and hashtag #urbnspice
Courses Lunch; Dinner
Cuisine Canadian; American
I like the idea of keeping several pouches in the freezer to make life a little easier. We don’t do that often enough! Completely agree on the blend of mushroom and ground meat!
My freezer reserve is definitely my friend when I am busy. I know the policy is sometimes to only use fresh food but it makes sense to sometimes prepare bases such as this recipe that can be used in so many other ways and for different dishes that are quick and easy to pull together in a few minutes. Thanks so much for your kind thoughts and comments.
I haven’t made sloppy joes since my kids were at home, but now I want to. This recipe looks so yummy and I can’t wait to try it out on my grown up kids. Thanks for the inspo, Denise!
Thanks so much, Colleen! I know what you mean. We made sloppy joes more often when my girls were young and it is fun to make them all over again for their little ones (with a healthy, sustainable twist). ??
Sloppy joes take me back to my childhood. These look fantastic Denise! Anything that you can make ahead and freeze for busy weekday nights works for me! And as a bonus, my hubby would eat these!;)
Thank you, Leanne! It is a fun dish to make and it seems to appeal to every age group. Let me know if you try it!
Impressive! I love all the added veggies in this mix, but I especially love the idea of working once to have all those meals ready in the freezer for busy nights! Thanks for a very helpful post!
Thank you so much, Elaine! Your comments made my day. I do love making this mix and having a ready supply in my freezer for so many dishes. It makes menu planning so easy, especially spontaneously when summertime brings many guests to your table. 🙂
Yikes–my comment seemed to be posted before I got a chance to rate it! 5 stars!!
Many thanks, Elaine! You are the best! 🙂
I love that this recipe is gf and dairy-free AND you are getting more veggies right IN your sloppy Joes. Looks sooo yummy!
Thank you, Terri! I appreciate your comments. 🙂 These Sloppy Joes seem to be a hit with the youngsters and the big kids too! (and sneaking in extra veggies wherever you can has never tasted so good!)
Sloppy Joe’s invoke memories of camping by a lake. I haven’t had one in years and of course must now have one. Mushrooms are always around in our menus, so the Blenditarian approach suits us just fine. Now if I can just create a Blenditarian Sloppy Joe that looks as tasty as the one in your image, I’ll be back at that lake camping.
You are so kind, Ron! Thank you for your comments. I think that you will really enjoy this Blenditarian recipe. If you make the base and freeze it into 1 lb. pouches, I will be posting many more recipes that you can pull together in minutes – perfect to take along to the lake camping 🙂 Cheers for now.