Healthy Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes {Vegan}

Ingredients:

• 3 cups TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein)
• 3 cups water
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1 cup pitted soaked medjool dates (soak 10 mins in warm water or 15-20 cold water)
• 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped and deseeded.
• 1 tbs salt
• 2 tbs maple syrup
• 1 medium white onion, diced
• 1 tbs black strap molasses
• 4 tbs apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbs Worcestershire (vegan version, I use Annie's Organic Vegan version, so good!)
• 2 tbs mustard
• 3 tbs hot sauce

Instructions:

1. Add water, dates, garlic cloves, tomato and tomato paste to a blender (preferably high speed like Vitamix). Blend until smooth. Next add remaining ingredients except TVP and onion to blender mixture and stir or blend on low until fully incorporated.
2. Turn a crock pot on high. Add TVP and blender mixture and diced onion. Stir until TVP is thoroughly coated with the blender sauce and onion. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low 6-8 hours.
3. You can technically eat it as soon as its hot but I highly recommend letting it cook for the full time as the flavors really come out in the last hour.