The husband came home from California last Monday. It was the first actual vegan meal he had the pleasure of sitting down to since being out of town with work and holy bananas, I was nervous. It’s one thing to talk your kids into believing the chick’n nuggets sitting on their lunch plates do not actually taste different than those grisly ones you buy from the fast food marts, but a grown-arse man with tastebuds and meat-eating preferences? Well, that was entirely another ball game.

I stood in Whole Foods, stock still, paralyzed by indecision, sweating organic bullets of sweat. What to feed this hairy man-beast of mine?

The answer came in the form of the classic testosterone-inspired food combo: meat and potatoes. I knew that starting with potatoes was a great start. Adding vegan sausage could work. There were enough spices in the stuff to mask any slightly kooky flavor that might otherwise be a turn-off.

Asparagus. My man loves him some asparagus, so I tossed that in there, too. It was like batting my eyelashes with Smashbox mascara. You know, the good stuff that stays on nicely even when you cry. Helloooooo boyyyyyys.

The end result? An irresistibly simple meal that fills you heart and marrow. Just the sort of vegan meal that will make a covert out of even the most finicky meat-lovin’ men.

Well, that and real time eyelash batting. And maybe a sneak peek at the cleave.

Hey. A vegan girls gotta do what a vegan girls gotta do.

Holy Simple! Sausage & Potato Bake

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 45 minutes

When you need an elegant, hearty meal fast, this recipe delivers big time. Full of flavor, with a stunning presentation, crispy oven fried potatoes get tossed with vegan Italian Sausage and asparagus in this one-dish wonder that even meat eaters will adore.

Ingredients:

1/2 red onion
2 pounds fingerling potatoes or red potatoes
1 bunch asparagus
1/3 olive oil
4 Tofurky Italian Sausage (I like Tofurkey brand)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
1/4 cup fresh chopped Italian parsley
3/4 cup tofu sour cream
1/2 teaspoon Srichacha
1 teaspoon ketchup
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Slice the onion into large chunks, and cut each fingerling potato down the center. Toss the onion and potato on a large, parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with half of the olive oil, salt and pepper. Place in preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Cut the Italian Sausage and asparagus into 2" pieces. Remove the baking sheet from the oven (careful! it's hot!) Then, toss the sausage and aspargus onto your baking sheet and return the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the vegan sour cream, Srichacha, ketchup, and paprika.

Transfer potato & sausage mixture onto a large serving platter. Top with fresh chopped parsley. Serve with flavored sour cream and enjoy!