Hearty Veggie Chili

The air's cool, there have been dozens of pumpkin sightings, and smiling scarecrows are stationed in lawns and doorways. I know what that means! It's time for soups, stews, chili, and everything pumpkiny!

You don't have to give up comfort food just because you want to be healthy and meat-free! This chili is hearty and delicious, just the thing for those nippy autumn evenings. And the best part? It is super easy to make! The hardest part is waiting for it! And it doesn't even take that long, about an hour from cutting board to bowl. You can also customize this recipe to include whatever veggies you have lying around. I like to put zucchini or yellow squash, green beans, or frozen peas, even a bit of potato. This recipe makes quite a bit, enough to serve a family dinner and lunch, and maybe then some if you have side dishes like cornbread, brown rice, and maybe some pumpkin spice cookies for dessert*.

I apologize for the lack of mouth-watering photos in this post. I didn't take any pictures last time I made this, but I wanted to get the recipe out before the weather gets hot again. And in Texas, you know it won't be long!

To make Hearty Veggie Chili you'll need:

• 3 stalks of celery
• 1 small onion
• 2 carrots
• 1 bell pepper
• 2 Tbs olive oil 
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1-2 cups of frozen corn
• 1 Tbs chili powder 
• 1 Tbs cumin
• 1 Tbs cocoa powder (not hot chocolate mix!)
• cayenne, salt, and pepper to taste
• cilantro for garnish

Start by chopping the celery, onion, carrots, and bell pepper. In a large soup pot, add the olive oil and saute the veggies until tender, about 15 minutes. While the veggies soften, take a minute to open the cans so they'll be ready to go and you won't burn the garlic in the next step.

Now, add the garlic. I use a garlic press, but you can mince it if you don't have one. When the garlic browns a bit, pour in the tomatoes and beans. When it comes to a boil, add the chili powder, cumin, and cocoa. Don't be afraid of the cocoa; your chili will not taste like chocolate at all! The cocoa just gives it a nice rich color and more complex flavor.

Let the chili simmer for about 20 minutes, then add the corn. Let it simmer again for about 15 minutes, then taste and adjust the spices. Stir in some chopped cilantro just before enjoying.

*A note about the cornbread and cookie links: they are great recipes! You should try them! I served the cookies at a party, and they were devoured. That they were vegan was my little secret. 

Cajun Stuffed Peppers

I'm super excited about posting this recipe! I've been meaning to put it up for a couple of weeks, but I've just been busy. Boo! Anyway, I'm really excited because this is the first time I've made my own recipe. Usually I just make something from a recipe I find somewhere and alter it until I like it. This time, I knew what I wanted to make, and basically just winged it (wung it?). And it turned out really well! My stuffed peppers were super yummy!

After discovering that lentils are a good replacement for ground beef for my tacos, I starting thinking about what else I could do with them. I decided to try my hand at stuffed bell peppers. I'm pretty happy with how they turned out, too. The peppers were tender, and the filling was hearty and flavorful. This was my first time making dirty rice or stuffed peppers, vegan or otherwise, so I may tweak this recipe in the future, adding some breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast as a topping, and experimenting with the rice filling. I'd also like to try it with quinoa in place of rice to make a Paleo version. But tweaks or no, these were really good! I happily had them for dinner, lunch, and dinner again. 

Sorry for the bad quality, my good camera was MIA.

To make these peppers, you'll need:

• 4 bell peppers 
• 2 stalks of celery
• 1 small onion
• 2 cups of brown rice
• 2 cups of lentils
• 2 small tomato sauces 
• Cajun seasoning (I used Tony Chachere's)
• Salt

Begin by preheating the oven to 400 degrees and putting the rice and lentils on to cook so they will be ready to use when you're ready to mix up the filling. I put the rice in rice cooker, just for convenience, but you can do it on the stove or however you usually cook your rice. For the lentils, just boil them in a pot with enough water to cover them. Next, wash the peppers and remove the tops and seeds. Reserve the tops for cooking with the rice.  You may need to trim the bottoms a bit to get the peppers to be able to sit up straight (I ended up trimming the one in the back right to get it straighter). Just be careful not to cut so much from the bottom that you make a hole. You don't want to lose your yummy filling! If you do trim the bottoms, keep them too for cooking into the filling.

Opened and de-seeded. 

 

Next, put a large pot of water on to boil. You're going to boiling the peppers for a few minutes, so make sure the pot is large enough for them. While the water heats, chop the celery, onion, and reserved bell pepper tops. Saute the veggies in a large skillet. 

Veggies!

Next, carefully place the peppers into the boiling water and boil for about 5 minutes.  They shouldn't be all the way cooked, just softened a little. You'll be baking them later, so don't worry.

Boiling!

 

 

 I neglected to take pictures of the next couple of steps, forgive me! When the rice and lentils are done, and when the veggies are softened in the skillet, add the rice and lentils to the skillet along with one container of tomato sauce and a good sprinkling of Cajun seasoning and salt. Cook over low heat for a few minutes until the sauce has absorbed and cooked down and the flavors have combined.

Meanwhile, place the peppers in a baking dish with a little water. I put a little tomato sauce in the water, but I think it wasn't needed. Taste the rice filling and adjust the spices, then spoon into the peppers and top with tomato sauce. Pop 'em in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the peppers are tender.

Ready for baking!

The final product!

I served them alongside roasted sweet potatoes and shallots with rosemary, and a green salad with tomatoes. This was a really good meal!

Bon appetit!

Breakfast-worthy Banana Bread

Banana bread is a great way to keep over-ripe bananas from going to waste, and to keep bellies from being hungry on busy mornings. I've had several different kinds of banana breads--rich ones with butter and cream cheese, super-sweet ones with icing on top,  "healthy" ones that tasted like cardboard and that I'd never eat again. What I really wanted though, was a bread deserving of being part of the most important meal of the day: not too sweet and sugary, hearty and filling, vegan, but also tasty because who wants to start the day with something that tastes like cardboard?

I blended a few recipes to create this "happy medium,"  super-stable (meaning you can play with it and be fairly certain to get good results) banana bread. I've made  it a few different ways: with applesauce or canned pumpkin instead of oil, with and without the topping,  or with fewer bananas in a pinch, and it came out great each time, so feel free to make it your own.

I like to make these in the evening and store them covered on the counter so they're easy to grab for breakfast and snacking for the next few days. They'll keep covered at room temperature for up to four days (if they hang around that long!).

To make Breakfast-worthy Banana Bread you'll need:

• 1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 T oats
• 1/2 cup dates or raisins 
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
•  4-6 bananas

Optional crumb topping (really good, but not advised if you plan to eat these on-the-go in the car!):

• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tsp coconut oil
• 2 T oats
• 1 T flax seeds, coarsely ground
• 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)

First, puree the dates or raisins, bananas, and oil. Then mix the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Then, mix the pureed batter into the dry ingredients.

Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins. If you want to add the crumb topping, just mix together the oil, cinnamon, oats, flax, and sugar in a small bowl, and top each unbaked muffin with about little dab. Now pop them in the oven and bake at 350F until they spring back when pressed (about 12 minutes).

Golden-brown, hearty, and delicious.

Perfectly quick breakfast. And the best part is that there's no sugar!

 Bon appetit!

Lettuce Wraps

I love Oriental food more and more every time I cook it. It has such great flavor, even with only a few ingredients; it usually cooks up quickly, and it is super easy to Veganize it! 

I know I mentioned in a previous post that I wouldn't be including many tofu recipes on here, but here's another one. I had to be soy-free for a few months, and I started to miss this stuff! If you've never had tofu before, don't be scared of it. This dish is a good introduction to this healthy, versatile protein. I'll admit that it looks kind of funny when you take it out of the package, but when you cook it up, it looks like ground chicken or turkey, and it takes on the flavors you put it with. My husband and mother-in-law (carnivores and first time tofu-ers, mind you)  both enjoyed these wraps, tofu and all.

These lettuce wraps are delicious as an appetizer or light lunch, and they're super easy to throw together. Who says you can't have an appetizer just because it's a weeknight? Serve them with a noodle and veggie stir fry for a great Oriental meal. 

To make the lettuce wraps you'll need:

• 1 container of firm, hard, or extra firm/hard tofu (found in the produce section)
• about 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels (sorry, not pictured!)
• Romaine lettuce
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
• ginger
• soy sauce
• sriracha sauce (pictured on the left here. It's found in the Asian section, near the soy sauce)
• chili powder

To start, drain the liquid from the tofu and place in a hot, nonstick skillet. Assuming you use a nonstick skillet, there's no need for oil because the tofu is plenty moist. Chop it with a spoon or spatula, then add the garlic. Next, peel the skin from about 1 inch of the ginger and use a fine grater to grate the ginger into the skillet. Give it a stir, and let it cook awhile until the tofu turns brown and the dish is fragrant.  

Starting to brown!

 Stir in the corn when the tofu is fairly brown.

When the corn is cooked and the tofu is even browner than before, reduce the heat to low and add about 1 1/2 teaspoons of chili powder, 1/4 of soy sauce, and a couple of squirts of sriracha (this stuff is really spicy, so go easy at first. You can add more later if you want an extra kick). Taste and adjust the spices.

After the spices and sauces are in, the whole thing takes on a lovely color and looks a lot like chicken.

 To serve, spoon the tofu/corn mixture onto romaine leaves and eat it like a Chinese taco. You can top it with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar to give it a little extra somethin'-somethin'.

Mmmm!

 Bon appetit!

What's for Breakfast?

Now that the school year is back in full swing, lots of us students and parents are back to rushing around in the morning trying to get everyone up, dressed, and equipped for the day, all while making the carpool on time. With all that bustle, it can be easy to forget about the most important meal of the day.

Breakfast is what kick-starts your metabolism and tells your body that there's not a famine, so it doesn't need to hang on to fat for the winter. Also, a healthy breakfast helps to keep you from craving those donuts at the office--if you start your day with plenty of micronutrients, fiber, and protein, you'll be a lot more likely to keep eating well for the rest of the day. I'd say it's worth making time for!

Here are a couple of ideas for quick, healthy breakfasts to keep everyone feeling full, fit, and ready to take on the day.

First up, one of my favorite breakfasts. Muesli! I can't believe I went 22 years without this. In case you don't know (I didn't until a few months ago), muesli is basically oats served cold in milk. I used to eat oatmeal hot, and I still do sometimes, but this is my new favorite. Maybe I'll go back to hot oats this winter, but for now, it's muesli for me! The best part is, you can mix up a whole bunch ahead of time and use it just like you would boxed cereal--but this is cheaper and better for you.

To make muesli you'll need:

• old fashioned, rolled oats (quick will get soggy)
• raisins
• nuts (cookie pieces)
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• other options: dried cranberries or other dried fruits, ground flax seeds, brown sugar
• a container for storage if you don't want to mix each bowl individually. 

First, use your chosen container as a measure by filling 3/4 of it with oats. Now pour the oats into a large bowl. Pour in some raisins, nuts, seeds, or whatever you like, a generous amount of cinnamon, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Give it a stir and transfer to your container for storage.

Oats, raisins, nuts, and cinnamon.

To serve, pour some of the mixture into a bowl, pour some of your favorite plant milk over it and let it soak for about ten minutes. 

 Allowing it to soak a bit lets the oats soften and get a little bit fluffy. I usually dish mine up, then go fix my hair. It's ready to eat when I'm finished.

See how it fluffs up?

                                        

Next, we've got a simple fruit smoothie, a banana and a little peanut butter.

 For this breakfast you'll need:

• frozen fruit
• your favorite plant milk (soy, almond, rice, coconut)
• natural peanut butter
• honey (optional)
• banana

It's so simple, I almost don't want to give instructions, but here it goes! I recommend an immersion blender (shown on the right in the above picture) for easier cleanup, but a regular blender will do just fine, too. 

Pour some of the frozen fruit into your blender or a large cup if you're using an immersion blender. Add some of your plant milk; you want it to cover about 1/3 of the fruit. Puree, then pour into a glass or a to-go cup if you're on the run. If you're serving your whole family, go ahead and make all the smoothies all at once; there's no need to make them one at a time.

I like to eat peanut butter in the mornings because it really keeps me full until lunchtime, so I'm not so tempted to indulge on processed food from the vending machine. Peanut butter is full of protein and healthy fats, but as with any fat, moderation is key. A serving size is 2 tablespoons, or about the size of a ping-pong ball. Just be sure check the label--the ingredients should be peanuts and maybe salt. No sugar, corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils. Some nut butters say "natural," but they have palm oil in them. Now, palm oil isn't bad in and of itself since it isn't hydrogenated or genetically modified like canola oil, but palm plantations for producing palm oil are responsible for the majority of the deforestation that is critically endangering orangutangs and other animals. So, let's avoid it!  

Anyway, about breakfast. Spoon out a serving of peanut butter, mix in a teaspoon of honey or two if you're so inclined, and enjoy it with your banana and smoothie. Here's a little tip: peel only half of the banana so you can put it on the table without using a plate. Fewer dishes to wash! 

The peanut butter can be mixed and dished the night before to save a little time.

Simple, filling, and delicious.

Good morning and bon appetit!

Korma, Curried Garbonzos, and Savory Coconut Rice

I'm really excited about this post. What few Indian dishes I've had, I've really liked. Mostly those have come from the frozen section of the grocery store. While those frozen meals are pretty good, and even healthy (thanks, Amy's Kitchen!), they are pretty expensive to have routinely or to serve a family. So, naturally, when I found out how easy cooking delicious Indian dishes can be, I couldn't wait to share!

This meal consist of three dishes, but don't worry, all three are super easy and will cook up in less than an hour. Korma is a stew-like dish with a silky, coconut milk sauce. This korma is, of course, bursting with veggies. There's also savory coconut jasmine rice and curried garbonzo beans. As always, serve up some fresh fruit for dessert to satisfy that sweet tooth. Tonight, I chose sliced mango.

Let's talk a little bit about the ingredients here since some of you may not be familiar with them. The coconut milk comes in a can, usually found on the "ethnic" food aisle. I use the light milk so there isn't as much fat. Be sure not to buy coconut cream because that's something different, but it'll probably be right next to the milk.  Just to be clear, neither dish is sweet. I know it is hard to think of coconut without thinking of dessert, but the coconut milk just makes the rice and korma rich, flavorful, and creamy, not sweet at all.

The jasmine rice comes in a bag and looks just like regular rice. You can either find it with the Asian foods or with the rice.

You can either use pre-mixed curry powder like I did (usually cheaper), or mix your own (often tastier) if you're so inclined.

For the veggies, you can pretty much throw in whatever you have on hand. This is a good recipe to use up some leftovers. I used a lot of frozen veggies in mine; just use whatever kinds you like. Just be mindful of cooking times--fresh veggies usually need a little more time to cook than frozen.

To make this meal, you'll need:

•  2 onions
• 1 white potato
• 1 sweet potato
• 3-4 carrots
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• fresh fruit of your choice
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
• 1/2 cup of chopped bell peppers
• 2 cups frozen mixed veggies
• 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice
•  2 cans of light coconut milk
• 3 small cans (or boxes) of tomato sauce
• 3 tablespoons oil
• curry powder
• cinnamon 
• ginger 
• salt
• pepper
• cayenne pepper

 Begin by chopping the onions--one is for the garbanzos, and one is for the korma, so divide accordingly. Next, chop the white and sweet potatoes and the carrots.

 Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a small pot for the garbanzos and 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pot for the korma. Add one onion to the small pot, and the chopped veggies to the large pot. 

The potatoes, onion, and carrots for the korma.

 When the onion in the small pot is tender, add one clove of minced or pressed garlic. Then add the can of garbanzo beans, 2 cans of tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon of curry powder and a dash of cayenne. Cover and let simmer.

These are my garbanzos after simmering. Notice how the sauce thickened up nicely.

 When the veggies in the korma pot are softened and golden, add 3-4 cloves of minced or pressed garlic. Then add the frozen veggies, one can of tomato sauce, and one can of coconut milk. Next, add 1 1/2 or 2 tablespoons of curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Soft and golden.

 Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens up, about twenty minutes. Now, start the rice. Pour 1 1/2 cups of jasmine rice, one can of coconut milk, one clove of minced or pressed garlic, 1 1/2 cups of water, and about a teaspoon of salt into your pot or rice cooker. Cook as you would normally cook rice. Chop about 1/2 or 1/3 of the bunch of cilantro.

Here is my thickened korma.

 After everyone's mouth waters over the aroma coming from the kitchen and the rice is done, stir a small handful of chopped cilantro into the garbanzos, and a larger handful into the korma. Taste and adjust the spices, adding salt and possibly more curry powder.  Slice your fruit for the dessert, and serve!

I could've presented this better, but I was just back from a long run and starving. I'll get a better picture next time.

Bon appetit!

Decadent Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Sauce

Going vegan doesn't have to mean blanched spinach and bland salads all the time. There is room at the Veggie Table for some really delicious treats, too! Just eat them in moderation, and you can maintain your healthy lifestyle while still enjoying things like chocolate mousse.

This rich, chocolatey mousse tastes sinful, but it is high in protein, good fat and calcium with no cholesterol. Also, since it is sweetened primarily with agave, which has a low glycemic index, it won't cause a sugar rush, or that dreaded crash--your blood sugar levels will stay relatively level. (The type of chocolate you use effects the amount of sugar. Generally higher quality dark chocolates have less sugar. Also, be sure to choose a chocolate that doesn't include dairy or artificial ingredients. Read those labels!)

Now, down to business. The ingredients here might surprise you, but don't be scared! It tastes delicious, I promise! And you don't have to tell anyone that your decadent mousse is really made of tofu. Yes, that's right, I said tofu. You won't see much tofu on this blog simply because I'm not a huge fan of it, but soft or silken tofu is great for making things like puddings and ice creams. Just trust me and give this a shot; you won't regret it!

To make this delightful mousse with raspberry sauce, you'll need:

• 1 container of soft or silken tofu (found in the produce section of the grocery store)
• 1 bag of vegan, dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup of your favorite plant milk (I use almondmilk, but soy, rice, or coconut will work, too.)
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1 bag of frozen raspberries
• about 1/2 cup of agave nectar, divided(honey will do in a pinch, but it has a stronger flavor)

First, drain and puree the tofu in a large bowl. Set it aside for now.

Here's my pureed tofu. Looks like pudding, doesn't it?

 Next, set up a double boiler to melt your chocolate. I use a make-shift one with a small pot and a glass bowl. I don't recommend using the microwave because it is too easy to scald the chocolate and ruin the flavor. The picture shows just a little chocolate in the bowl because I wasn't sure how much it would take to make this. You'll need the whole bag of chocolate.

One day I'll invest in a real double boiler. This'll do for now, though!

When the chocolate is melted, whisk it into the tofu along with the vanilla and 1/4 cup of the agave nectar.

Melted chocolate should have a nice sheen to it. It should never be crumbly or dull.

Now divide the mousse into small dessert cups. Keep the servings on the small side because this stuff is rich! Let them chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. I don't recommend tasting it before it has chilled because the flavors will not have combined yet and it will taste very soy-ish. Some wonderful alchemy happens in the refrigerator that makes it transform from chocolate tofu, to delicious mousse, so resist the urge to lick the bowl!

While the cups are chilling, make the raspberry sauce.

After burning fruit on the stove a few times, I decided to take the safe route and make this sauce in the microwave. Start by placing the berries in a large, microwaveable bowl. Add about 3 tablespoons of agave nectar (you can add more later if you prefer a sweeter sauce). Give it a stir, then microwave in two minute increments, stirring in between, until it thickens a bit. Keep a close eye on it because it can boil over, make a sticky mess, and waste some of your delicious sauce!

Once it has boiled down, let it cool, then spoon it over the mousse cups. You can press it through a mesh strainer if you prefer a smooth sauce; I just prefer to leave the fiber of the fruit in there. If you have some left over, it would be great on pancakes, toast, or a nice vegan ice cream. I'm sure you can find something to do with it!

Thickened raspberry sauce.

Now, isn't that a pretty dessert?

Bon appetit!