Mmmm…chili…

 

I wish I had a picture to go along with this recipe – but I don’t. Honestly, this chili was so good that it was completely eaten almost immediately. I really should have saved some. Riz was completely in love with this dish. It’s one of those perfect cold evening foods.  Methinks this will be a new staple in the house.

Veggie Chili

1 cup of TVP granules

1 cup of water

3 tbs tamari

3 cloves of garlic – minced
1 small onion – chopped
2 tbs oil
2 – 14oz cans of stewed tomatoes
1 bottle of beer (alcoholic or non)
1-14oz can of tomato puree
1/2 cup water
3 tbs chili powder
1 1/2 tbs dried oregano
1 tbs dijon mustard
2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 – 15 oz can pinto beans
1 – 15 oz can black beans
1 – 15 oz can red kidney beans
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 large zucchini – chopped

In a small saucepan, boil water – then add tvp and tamari. Take off of heat. Mix together to be sure the tamari is incorporated into the tvp. Set aside.

In a large pot, cook garlic and onion for about 30 seconds or so. Stir in stewed tomatoes, beer, water, tomato puree, chili powder, oregano, mustard, cumin, black pepper and salt. Stir together. Then stir in the beans. Bring to boiling, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Stir in the corn and zucchini. Return to boiling – reduce heat. Cover and simmer for about 10 more minutes or until the veggies are tender. Add the tvp to chili. Serve over brown rice or with a dollop of dairy free sour cream.

Since I hate not having a picture in the post, I’ll post a picture of an Autumn staple. I found these mini pumpkins at the farmers market. I wanted to buy them all!

Tempeh Bourgignon

I get emails sent to me from Vegetarian Times with daily recipes. Some of them are great, some…so so. I received one for Tempeh Bourgignon a while back and never thought to make it though it sounded really tasty. I had one of those nights where I couldn’t figure out what to make so I searched through my recipes and came upon this one. I had all of the ingredients except for the shitake mushrooms – so I substitued portobella’s instead. I also served it over quinoa instead of rice.  Just as tasty!!

Tempeh Bourgignon

• 2 cups medium-bodied red wine, such as Pinot Noir
• 1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 small onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (about 1 Tbs.)
• 3 Tbs. olive oil, divided
• 1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbs. tomato paste
• 7 oz. sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 4 cups)
• chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Combine wine, tempeh, onion, carrot, garlic, 1 Tbs. olive oil, herbes de Provence and bay leaf in large bowl. Cover, and refrigerate 1 hour.
2. Strain vegetables and tempeh, and reserve wine.
3. Heat remaining oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add tempeh and vegetables, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, or until tempeh cubes are browned on all sides. Add vinegar, and quickly stir to coat evenly. Add tomato paste, and cook 1 minute. Stir in red wine marinade, scraping bottom of pot to release any stuck brown bits. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 30 minutes, or until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Add water if mixture seems too dry before carrots are fully cooked.
4. Add mushrooms and 3/4 cup water, and simmer 10 minutes, or until tender. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley, and serve over rice.

Raw Curry Nut Salad

This salad is unbelievably filling. Good fat and protein plus Omega 3’s from the walnuts makes it quite good for you too. Plus it tastes yummy hehe.

Raw Curry Nut Salad

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup raw pecans

1/2 cup raw walnuts

1 red pepper – diced into small pieces

1/4 cup yellow or red onion

2 stalks celery – diced small

Juice of two small lemons

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tbs curry powder

pinch of sea salt

Put all nuts into food processor and pulse a few times until chopped (be careful not to run it too long or the nuts will grind up too much).  Combine with peppers, celery and onion. Add lemon juice and mix together. Add curry powder, salt and pepper. Mix together thoroughly. Enjoy!

Moroccan Red Lentil Chickpea Soup

I haven’t been cooking much lately. It really sucks when life gets in the way of food creativity doesn’t it? That’s about to stop though!

On this overcast, blustery day I needed soup. So this is what I came up with:

Moroccan Red Lentil Chickpea Soup

2 tsp olive oil

2 1/2 cups red lentil

1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas

2 qt vegetable stock

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs tomato paste

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp turmeric

In a soup pot, saute onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent over medium heat. Add vegetable stock and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and add tomato paste, being sure it’s completely incorporated into soup. Lower heat and add spices. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add chickpeas and simmer for 5 more minutes.

A slow house makeover and some quick baking…

My family and I purchased a victorian house in Williamsport, Pennsylvania last summer. It’s in major disrepair, but we’re trying to restore it to it’s original beauty. It was built in 1860 (my mom and I went to the Hall of Records and backtracked the deed to that year) and is beautiful. It’s simpler in it’s design than other typical victorian houses in the area, but the interior is wonderful. Once we’re done fixing it up it will be a pure gem. Right now it’s a diamond in the rough – but it’s our diamond.

 

The house after we bought it (this is the nice picture – we mowed and removed some extremely dead bushes)

 

 

This is the house in October after window replacements, and a new coat of paint on the porch, etc.

 

 

So in my mad dash to get ready for the weekend, I felt the need to make cookies to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth while working. I recently purchased “The Joy of Vegan Baking” and decided to try the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. Can we say YUM? It was very difficult not to eat the entire box of them on the car ride up here.

 

 

 

SB and I were lucky enough to get home at a decent time last night – it allowed us to relax and not worry about getting things ready for the next morning. I was in a cooking mood, so I decided to make the Cheddar “Sheese” Scones from Hannah of Bittersweet. Normally I’m not one for savory scones, but after letting them sit for a couple of minutes then slicing one open and putting on a pat of Earth Balance was the perfect evening snack. They weren’t heavy at all. It’s a simple recipe as well I can see adding some herbs, to change it around for whatever I might crave.

 

 

 

Sun Dried Tomato and Spinach Quiche

 

I love sun dried tomatoes – can you tell? I love quiche too. It’s a perfect weekend I’m-too-busy-to-cook food. You can just cut a piece and snack on it and not have to think about cooking.

 

Sundried Tomato and Spinach Quiche

 

1 prepared whole wheat pastry crust (or your favorite pastry crust recipe)

1 pkg of firm tofu

1 tbs soy sauce

½ cup boiling water

10 pieces of sundried tomatoes

1 medium onion

3 cloves garlic – minced or pressed

2 tbs dried basil

½ tbs red pepper flakes

1 tbs olive oil

1 cup frozen spinach – thawed

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1 tbs turmeric

1 tsp smoked paprika

Ground black pepper to taste

½ cup grated vegan soy cheese (optional)

 

Preheat oven to 375°.

 

In a small bowl pour boiling water over sun dried tomatoes and set aside.

 

Add tofu to food process and pulse for 1 minute. Add soy sauce, basil, nutritional yeast, turmeric, paprika, black pepper. Pulse for an additional minute.

 

Roughly chop sun dried tomatoes. Leaving aside ¼ cup soaking water.

 

Heat olive oil under medium-low heat and add red pepper flakes, onion and garlic.  Saute for 2 minutes then add sundried tomatoes and water. Simmer for 5 minutes.

 

Transfer tofu mixture to large bowl. Fold in spinach, onion mixture and option soy cheese. Pour into pie crust and bake in oven for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.