The Best Chili (Vegan or not!)

I have been reading this awesome book "Eat and Run" written by Scott Jurek an ultrarunner.  It is the story of his path to greatness in both food and feet.  He intersperses his personal account with vegan recipes and running tips.  I highly recommend it.  I have just started testing his recipes out, and this first one completely "bowled" me over.  In his book he cites this recipe as the one that convinced him that he could be a happy vegan.  It is a vegan chili made with a myriad of chunky vegetables, three kinds of beans, bulgar wheat (which makes it feel especially "meaty"), and lots of warm spices.  It tastes fantastic.  I dare you to take it to your next chili cook-off.  I bet it could beat the pants off of any of those plain jane chilis.

Minnesota Winter Chili

2 TBSP olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped onion
8-10 mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped carrots
1 jalapeno seeded and minced
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 TBSP chili powder
2 tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can tomato puree
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can red beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dry bulgar wheat
1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Add the oil to a large pot and saute the vegetables until tender (about 10 minutes).  Add the spices and saute for another minute or so.  Add the remaining ingredients except the cilantro and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat, covered, for about 30 minutes.  Stir and simmer for an additional 30 minutes.  Season with salt to taste.  Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.  Watch it disappear!

My award winning "you won't feel awful" Falafel burger

That is right-- this is an award winning burger (though it is not shown with its bun counterpart in this picture). Last Saturday night Richard and I went to a "build a better burger" contest and I brought a falafel burger to represent the vegetarians of the world and because, well, I haven't bought ground meat in almost three years.  I knew I couldn't just bring out the same awesome burger I made last year.  I really wasn't expecting this mediterranean spiced patty to be able to compete with a thick juicy sirloin burger topped with cheese and chipotle mayo (mmmm, I got to admit, sometimes I really just want a nice juicy burger), but everyone really loved it and it came away with second prize!  I recommend serving the "burgers" in pita bread with a large dollop of the cucumber yogurt sauce.    They are another super cheap way to eat well and eat healthy!

And did I say award winning....

Falafel and cucumber sauce (adapted from allrecipes.com)

2 (15 oz) cans garbanzo beans, drained
1 large onion  coarsely chopped
1 cup fresh parsley
4 cloves garlic
2 eggs
4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp baking powder
2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups dry panko bread crumbs

1 cup plain yogurt (preferrably greek)
1/2 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
1 tsp dried dill
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Pulse garbanzo beans in a food processor until coarsely ground.  Empty into a large bowl.  In the same food processor, blend the onion, parsley and garlic until smooth.  Add to the garbanzo beans.  Add in remaining ingredients except for the bread crumbs and mix well.   Slowly add the bread crumbs to the bean mixture until the mixture is no longer sticky but will hold together.  Add more or less crumbs as needed.  Shape mixture into 8 patties and roll in some extra panko bread crumbs.  Set aside on a baking sheet until ready to fry.

Heat a couple of TBS olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat.  Fry the patties until crispy and brown on both sides and cooked through (4-5 minutes each side?).

For the cucumber sauce, just combine the yogurt, cucumber, dill, and salt and pepper.  Chill until ready to use.

Serve your falafels hot with pita bread and cool cucumber sauce!

Ridiculously easy green enchiladas

These enchiladas are easy and versatile.  I made them with imitation crab, but you could substitute cooked chicken, shrimp, beef, or heartier vegetables like sauteed zucchini, red pepper, and spinach (I think I would just omit the sherry/apple juice). We used imitation crab because 1) we like the taste of crab, 2) we can't afford the real stuff.  Imitation crab really lends itself well to cooked entrees like this with other strong flavors.   Richard ate it three times in a row.  I actually made two pans of it, but left the second pan in the oven overnight by accident.  But Richard had liked it so much, that he still ate one of the overnight enchiladas before I threw out the rest of the pan.  He did not get sick by the way.
These are, as the title suggests, ridiculously easy.  So easy, that even with a harrowing day with my toddler and newborn, I was able to literally throw these together and get them in the oven in about 15 minutes.  I am guessing at the amounts, since most of the time I just eyeball it!  Add more or less of any of the ingredients to suit your preferences. Enjoy!!

Green crab enchiladas

Filling:
1/2  cup of chopped onions
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 cup chopped cilantro
4 oz of chopped green chilies
1/4 cup cooking sherry (or the real thing) or apple juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded cheese

1 lb imitation crab, roughly chopped (you can certainly substitute the real thing, or 1lb of any other kind of cooked meat or vegetable)

Sauce:
14 oz of green enchilada sauce, canned or home made
1 cup of sour cream
4 oz. chopped green chiles

12-16 corn tortillas

Preheat oven to 375.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray.

For the sauce, just heat all the ingredients in a pan on the stove until they are thoroughly combined and nicely warm.

For the filling, just saute the onion until softened, then add the corn, cilantro, chilies, sherry, and crab and cook for a few more minutes.  Add in the sour cream and cheese and stir to combine.  Feel free to add salt and pepper if you like.  I found mine flavorful enough.

To assemble, just microwave the corn tortillas for about 30 seconds to a minute to soften them.  Then, one at a time, dip both sides of each tortilla lightly in the sauce mixture.  Lay the sauced up tortilla in the pan and add some of the filling, roll and lay seam side down in the pan.  Repeat with the remaining tortillas and filling.  If there is any leftover sauce, spoon it over the top.  Cover the enchiladas with as much cheese as you want and bake for about 25 minutes.  Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions if desired!

Edamame Lo Mein

I just rented another four vegetarian cookbooks from the library.  The one I have put the most tabs in is called "Eating Well: Fast and Flavorful Meatless Meals."  This was the first recipe I tried and I was not disappointed!  It is a noodle stirfry with whole grain spaghetti, edamame, carrots, red peppers, and mushrooms in a really easy sauce.  It took very little time to prepare and make and I really liked the finished product.  And edamame is one of the most underutilized of foods in my estimation, so I like finding recipes that use it because it is such a great source of protein and fiber in addition to being wonderfully delicious!  The only real specialty ingredient is oyster sauce, which can be found in any asian aisle of any supermarket.  The trick to acquiring and using ingredients that you haven't used before or used often, is to specifically search for recipes that use that item.  Pretty soon, you acquire an awesome pantry of ingredients.  I actually happened to have everything for the sauce already on hand.

Edamame Lo Mein
12 oz. whole wheat spaghetti (obviously, you can use the white stuff too!)
2 cups frozen, shelled edamame (I just add the whole bag, I don't measure)
4 green onions, thinly sliced (it calls for scallions, but aren't those the same?)
1/4 cup oyster sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
3 TBS soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you like it spicier)
2 TBS canola oil
2 large carrots, cut into matchstick size pieces (mine look more like chopstick size pieces)
2 large red peppers, cut into matchstick size pieces
8 oz mushrooms, sliced

Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add spaghetti AND edamame and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is cooked according to package directions (anywhere from 7-10 minutes).  Drain.  Meanwhile, whisk together the green onions, oyster sauce, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and crushed red pepper in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved.
Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the carrots, bell peppers, and mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until the veggies are slightly softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the pasta and edamame and cook for another 3 minutes.  Add the sauce and the stir to combine for another few minutes until everything is heated through!

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza (any way you want it)

The compromise pizza: Buffalo chicken on the left, and Summer Veggie on the right

a variation of summer veggie with spinach, mushrooms, zuchini, tomatoes, peppers, and parmesan cheese.

This pizza post probably should have been my very first post.  It is the food I am most famous for and probably impresses people far more than the fact that I have a law degree (and lets be honest, right now its not the law degree that is putting food on the table-- its the love of food).
A few years ago a friend of mine told me that she had to go vegan for health reasons and was asking me what kinds of food she could make.  I told her two things: Mexican food and pizza!  Pizza is what I consider the white canvas of the food world-- a good pizza crust is just the starting point for your imagination, and in todays world anything goes! No matter what your dietary restrictions, you can eat pizza, just as long as you think outside the proverbial Dominoes and Pizza Hut box.
I have made pizza about once a week for the past 2 1/2 years!

This pizza dough recipe makes enough dough for two large thin crust pizzas.  My directions include an overnight rise in the refrigerator (which I think makes the texture better), but you can still use this recipe as long as you have at least an hour before baking time.  I like doing the dough the night before because the next day I don't have to think about it, and I can just take out the perfectly risen dough a couple of hours before baking. I also just use normal baking pans for the most part.  I had a horribly tragic pizza stone experience on my birthday and the scars have yet to heal.

Pizza dough: 
1 1/4 cup warm water
1 1/4 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar or brown sugar
2 TSB olive oil
1 tsp salt
3 cups all purpose flour

Combine the sugar, water and yeast in a large bowl.  After a few minutes, the yeast should "bloom" and become alive and frothy.  Add in the olive oil.  In a separate bowl combine the flour and salt.  Add in the flour mixture in two or three installments to the yeast/water mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until the dough is mostly combined and still a little sticky.  Turn out the dough onto a floured surface, spray your hands with cooking spray and start kneading the dough (basically just folding the dough back onto itself and pressing out the air, rotating the dough, and folding it again, etc.).  If you need to, add a little more flour, but the dough should be a little tacky.  The longer you knead the dough, the easier it will be to work with.  After 5 or 6 minutes of kneading, leave the dough alone for a minute or two before coming back and kneading it again for another minute.  During that paused interval, the dough will have become fairly smooth and elastic (probably something to do with gluten and bonding) and should make the last minute or two of kneading very easy and satisfying.  When you are finished kneading the dough, put it into a large oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Take out the dough about two hours prior to baking so that the dough can come to room temperature.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and place an oven rack on the lowest setting in your oven.  When you are ready to top your pizzas, just divide the dough in half, spray cooking spray on each baking sheet, and stretch the dough to fit your pan, using your hands to shape it and push it in place.  I don't ever use rolling pins. 

I have gone away from using red sauced pizzas and now prefer just a sauce that is just a drizzle of olive oil, salt and garlic.

Summer Pizza: (pictured in the right side of the top pizza)
olive oil
salt
minced garlic
mozarella cheese
tomatoes, sliced
zuchini, quartered and sliced
red or green pepper, chopped
corn, preferably roasted
basil, torn or chopped
feta cheese

Once you stretched out your dough to fit your pan, drizzle some olive oil on your crust and sprinkle with salt and minced garlic, spreading with your fingers or a brush if you have one.  Sprinkle with mozarella, then top with zuchini, sliced tomatoes, chopped peppers, corn, basil, and then feta cheese,  Cook in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until the crust looks golden brown.

Mushroom broccoli Alfredo (light)

I could have named this dish Alfredo with broccoli and mushrooms, or broccoli mushroom Alfredo, but I chose to use mushrooms as the lead as a nod to my husband.  He loves mushrooms.  Its his favorite fungus.  Although I use a guiltless Alfredo sauce recipe from Our Best Bites, I make this dish my own by adding in a lot of sauteed mushrooms and their juices as well as some roasted broccoli.  The result is really, really good, and again, this recipe is versatile because you could add whatever you want to the sauce recipe to make a meal.  I have added sauteed red peppers and spinach.  I have served it with salmon.  It is very versatile and very easy.  Enjoy.

Guiltless Alfredo sauce
2 cups lowfat milk
1/3 cup (3 oz) lowfat cream cheese
2 TBS flour
1 tsp salt
1 TBS butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup grated parmesan cheese (not the powder stuff)

1 lb preferred pasta of choice
1 lb broccoli florets
8 oz-1 lb sliced mushrooms
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


To make sauce:
In a blender or food processor, blend the milk, cream cheese, flour, and salt until smooth and set aside.  In a large saucepan, melt butter on medium-high heat and add the minced garlic.  Saute the garlic for about 30 seconds, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.  Add the milk mixture to the butter and garlic and stir constantly for about 3-4 minutes until it comes to a simmer.  Keep stirring and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens.  Remove from heat and whisk in the grated cheese.  Cover the pan and allow the sauce to stand for about 10 minutes before using.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place the broccoli florets on a baking sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for about 15 minutes or until the broccoli starts to get just a little bit of char on the edges (but it should still have a nice bright green color).  When the broccoli is finished roasting, turn out on to a cutting board and roughly chop (if you want smaller pieces)

While the broccoli is roasting, make the pasta according to package directions, and begin the mushrooms.  Heat a little olive oil in a very large saute pan (mushrooms like to have their room!) over medium to medium high heat.  Add the mushrooms to the pan and sprinkle with some salt to allow the mushrooms to release all their awesome juices.  Saute until the mushrooms are nice and tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally (up to 5-10 minutes depending on how many mushrooms you are cooking).  When the mushrooms are done, add the Alfredo sauce right into the mushroom pan and gently stir.

When the pasta is finished cooking, drain the pasta water and add the mushroom Alfredo sauce and the chopped brocooli right into the pasta pan.  Test the finished pasta for seasoning.  I like to add a good amount of fresh cracked pepper to my pasta at this point, but its up to you!

Tilapia with Mango salsa

So this is one of those 10% moments, if you count fish as meat. If you don't count fish as meat...which never made sense to me...because then what is it....vegetable?...mineral? But however you define it, fish is definitely our preferred meat/protein, and we try to include fish into our diets at least once a week.
This is one of my favorite ways to prepare fish because Tilapia is generally the least expensive fish to buy, and mango salsa tastes good on everything. Also, you could use this recipe and make it elegant with risotto and broccoli (as pictured) or you could totally just create fish tacos with it or pair it with rice and beans! The salsa, by the way, is just a rockin salsa! You could prepare it alone and just have a date night in with a bag of chips! And mangos are in season right now (I think).

Tilapia with Mango Salsa

Basic Tilapia
1 lb Tilapia fillets
1 TBSP olive oil
lemon juice from half a lemon
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

optional seasoning:
fresh chopped or dried basil to taste, or
chili powder and cayenne pepper (for more southwestern flair)

Mango Salsa
1 large ripe mango, peeled and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes quartered
1 jalapeno, minced (seeded if you want less heat)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
2 TBSP lime juice
salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the mango salsa by combining the mango, red bell pepper, red onion, tomatoes, cilantro, and jalapeno in a bowl.  Add in the lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse fish and pat dry.  Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and spray with cooking spray.  Place the fillets on the sheet and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then season with the garlic, salt, and pepper. At this point you can choose to add either basil or a combination of southwest seasonings depending on how you choose to serve your fish. Bake for 8-12 minutes (depending on the thickness of your fillets).

Serve the fish fillets topped with the mango salsa.

Southwest Stuffed Peppers

I have been out of town with my family for the past week.  On our vacation, we had the opportunity to eat at a real vegetarian restaurant in Victoria, BC called "Rebar" and it was awesome!!  The funny thing is that as we were considering where we should eat, I found myself thinking the same stereotypical anti-vegetarian thoughts that I usually make fun of: "Will I feel satisfied?," "Will the food be weird?,"and "I think there is a Fatburger down the street..."  Richard and I ordered an amazing curry dish and an almond burger with sweet potato fries.  We left feeling full and awesome!
This recipe is not from that restaurant. I picked this recipe because I had some leftover rice and this is my go-to recipe for leftover rice. I combine rice, beans, tomatoes, corn, cheese and some awesome spices and bake them in bell peppers.  And when I feel like it, I smother them in enchilada sauce before baking.  Did you know that rice and beans together make a complete protein? I am not sure WHY that is good, but I have been told that it is, so I repeat that rice and beans together make a complete protein.  And this is a versatile recipe because you could put pretty much any combination of ingredients inside that pepper and it will probably taste good.

Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers (adapted from Our Best Bites)

4 large bell peppers (whatever is cheapest, but red tastes best)
1-2 cups rice or quinoa (I just add however much I want proportionately in the mixture)
1 TBS olive oil
1/2 onion diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 jalapeno (or a whole one, if you like more heat)
4 oz canned mild green chilies (or 1 canned chipotle chili, if you like more heat)
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed (I sometimes add two cans)
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup of grated cheese (cheddar, jack, colby...whatever)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
juice of half a lime
salt and pepper to taste
red enchilada sauce (optional)

 Preheat oven to 350. Slice the tops off of your bell peppers and remove the insides.  Boil the whole peppers in a large amount of water for about 3-4 minutes.  Remove from water, drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add onions, garlic, jalapeno, and any chilies and cook until softened (about 5 minutes).  Add corn, beans, green onions, chili powder, and salt and pepper.  Cook for another 5 minutes and then remove from heat.  Add in rice, tomatoes, cilantro, and cheese.  Stir to combine, and then add in the lime juice.  Adjust the seasoning to taste, adding in more salt or spices if you want.  Divide the mixture between the bell peppers.  At this point, you can put a little more cheese on top, or you can smother the peppers with enchilada sauce and then add more cheese on top-- however you like it.

Bake for 25 minutes in prepared oven.  Tonight we had them with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh pineapple on the side.  Yummm.

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Spanikopadilla (Greek quesadillas) and hearty greek salad

One secret about Anna, is that she will eat anything if it is contained in a tortilla with cheese.  Naturally, I was stoked when I found some recipes in a magazine that were all interesting variations of the quesadilla.  This was the first that I tried.  The filling is a mixture of sauteed spinach, feta cheese, a little egg, and some mozarella.  I paired our substantial quesadillas with a greek salad that contains bulgar wheat, garbanzo beans, tomatos, cucumbers, and cilantro with a lemon/dill vinagrette.  Feel free to add feta or olives to the salad or top it with some home made tzaziki sauce (yogurt cucumber sauce-- also good as a dip for the quesadillas). 

Spanikopadilla Recipe

olive oil
10 oz baby spinach
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 tsp minced garlic
1 large egg
1/2 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp dried dill or 2 TBSP fresh dill
1 tsp dried parsley or 2 TBP fresh parsley
2/3 cup feta cheese (or however much you want!)
4 or 5 flour tortillas
3/4 cup shredded mozarella

Heat oven to 425, saute the spinach in a little olive oil until it has wilted and significantly reduced in size (a few minutes).  Take it out of the pan and set aside to cool. Once cooled, squeeze out the spinach to get rid of excess water.  Meanwhile, in the same pan, saute the onion and garlic in a little olive oil for a few minutes until softened.  Add to the spinach in a large bowl.  Add the egg, feta, and all spices.  Gently combine.

Arrange tortillas on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle a little mozarella on half of each tortilla, then evenly distribute the spinach/feta mixture among each tortilla on top of the mozarella.  Sprinkle a little more mozarella on top of the spinach mixture, then fold the tortillas in half over the filling.  Brush the tops with just a little olive oil and bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes (depending on how crispy you want them) on the top rack in the oven.

Greek Salad

3/4 cup bulgar wheat
3/4 cup boiling water
1 can garbanzo beans
1/2 of a red bell pepper diced
1/2 cucumber chopped large
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tomatoes chopped large
1/2 cup cilantro chopped (or parsley, or dill, or basil, or mint...whatever you have on hand)
2 TBSP olive oil
3 TBSP lemon juice (or more to taste)
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried basil
feta cheese, olives (optional)

In a large bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgar wheat and let stand until the bulgar soaks up the water (about 30 minutes).  Let cool.  Once cool, add the bell pepper, tomatoes, beans, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro.  In a small jar with a lid, combine the dressing ingredients-- olive oil, lemon juice, salt pepper, and dried spices.  Shake until combined and then pour over the salad.  I like to add a little more lemon juice at this point, and when I have it on hand-- some feta cheese and sliced olives.  Refrigerate for a few hour or until ready to serve.

Veggie burgers

The ultimate veggie burger (in my humble but correct opinion), and the best place to start if you are wanting to add in more meatless entrees into the rotation. You won't be dissapointed.
This was what we ate Superbowl Sunday. Veggie burger (from "the Food Network"), baked sweet potato fries (from "Our best bites") and a curred pea and cabbage cole slaw (from "Allrecipes.com"). So good. I entered it in a burger competition (okay, so it was just a bunch of friends), and I got 4 votes for best burger. Even meat eaters like it.

adapted from "Morgan's Veggie Patties"
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/3 cup diced black olives
1/2 cup diced red bell peppers
1 diced jalapeno
1/4 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup diced artichoke
1 can black beans, drained
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 can white beans, drained
2 1/4 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 TBSP dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
3 eggs

Basically, just saute all the veggies in olive oil until tender, and then let them cool. Add the veggies to the beans and all the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. I like to mash this together and mix it with my hand, kind of smashing the beans into the mixture along the way. If it seems too wet, add a little more bread crumbs. It won't look perfect because the beans will still look like beans.

Shape into large patties and place on greased baking sheet, and then chill for about a half hour. It will help the patties to firm up and they will hold together better when you cook them.

I have had great success both with baking and frying. Usually I fry these in a little canola oil-- a few minutes on each side (depending on the size of the patty). The recipe makes quite a few veggie burgers (unless you make them huge), and from what I hear they freeze well. So go at it.