Month: December 2022

To say I enjoy a nice bowel of chili is an understatement. I believe I could live off of chili or soup. I am always trying new ways to make both or as I look for new recipes on Pinterest it can lead to hours of scrolling and drooling as I find so many great recipes out there.

Today my picture falls flat on a Pinterest level but looks are deceiving because this chili is actually very good.

I came home from shopping hungry and a little cold so of course I turned to a chili or soup. I only had one can of red beans, half of a package of soy chorizo, half a can of corn with little time to boot but the chili turned out great so I thought I’d share.

Short on time but want to enjoy something tasty? This turns out to be a very cheep meal and who isn’t trying to watch their spending nowadays.

Quick Vegan Chili :

3-4 Servings, Time 20-25 minutes

1 16 ounce can of Red Beans

8 ounce of Soy Chorizo

1/2 can of Corn (about 8 ounces)

1 15 ounce can diced Tomatoes

1 8 ounce Tomato Sauce

1/4 of a onion diced

6 cloves of garlic diced

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

In a large pot on medium/high heat add olive oil, garlic and onion sautéing until the onion is almost translucent then add the soy chorizo cooking a few more minutes. Turn burner down to a low heat adding the remaining ingredients. Let simmer for about 15 minutes then serve.

I used vegan shredded cheese to top my chili and of course crackers but a nice side of corn bread would also be so very good, Enjoy!

I had told my family that this quick spur of the moment dish was quinoa chili but changed it because I didn’t want to add to the debate of what chili is, so I decided that perhaps this hot spicy stew is just that, it is a stew and stay out of the debate.

This only takes a short amount of time; one pot and you can add to it to make it even better. With quinoa as the star, I was thinking latter that perhaps a nice white bean to go along with the quinoa would be great too. You still get the benefits of great fiber and clean protein that assist with bodybuilding as well as stabilizing your sugar, plus so many more vitamins and minerals, so you still get great health benefits if you choose just quinoa in it.

Quinoa Stew:

1 1/2 – 2 cups of quinoa (I used golden)

6-8 cups of water

Vegan chicken broth base (follow back of container for amount per your water)

1/2 – 3/4 cup cilantro lime salsa (depends on your taste)

1 small white onion diced

4-5 cloves of garlic diced

1 small green bell pepper

1 15 ounces of corn

1 15 ounces of diced tomatoes

1 small can dice green chilies

1-2 tablespoon of olive oil

Clean quinoa, set aside. Chop onion, garlic and green bell pepper. In a large pot over medium/high heat add olive oil, onion, garlic and green bell pepper sauteing until the green bell pepper is half cooked then add the can of green chilies, corn and tomatoes. Cook for a few more minutes then add washed quinoa, water and broth base. Stir altogether, lower heat add lid cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Serve in deep bowl, top with grated cheese, corn chips

(This dish is even great as leftovers!)

I think no matter what holiday is coming up for you, this recipe will make a great side dish. I made this for Thanksgiving and found I liked it as well as my bread stuffing and it offers some great health benefits.

Wild rice is actually grain free with antioxidants so that means they help combat free radicals, which are unstable molecules that damage the body’s cells making them prone to cancer as well as other health problems like heart and digestion to name a few. Then you add the benefits of cranberries with their antioxidants and helping our body’s immune system, urinary tract infections, tooth decay and brain function. Wrapping it up with pecans that also help with anti-inflammatory. This dish is perfect for this time of year when maybe the cold has you feeling less than your best.

 

Wild rice with, cranberries, and pecans:

1 cup wild rice (cooked according to package directions)

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium stalk of celery, finely sliced

1 Teaspoon of fine sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 Teaspoon of poultry seasoning

1/2 cup of vegetable stock

1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 Tablespoons flat parsley, chopped

1 green onions, finely chopped

 

Yields 4-6 servings

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery, nuts and onions sauté for 1-2 minutes then add cranberries and seasoning sauté’ 1-2 minutes more before adding vegetable bouillon. Simmer for about 5 minutes or until celery is soft. Add the rice and parsley, stir then pour into oven safe dish with a lid. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, remove from oven and serve then enjoy.