Veggie Yogi

Vegetarian Chili

VeggieYogi ♦ January 15, 2012 ♦ 9 Comments

This recipe is a staple in our household. I have tried many vegetarian chilis, but this one is definitely the best. It has lots of vegetables and is not loaded with sodium like many vegetarian chilis are–particularly the ones that use those veggie crumbles they sell in the stores.

So here’s a healthy and nutritious chili that is full of “good-for-you” veggies. Feel free to switch out your favorite veggies. I had butternut squash in my fridge that I needed to use up and that turned out to be a great addition. I also always try to slip in kidney beans whenever I can since they are good for reducing cholesterol.So feel free to add what you have and what you like!

The recipe is adapted from the Chili Chili Bang Bang recipe in a cookbook called “Looneyspoons” by Janet and Greta Podleski. It’s really a fun cookbook–they have several. It is out of print now, but you can still buy it on Amazon.

Here’s what you’ll need:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 cups chopped onions
1 diced orange bell pepper
1 diced yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 1/2 cups cubed butternut squash
1 clove of garlic ( or more if you prefer more)
2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15 oz can black beans
1 15 oz can chickpeas
1 15 oz can kidney beans
1 cup frozen corn
3/4 cup water
1 tbsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
Cayenne pepper to taste
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

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I like to start by chopping everything you will need so it is ready to go when the time comes to add it.

Place 2 tbsp olive oil in the bottom of a large pot and cook the onions, green pepper, red pepper, celery, carrots, squash, garlic and chili powder for about 6 minutes or until the vegetables are softened.

Rinse the beans.

Then add the mushrooms and cook for a few more minutes.

Add remaining ingredients–tomatoes, beans, corn, water, cumin, oregano, basil, cayenne pepper, and red pepper flakes. Be careful with that cayenne! I usually just shake a bunch depending on my mood. It’s nice if it has just a little kick! 🙂 Stir everything together and bring it to a boil.

Then cover and simmer on medium low heat for 20 minutes.

Voila! You have a delicious vegetarian chili that is good for you!

Yam Stew

VeggieYogi ♦ January 11, 2012 ♦ Leave a comment

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes! My Mom found it years ago in The Toronto Star and I believe the recipe came from a vegetarian restaurant at York University called Counter Culture.

My Mom was always on the lookout for vegetarian recipes for me so she decided to try it one time when my brother and I were home visiting. She had never really cooked with cayenne so when it called for 1-2 teaspoons of cayenne she went out and bought fresh cayenne and put in two full teaspoons.It was way too hot to eat! Even my brother who loves hot food couldn’t eat it. After taking a few bites he had tears pouring down his face! So if you make it–don’t put in that much cayenne!! With just the right amount of cayenne it is absolutely delicious.

Here’s what you’ll need
2 tbsp veg oil
2 cups chopped cabbage
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 cup apple juice
1 cup peanut butter
3 cups chopped and peeled yams
3 large onions chopped
3 cups V8 juice
Cayenne to taste
1 to 2 tsp ground ginger
1 sweet bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced

Start by cooking oil, onions, yams, cabbage and garlic over medium heat for about 15 minutes.

One of my secrets is because I’m pretty busy and don’t have a lot of time to prepare I buy frozen, pre-chopped onions. If had the time to chop them myself I would, but this saves a lot of time and tears!

Next add the apple juice, V8 juice, cayenne and ginger. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.

Then add the green pepper, sweet pepper and peanut butter and simmer for 10 more minutes.

Serve on a bed of couscous.

My other secret is that I rarely make anything where I don’t double the recipe and then transfer it into small containers to freeze. During the week I don’t have time to cook so most of my cooking is done on the weekend. Then through the week when my husband and I come home hungry we simply pull out our little containers and heat them up! Home made vegetarian TV dinners! 🙂

Spinach, Mandarin and Beet Salad

VeggieYogi ♦ December 17, 2011 ♦ Leave a comment

With Christmas finally behind us, it’s time to clear all the chocolate and cookies out of the house and start eating lots of salads! I don’t know why this time of year seems to revolve around eating tons of things we wouldn’t eat any other time of year, but on a day like today it is very refreshing to lunch on a spinach salad that is packed with antioxidants.

I never quite make this recipe the same way twice–it just depends on what I have in the house. But to me the staples are the dried cranberries, walnuts, mandarin oranges and beats. It was adapted from a salad served at Eden Alley–a vegetarian restaurant here in Kansas City. They serve the Betty Bailey Berry Salad which can be found in the cookbook “Stir-Well to Heaven” and also includes couscous which is an amazing addition!

Here’s what you’ll need:
Spinach
Dried cranberries
Canned mandarin oranges (In water, not syrup, or fresh if you can get them)
Walnuts
Pickled Beets
Couscous (optional but awesome!)