Black Bean and Corn Vegan Chili

"Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances of survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet." - Albert Einstein 

Vegan chili! Yum yum yum. As you can see, the quest to make more vegan dishes continues. Although, I have a confession to make. I've outlined this recipe as vegan, but I did add a little sour cream at the end...

(Remember this? Oh, how I miss Sex and the City!)

Making great vegan recipes is hard. I never realized how much I rely on meat and dairy for flavoring my dishes. I will admit, this one was very good vegan, but sour cream just gave it that extra something. 

I don't know. I'd love more tips on how to create delicious vegan foods. I'm getting the hang of it, but need more inspiration. 

Anyway, this recipe is perfect for the winter time, even though in California winter is like, long sleeve weather.  Maybe a decorative scarf. One quick sidenote: I'M SO GLAD I GOT OUT OF MINNESOTA.

Here is a picture from last year, taken from my car, which I was stuck in for FOUR HOURS on the highway, completely snowed in. And before you lecture me on the dangers of driving during a blizzard (I KNOW. I just said I was from MN!), I was trying to get to the hospital where we were short-staffed. Still, big mistake. 

Even though I live in not-hell now, and am completely warm and sunny today, the horrible snowstorm pictures popping up on my facebook are enough to make me crave something hot for my belly. So here it is. High-protein vegan chili, with a vegetarian alternative. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced

2 cups cooked black beans

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can corn

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup cooked quinoa

16 oz salsa verde

2 teaspoons chili powder

¼ teaspoon cumin

1 tablespoon cilantro (fresh and torn)

Sour cream for topping (if making the non-vegan version)

Directions:

Step 1: In a small skillet, heat butter on med/low until melted. Add onions and cook for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large pot on low heat, add black beans, tomatoes and corn (NOT strained), cooked quinoa, salsa verde, and onions. Mix well, then add chili powder, cumin, and cilantro. Increase heat until chili is boiling. Then reduce to simmer and leave, covered, for 30 minutes. Serve hot!

Serves 5-8. 

(

(ahhhh, that's better!)

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

"Life itself is the proper binge." - Julia Child

I went to dinner at my sister's house a few weeks ago and she made incredible quinoa stuffed peppers. I didn't have the ingredients to make the same recipe a few weeks later, so I made up my own. It is more of a mexican quinoa stuffed pepper, and I also cut them a little different (pictures of both types below). I encourage you to play around with ingredients and shaping your peppers, it's a lot of fun and quinoa is super versatile!

(my sister's turkey and quinoa peppers)

(my mexican quinoa stuffed peppers)

Ingredients:

1/2 diced yellow onion

1T olive oil

1/4 cup cooked pancetta (can replace with ground beef or shredded chicken)

2 cloves diced garlic

1/2T cumin

7 ounces petite cut diced tomatoes

1 cup water

1/2 cup quinoa

1 teaspoon fresh cilantro

1/2 cup cheddar cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

3 bell peppers (any color, but I found red the tastiest) 

1/2 t salt

Directions:

Step 1: Preheat oven to 400F. In a large pan cook onion, cumin, olive oil, and diced garlic on med/high heat for five minutes. Add tomatoes and cook an additional 5 minutes. 

Step 2: Add water and turn heat to high, bringing the mixture to a boil. Add the quinoa and cilantro. Let cook for 10-20 minutes, depending on the recommendation of your specific type of quinoa (on the book--mine was 20 minutes). 

Step 3: Once quinoa is cooked, add pancetta, salt, and parmesan cheese. Stir thoroughly. 

Step 4: Cut your peppers to the desired shape and de-seed and remove stem. Place the peppers on a cooking sheet covered with tin foil. Fill the peppers with your cooked mixture. Cover peppers with loose tin foil and cook in oven for 25 minutes.

Step 5: Remove peppers from oven and sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Cook in oven, uncovered, for an additional 7-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Serves 2-3. 

White Wine Poached Salmon

“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” - W. C. Fields

This recipe comes from an elderly gentleman I met at the grocery store while perusing the meat counter. We got to chatting and he started telling me some of his favorite recipes. He said that he’s made salmon this way “for thirty years”—so of course I had to give his suggestion a try! I adapted it just slightly, and it turned out fabulous!

Directions: 

1 fresh salmon filet with skin on one side
1 cup white cooking wine 
1/4 cup gluten-free chicken broth 
2 teaspoons fresh parsley 
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 cloves chopped garlic 
salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Step 1: Sautee the garlic and olive oil for 2-4 minutes in large pan. 

Step 2: Add the chicken broth, parsley, salt and pepper, and wine, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. 

Step 3: Add the salmon (make sure the sauce is at a low boil – no spitting) and baste with sauce from the pan. Cook the salmon skin side down, covered on medium-low for 10-12 minutes, basting again half way through. Enjoy! :)

Serves 2. Sides in the picture include garlic roasted green beans and cucumber red pepper quinoa.