Vegetarian Chili

Look at these beautiful colors!

You know you have a great recipe when you can make this every week, never tire of it and can eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Best of all, it has all the feel of comfort food, yet  is so very healthy.   This receipe is adapted from Emeril Lagasse's Vegetarian Chili.  I cut back on the spices because unlike a meaty chili where the spice index can be very high, I think the lighter spicing compliments the beautiful taste of farm fresh organic vegetables. It is also a very forgiving recipe where you can add more or less of any of the ingredients according to what you have available and what you like.

Ingredients


2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ½ cups chopped yellow onions


1 ½ cup chopped red, yellow and green bell peppers


2 tablespoons minced garlic



2 medium zucchini, cut into small dice


2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels )

2 -3 baby 
portobello mushrooms , stemmed, wiped clean and cubed

1 1/2 tablespoons good mild chili powder
 (or to taste)

2 teaspoons ground cumin


¾ teaspoon oregano

A few cracks of good salt  to taste (I use Himalyan Pink)

Pinch of cayenne


4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
 or one large can of organic tomatoes

3-4 cups cooked black beans, or canned beans, rinsed and drained


1 ½ cups of tomato sauce

1 cup vegetable stock, or water


Directions

In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 6 – 10 minutes.   

Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes.

Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30 minutes.

Creamy Sweet Root Soup

Recipe by Doreen

I love this soup for many reasons: 

it’s so very healthy and the thick creamy texture makes for great satisfying comfort food.  It’s very easy to prepare because there is very little hands on prep time involved by slow roasting vegetables instead of the usual chopping and boiling.  It’s also very flexible as you can adjust the quantity of vegetables up or down according to what you like or have in your pantry and then balance with liquids accordingly without affecting the outcome. 

Creamy Sweet Root Soup

                    Ingredients

• 1 Sweet Potato  

• 1 small butter nut squash or ½ medium-large size  

• 1 medium red  onion

• 2 medium- large carrots  

• coconut oil or oil of choice

• 1 teaspoon of mild curry powder or paste (use more or less according to taste)

• 2 cups vegetable broth (Trader Joe’s is organic and only 70 mg of sodium)

• ¼ - ½ cup coconut milk (optional but it provides good balance)

                    Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 ^o

• Pierce potato with fork several times

• Cut butternut squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds

• Peel carrots and leave whole 

• Peel onion and cut into ¼-1/2  inch thick slices 

• Rub coconut oil on all vegetables to prevent drying out in oven.

• Place a sheet of parchment paper on a large baking sheet or line with foil.

• Arrange all vegetables in a single layer with squash cut-side down.

• Roast approximately 45 minutes or until vegetables are slightly soft when fork passes through  

When vegetables are cooled, peel and place in food processor with curry, 1 cup of the vegetable stock and ¼ cup coconut milk if using. Process until pureed to a smooth consistency.  Add additional stock and coconut milk until the desired balance and consistency is reached.

Your soup will be a beautiful shade of orange!

Serve with a swirl of milk, cream or coconut milk 
and crusty grainy bread!  

~ Enjoy ~

A Delicata Dinner

Recipe by Amanda

Bake "Delicata" squash at 350° until tender (about 30 mins)

Grate whole* organic cheddar cheese onto squash after it comes out of the oven.

meanwhile

Cook broccoli with garlic and veggie broth.

Add a side of corn or other fall vegetable.

*Whole milk products are safer because the processing to make low fat dairy is really nasty :(