Sunday's Soup/True Vegetarian Vegan Chili

I've told this story before, so forgive me if you've heard it ;)

A number of years ago, I made a pot of traditional chili, with meat. Now I love a spicy dish, but if it's too hot for me, no one in my household will be able to eat it. This chili was REALLY hot, even for me! For the life of me, I don't know how I convinced myself that the spiciness of the dish was a matter of mind over matter. If I acted like it was fine, no one else would notice. I don't know, maybe the overly hot chili had given me a momentary lapse in saneness ;)

So, when dinner time rolled around, I served up the chili. I sat down and began to eat it as though there wasn't a pepper in it. After a few minutes, my exchange student, who was from the Canary Islands, and did not like spicy food, said, "I'm sorry Rhonda, but this is just too hot!" My husband then chimed in and said that he thought it was just him and then asked if I thought it was hot. I admitted that it was extremely hot, but I thought they wouldn't notice. He said, "Not notice!!! How can you not notice when your mouth is on fire???" I have yet to live that story down :)

I do love a bowl of chili, but, since I no longer eat meat, I want a truly vegetarian bowl, no fake meat, just vegetables. The recipe I'm sharing today has a couple of secret ingredients.

For this chili, you'll begin with a large chopped onion sauteed in oil, along with 1 tablespoon of minced ginger. The smell will be heavenly.

Add 2 cloves of minced garlic, and 2 chopped bell peppers. I used an orange and a yellow pepper, but green will do just fine.

Now, this is where it begins to turn into chili...
Add 3 teaspoons of good chili powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, and 2 teaspoons of paprika. Allow to saute on low for about 5 minutes. 

At this point, add 2, 28 oz. cans of diced tomatoes(I like fire-roasted tomatoes), and 3, 14.5 oz cans of your favorite beans, drained and rinsed. I used garbanzo beans, pinto beans, and small northern beans. Besides the ginger, the other little secret ingredient is a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce which you will add at this point. 

Allow the mixture to simmer for at least 30 minutes. 

I like to make a pot of bulgar, which is cracked wheat to serve with my chili. Serve up a bowl of the chili and then add a mound of bulgar on top. Delicious! You could also make a pot of your favorite rice rather than the bulgar. I just really love bulgar :)

True Vegetarian Chili With a Twist

ingredients;
1 large onion chipped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
2 bell peppers chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes
3 14.5 oz. cans of beans, pinto, garbanzo, and small northern beans drained and rinsed
3 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons of the adobo sauce
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste 

directions;
Place oil in a large soup pot. Add onion and ginger. Saute over medium heat until onion is translucent. Add garlic and bell peppers. Saute another 5 minutes until peppers are tender. Add chili powder, cumin, and paprika. Stir well to combine. Saute for about 2 minutes to begin to release flavors.

Add dice tomatoes, the 3 cans of rinsed beans, the chipotle pepper, and the adobo sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on a low fire for 30 minutes, or longer. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle into bowls. A mound of cooked bulgar, or cooked rice of your choice makes a nice accompaniment. 

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As always, if you give the recipe a try, I hope you enjoy it. Don't leave out the fresh ginger! It really adds a lovely flavor. As for the adobo sauce, it can be a bit spicy, so put in a tablespoon of the sauce, and give it a try before you add the second.

Enjoy!
Rhonda

Sunday's Soup/Voodoo Hippie Chili

There was an episode of the television show, 'Friends,' where Phoebe wanted so badly to be Monica's maid of honor. But, of course, Rachel thought she should be the maid of honor. Realizing that she had lost the battle, Rachel said, "well, okay, let's see how Monica likes your Voodoo Hippie bridal shower." My quote isn't exactly perfect, but it was the Voodoo Hippie part that stuck in my mind as I thought it was hilarious! Now, I finally have a place where I can use the words!!!

I love chili. There's just something about a bowl of chili that warms my soul. My only problem with making chili is that I like it rather spicy. After setting many mouths on fire, I have learned to turn down the heat, and allow all to add their own level of fire! So, the only magical aspect of this chili is that it tastes great just as it is, and all can customize it for their own level of heat.

This is a super simple recipe, and can easily be made during the week when time is at a premium, especially during the holiday season . So no excuse not to have a nutritious, and delicious meal.  It's also FULL of protein, so it will leave you very satisfied :)    

Begin by sauteing the chopped onions in olive oil until tender. Add the chopped red and green bell peppers. It will look a little like Christmas in a pot :)

Add garlic, canned tomatoes, red lentils, garbanzo beans, pinto beans, bay leaves, oregano, dried cilantro, chili powder and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes. 
Serve and enjoy.
   

Voodoo Hippie Chili
printable recipe

ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large yellow onion chopped
1 green bell pepper chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 25 oz.cans diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 14.5 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 14.5 oz. can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed
2 bay leaves
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
8 cups vegetable broth
salt and black pepper to taste 

Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onions and saute until tender. Add green and red peppers and saute about 10 minutes over a medium flame. Add garlic and saute another minute, being careful not to burn the garlic. 
*If you would like a non-vegetarian version, add meat or sausage of choice at this point. Brown until cooked through.   
Add lentils, diced tomatoes, bay leaves, oregano, chili powder, dried cilantro, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and cook until lentils are tender, about 20-30 minutes. 
Add salt and black pepper to taste.

Top with slices of jalapeno peppers, chopped green onion, grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and/or sliced avocado. 

A great idea for a casual party is to make the chili and then have toppings available on a buffet so all of your guests can customize to their preference. 

Serve with a hot pan of cornbread and lots of butter ;) 

   
I've learned that entertaining doesn't need to be an elaborate meal. Something as simple as a pot of chili can bring people together and make the best of evenings. So in a way, I guess it is rather magical :)

Hope you will make a little magic of your own!
Rhonda     

Sunday's Soup

It's January, it's cold, at least it is where I am. Whether it's warm or cold, it seems that January makes everyone think a little about their weight or or at least eating a little healthier. I came across this recipe from Weight Watchers and it sounded interesting, so in the spirit of the month, I thought I would give it a try. The ingredients are a bit different, things I don't typically use. I really wasn't sure about the addition of the Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix, but I was pleasantly surprised. The soup is more of a chili than a soup, but as I said, I was pleasantly surprised, so if you like chili, I would recommend giving the recipe a try. You can find the original recipe here, http://ww-recipes.net/2012/01/weight-watchers-taco-soup-recipe-4-ww-points-6-ww-points-plus/. If you are paying attention to calories, you can find all of the information on their website.
I did make a few changes that I will share with you at the end of the post.

 Weight Watcher's Taco Soup

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey breast
1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (any flavor)
1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes (Mexican flavor)
1 large onion (chopped)
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1 1/4 ounce) package hidden valley ranch dressing mix
1 (15 ounce) can hot chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Preparation
1. Brown the the meat and onions and drain.
2. Mix the taco seasoning mix and ranch dressing mix into the meat.
3. Add all the other ingredients, without draining.
4. Simmer for about 1 hour.
5. Serve hot, topped with sour cream, cheese, avocado, raw onions, or nacho chips (optional).

Servings: 10

My changes;

I did not use ground turkey or beef, rather

This is a meat substitute. I like it. Since it is a soy based product, there is no fat. 

I did not use the Mexican flavored stewed tomatoes. Instead I used the Rotel with Habanero peppers. I do like spicy!

In an effort to make the taco seasoning mix a little healthier  I chose one with lower sodium.

As you can see, the soup/chili has a rich and satisfying look. The corn adds just a hint of sweet flavor that is nice.

There are only 239 calories per serving. Be careful of with your toppings as they can add up to quite a few calories very quickly. This recipe will freeze beautifully and is perfect for a weekday lunch.  

Enjoy!