It's Monday, time to get the work week started. Today's vegetarian offerings include Vegan Chili and Angel Hair Pasta. Enjoy!
EASY WHOLE WHEAT VEGETARIAN SPINACH LASAGNA
This is from Jolinda Hackett on The Spruce Eats. Jolinda wrote, “Easy whole wheat vegetarian lasagna with spinach baked in the oven with three kinds of cheeses. What's not to love? This is the perfect classic spinach lasagna recipe for the whole family!
“Make your vegetarian lasagna just a bit healthier by using this recipe, which calls for whole wheat lasagna noodles and spinach. Even though it uses whole wheat noodles, this Italian spinach lasagna is incredibly rich and creamy as it uses plenty of mozzarella, Parmesan, and low-fat cottage cheese. Of course, you don't have to use whole wheat lasagna noodles if you prefer the regular kind.
“This spinach lasagna recipe is courtesy of the Wheat Foods Council.”
Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 90 minutes; Yield: 10 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 8-ounce package whole wheat lasagne noodles, cooked slightly (al dente)
1 9-ounce package frozen raw spinach (well thawed and drained)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
3 cups pre-made or store-bought pasta sauce
3 cups grated low-moisture part skim mozzarella cheese
Directions
Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs then add the cottage cheese and Parmesan cheese. Spray a 13 x 9-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray or a homemade olive oil spray.
Put one layer of the slightly cooked lasagna noodles flat across the bottom of the baking dish. Add about half of the spinach, pressing down lightly and evenly over the noodles. Top with another layer of lasagna noodles. Top this layer of noodles with the cottage cheese mixture then add the remaining spinach. Then add the last of the lasagna noodles laid evenly on top of spinach.
Once you've layered everything, spread the pasta sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle the whole thing with mozzarella cheese. Press down lightly.
Cover baking dish with foil, using foil sprayed with cooking spray and keeping foil off the center of the lasagna. Secure sides tightly over baking dish.
Bake about 1 hour 15 minutes in oven. To lightly brown the top, remove foil for a few minutes at the end of baking time.
Allow to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving): 282 Calories; 12g Fat; 23g Carbs; 19g Protein
COLESLAW
This yumminess is from Kay Chun in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Kay wrote, "This classic coleslaw recipe is also the simplest, with a light, creamy, tangy-sweet dressing spiked with celery seeds. For the best coleslaw, make it a few hours ahead and refrigerate it to allow all the flavors to marry and soak into the cabbage. Celery seeds add strong, aromatic, grassy notes, but simply skip them if they’re unavailable. For extra flair, you could add 1/2 cup of your favorite chopped fresh herb, such as parsley, tarragon or dill. Leftovers make a great topping for tacos, hot dogs, sliders and sandwiches."
Total Time: 10 minutes; Yield: 8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1023278-coleslaw. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
1/2 medium head purple cabbage (about 1 pound)
2 carrots, grated on the large holes of a box grater
Preparation
In a very large bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and celery seeds. Season with salt and pepper, and mix until smooth.
Shred the cabbage: Using a sharp knife, quarter and core the green cabbage. Arrange quarters cut side down, so they sit flat and stable. Thinly slice them lengthwise for longer shreds (or crosswise for shorter shreds). Repeat with the purple cabbage. You should get about 16 total cups of shredded green and purple cabbage.
Add all the shredded cabbage and the shredded carrots to the bowl, season with salt and pepper, and toss until well combined. (Hands work best here.)
Transfer coleslaw to a serving bowl and serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate 3 hours ahead of time and up to overnight for the best texture, and serve chilled.
CHILI CORNBREAD CASSEROLE
This is from Melanie Sorrentino on One Green Planet. Melanie wrote, "The only thing more delicious than golden cornbread dipped in chili is a cornbread casserole with chili filling! The hearty chili is made with rice, kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, and plenty of seasoning. As is, this recipe is ridiculously easy and minimalist. Add some sautéed green peppers and onions into the chili mix if you want to amp it up a bit."
To view this online, go to https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/chili-cornbread-casserole/.
Ingredients
1/2 cup dry rice
1 14-ounce can kidney beans
1/2 of 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
A sprinkle of poultry seasonings
Onion and garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 of 1 15-ounce box of cornbread mix
1/2 cup almond milk
1 4.5-ounce can of green chilis (optional)
Preparation
Add a 1/2 cup of dry rice to a pot along with about 3/4 cup of water. As soon as the water starts boiling, put a lid on it, and turned the temperature down to the second lowest on the stove. Allow to simmer with the lid on for about 15 minutes.
Add one can of beans and half of the large can of crushed tomatoes. The goal is simply to coat the rice and beans without making it soupy.
Added 2 tablespoons of chili powder, 1 tablespoon cumin, a sprinkle of poultry seasonings, onion and garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and red pepper flakes.
Pour into a casserole dish.
Add half of the cornbread mix into a bowl and slowly add almond milk. Start with 1/3 cup almond milk, whisk it into the dry mix and then add a couple more splashes. If you'd like, add a small can of green chilis.
Pour cornbread batter on top and bake at 350°F for 35-45 minutes. Serve.
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
SOUTHERN MACARONI AND CHEESE
This is from Millie Peartree and adapted by Kiera Wright-Ruiz in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipes, Kiera wrote, "There is macaroni and cheese, and then there is special occasion macaroni and cheese like this one. Unlike most recipes, which start with a roux, this one begins with a milk-and-egg base, which gives the dish an incredibly rich, silky taste. It’s adapted from Millie Peartree, the owner of Millie Peartree Fish Fry & Soul Food restaurant in the Bronx, who has been making this dish since she was a little girl. The recipe was passed down in her family for generations, but because of the generous amount of cheese used, the dish was only made for events like Christmas and Thanksgiving. Extra-sharp Cheddar adds tartness and a layer of Colby Jack creates a gooey, molten center. If you can’t find a Colby Jack blend, shredded mozzarella or a Mexican-style blend will work in its place. Discover more ideas for the big day in our best Thanksgiving recipes collection."
Total Time: 45 minutes, plus cooling; Yield:8 to 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020515-southern-macaroni-and-cheese. Also, check out Alison Roman's guide, "How to Make Mac and Cheese."
While you're at it, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend it. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
2 cups whole milk
2 large eggs
4 cups shredded extra-sharp Cheddar (about 16 ounces)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 cups shredded Colby Jack (about 8 ounces)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add macaroni and cook according to package directions until a little under al dente, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk milk and eggs. Add cooked macaroni, 2 cups extra-sharp Cheddar, melted butter, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and stir until well combined.
Add half the macaroni mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1-1/2 cups Colby Jack evenly on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture on top in an even layer. Cover with aluminum foil, transfer to the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven. Carefully remove and discard the aluminum foil. Top the macaroni mixture with the remaining 2 cups Cheddar and 1/2 cup Colby Jack. Broil on top rack until cheese is browned in spots, 3 to 5 minutes. (The broiled cheese can go from golden to burnt fairly quickly, so keep a close eye on it.)
Remove from oven and let cool until the macaroni and cheese is fully set, 10 to 15 minutes. (The mixture may first appear jiggly, but it will firm up as it cools.) Serve warm.
Showing posts with label Vegan Chili. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegan Chili. Show all posts
Monday, September 28, 2026
Friday, September 25, 2026
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay! What are your plans for the weekend? Hanging out with your kids? Yard work? Binge watching on Netflix, Peacock, CBS All-Access, or any other platform?
Whatever your plans for the weekend, if you're like me, chances are that on Monday, you'll wonder where the weekend went, and why you didn't get everything you wanted to do done. No matter.
In the end, though, we still need to eat. With that in mind, here are six yummy recipes to get you through the weekend, including Angel Hair Pasta, Vegan Chili, and Chocolate Mousse (photos above). Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
BEAN AND SALSA QUESADILLAS
This comes from page 32 of the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Salsa and roasted red peppers are blended together with cooked beans to make a smooth, rich quesadilla filling.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or black beans, or 1 15-oz. can beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (6 Tbs.)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch whole-wheat or multi-grain tortillas
Directions
Blend beans, salsa, cream cheese, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro in blender or food processor until mostly smooth.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Fold over tortillas to enclose filling. (If a tortilla’s edges don’t stick together, brush some oil along bottom inside edge.)
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 295; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 664 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Another one of my inventions. Let's face it: there are probably as many spaghetti sauce recipes as there are people who make spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Directions
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
Whatever your plans for the weekend, if you're like me, chances are that on Monday, you'll wonder where the weekend went, and why you didn't get everything you wanted to do done. No matter.
In the end, though, we still need to eat. With that in mind, here are six yummy recipes to get you through the weekend, including Angel Hair Pasta, Vegan Chili, and Chocolate Mousse (photos above). Enjoy!
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
BEAN AND SALSA QUESADILLAS
This comes from page 32 of the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Salsa and roasted red peppers are blended together with cooked beans to make a smooth, rich quesadilla filling.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or black beans, or 1 15-oz. can beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (6 Tbs.)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch whole-wheat or multi-grain tortillas
Directions
Blend beans, salsa, cream cheese, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro in blender or food processor until mostly smooth.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Fold over tortillas to enclose filling. (If a tortilla’s edges don’t stick together, brush some oil along bottom inside edge.)
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 295; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 664 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Another one of my inventions. Let's face it: there are probably as many spaghetti sauce recipes as there are people who make spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Directions
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
Friday, July 24, 2026
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay! What are your plans for the weekend? Hanging out with your kids? Yard work? Binge watching on Netflix, Peacock, CBS All-Access, or any other platform?
In the end, though, we still need to eat. With that in mind, here are six yummy recipes to get you through the weekend, including Angel Hair Pasta, Vegan Chili, and Chocolate Mousse. Enjoy!
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
BEAN AND SALSA QUESADILLAS
This comes from page 32 of the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Salsa and roasted red peppers are blended together with cooked beans to make a smooth, rich quesadilla filling.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or black beans, or 1 15-oz. can beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (6 Tbs.)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch whole-wheat or multi-grain tortillas
Directions
Blend beans, salsa, cream cheese, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro in blender or food processor until mostly smooth.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Fold over tortillas to enclose filling. (If a tortilla’s edges don’t stick together, brush some oil along bottom inside edge.)
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 295; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 664 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Another one of my inventions. Let's face it: there are probably as many spaghetti sauce recipes as there are people who make spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Directions
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
In the end, though, we still need to eat. With that in mind, here are six yummy recipes to get you through the weekend, including Angel Hair Pasta, Vegan Chili, and Chocolate Mousse. Enjoy!
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
BEAN AND SALSA QUESADILLAS
This comes from page 32 of the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Salsa and roasted red peppers are blended together with cooked beans to make a smooth, rich quesadilla filling.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or black beans, or 1 15-oz. can beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (6 Tbs.)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch whole-wheat or multi-grain tortillas
Directions
Blend beans, salsa, cream cheese, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro in blender or food processor until mostly smooth.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Fold over tortillas to enclose filling. (If a tortilla’s edges don’t stick together, brush some oil along bottom inside edge.)
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 295; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 664 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Another one of my inventions. Let's face it: there are probably as many spaghetti sauce recipes as there are people who make spaghetti sauce.
Ingredients
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Directions
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday, because not everyone loves tacos (gasp!). Today's offerings include Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Vegan Chili, and Yogurt Custard Pie. Enjoy!
LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE
This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.
Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.
Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
YOGURT CUSTARD PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped
1 - 9 inch pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.
VEGAN CHILI
This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.
Ingredients
For the Chile Paste (see Note):
2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)
For the Chili:
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond
1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)
Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.
Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.
Tip
You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.
ULTIMATE VEGGIE FRIED RICE
This was in the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 64, in an article, “The Zen Kitchen.” It begins, “Add leftover cooked vegetables, an egg, or some beans, and you have a wonderful one-bowl meal. Recipe adapted from Tassajara Dinners & Desserts by Dale and Melissa Kent.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 small carrot, diced (1/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked brown rice, crumbled or broken up
2 cups leftover vegetables, beans, etc., optional
Preparation
Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, herbes de Provence, and salt 10 to 15 minutes, or until well browned. Add a little more oil if pan seems dry. Add rice, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot and well combined.
Rice is now ready to be served, but if you have some time before your meal, turn heat to low, add a little more oil to pan, and let rice sit undisturbed 7 to 10 minutes, or until browned. If it begins to stick, scrape it up, stir tasty brown bits in, and continue browning with a little more oil. The more time and energy you spend at this stage, the tastier the rice will be. If using leftovers, add them just before serving and continue to heat thoroughly.
PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES
This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.
Ingredients
1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta
1 cup pesto sauce
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 head broccoli florets
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.
While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.
Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.
Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.
ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold fall days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.”
POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 8; Preparation Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Note: This recipe originally called for “3 cups fat-free chicken broth.” But since this is a vegetarian blog, I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Ingredients
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups winter squash, cubed
2 servings cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
3 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes.
Place vegetables in a large pot; add broth and milk. Season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, and blend until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Puree soup in batches to prevent hot liquid from splatterng, if necessary. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes
You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.
LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE
This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.
Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.
Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
YOGURT CUSTARD PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped
1 - 9 inch pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.
VEGAN CHILI
This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.
Ingredients
For the Chile Paste (see Note):
2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)
For the Chili:
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond
1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)
Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.
Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.
Tip
You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.
ULTIMATE VEGGIE FRIED RICE
This was in the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 64, in an article, “The Zen Kitchen.” It begins, “Add leftover cooked vegetables, an egg, or some beans, and you have a wonderful one-bowl meal. Recipe adapted from Tassajara Dinners & Desserts by Dale and Melissa Kent.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 small carrot, diced (1/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked brown rice, crumbled or broken up
2 cups leftover vegetables, beans, etc., optional
Preparation
Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, herbes de Provence, and salt 10 to 15 minutes, or until well browned. Add a little more oil if pan seems dry. Add rice, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot and well combined.
Rice is now ready to be served, but if you have some time before your meal, turn heat to low, add a little more oil to pan, and let rice sit undisturbed 7 to 10 minutes, or until browned. If it begins to stick, scrape it up, stir tasty brown bits in, and continue browning with a little more oil. The more time and energy you spend at this stage, the tastier the rice will be. If using leftovers, add them just before serving and continue to heat thoroughly.
PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES
This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.
Ingredients
1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta
1 cup pesto sauce
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 head broccoli florets
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.
While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.
Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.
Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.
ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold fall days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.”
POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 8; Preparation Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Note: This recipe originally called for “3 cups fat-free chicken broth.” But since this is a vegetarian blog, I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Ingredients
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups winter squash, cubed
2 servings cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
3 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes.
Place vegetables in a large pot; add broth and milk. Season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, and blend until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Puree soup in batches to prevent hot liquid from splatterng, if necessary. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes
You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Double-Post Tuesday
Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday, because not everyone loves tacos (gasp!). Today's offerings include Pesto Pasta Salad with Sun Dried Tomatoes, Vegan Chili, and Yogurt Custard Pie. Enjoy!
LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE
This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.
Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.
Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
YOGURT CUSTARD PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped
1 - 9 inch pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.
VEGAN CHILI
This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.
Ingredients
For the Chile Paste (see Note):
2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)
For the Chili:
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond
1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)
Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.
Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.
Tip
You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.
ULTIMATE VEGGIE FRIED RICE
This was in the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 64, in an article, “The Zen Kitchen.” It begins, “Add leftover cooked vegetables, an egg, or some beans, and you have a wonderful one-bowl meal. Recipe adapted from Tassajara Dinners & Desserts by Dale and Melissa Kent.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 small carrot, diced (1/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked brown rice, crumbled or broken up
2 cups leftover vegetables, beans, etc., optional
Preparation
Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, herbes de Provence, and salt 10 to 15 minutes, or until well browned. Add a little more oil if pan seems dry. Add rice, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot and well combined.
Rice is now ready to be served, but if you have some time before your meal, turn heat to low, add a little more oil to pan, and let rice sit undisturbed 7 to 10 minutes, or until browned. If it begins to stick, scrape it up, stir tasty brown bits in, and continue browning with a little more oil. The more time and energy you spend at this stage, the tastier the rice will be. If using leftovers, add them just before serving and continue to heat thoroughly.
PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES
This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.
Ingredients
1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta
1 cup pesto sauce
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 head broccoli florets
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.
While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.
Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.
Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.
ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold fall days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.”
POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 8; Preparation Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Note: This recipe originally called for “3 cups fat-free chicken broth.” But since this is a vegetarian blog, I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Ingredients
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups winter squash, cubed
2 servings cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
3 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes.
Place vegetables in a large pot; add broth and milk. Season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, and blend until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Puree soup in batches to prevent hot liquid from splatterng, if necessary. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes
You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.
LAYERED VEGETABLE TORTE
This is from Mark Bittman in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, "Getting this vegetable torte right takes a little time. You really must grill (or pan-grill) or roast all the vegetables well — they have to become quite tender — before assembling the torte. Ultimately, you want the vegetables to almost melt together. Grilling is the technique of choice because it gives the vegetables a hint of smokiness."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "A Vegetable Torte Starts at the Grill", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013213-layered-vegetable-torte.
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch slices
4 medium zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/2 cup bread crumbs, preferably fresh
Preparation
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Put a grill pan over medium-high heat, or prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high, and the rack about 4 inches from flame. Brush eggplant, zucchini and mushrooms lightly with half the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper; if roasting, grease 2 baking sheets with oil. Roast or grill vegetables on both sides until soft.
Coat bottom and sides of 8-inch springform pan with oil. Layer a third of the eggplant slices into bottom of the pan, then layer in half the zucchini, mushrooms, tomato, garlic and basil, sprinkling each layer with a bit of salt and pepper. Repeat layers until all vegetable are used. Press the top with a spatula or spoon to make the torte as compact as possible. Sprinkle top with Parmesan and bread crumbs, and drizzle with about 1 tablespoon oil.
Bake torte in oven until hot throughout and browned on top, about 30 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes before removing outer ring of pan, then let cool for another 10 minutes before cutting into wedges.
YOGURT CUSTARD PIE
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list. Yields: 8 Slices. It begins, “This quick and easy recipe is a great one to make with your children. With only a handful of ingredients, and very little preparation, this is a pie that everyone is sure to enjoy.”
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup plain lowfat yogurt
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peaches, sliced
1/2 cup cherries, pitted, chopped
1 - 9 inch pie crust
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Beat eggs until well blended & whisk in yogurt & sugar. Stir peaches & cherries (or any other of your favorite fruits) into mixture & pour into pie shell. Bake for 30 minutes, until the custard sets around the edge. The inner 2-3 inches should still remain somewhat soft. Chill, slice and serve.
VEGAN CHILI
This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.
Ingredients
For the Chile Paste (see Note):
2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)
For the Chili:
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond
1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)
Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.
Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.
Tip
You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.
ULTIMATE VEGGIE FRIED RICE
This was in the September 2009 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 64, in an article, “The Zen Kitchen.” It begins, “Add leftover cooked vegetables, an egg, or some beans, and you have a wonderful one-bowl meal. Recipe adapted from Tassajara Dinners & Desserts by Dale and Melissa Kent.” Makes 4 servings.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 small carrot, diced (1/4 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (1/4 cup)
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups cooked brown rice, crumbled or broken up
2 cups leftover vegetables, beans, etc., optional
Preparation
Heat skillet over medium-high heat, and add oil. Sauté onion, carrot, celery, herbes de Provence, and salt 10 to 15 minutes, or until well browned. Add a little more oil if pan seems dry. Add rice, and stir-fry 5 minutes, or until mixture is hot and well combined.
Rice is now ready to be served, but if you have some time before your meal, turn heat to low, add a little more oil to pan, and let rice sit undisturbed 7 to 10 minutes, or until browned. If it begins to stick, scrape it up, stir tasty brown bits in, and continue browning with a little more oil. The more time and energy you spend at this stage, the tastier the rice will be. If using leftovers, add them just before serving and continue to heat thoroughly.
PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH SUN DRIED TOMATOES
This is from Cara Harbstreet on Fruits & Veggies, a website I recently stumbled across. This salad can be served hot or cold, whichever strikes your fancy.
Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Servings: 8
To view this online, go to https://fruitsandveggies.org/recipes/pesto-pasta-salad-with-sun-dried-tomatoes/.
Ingredients
1 16 oz box cellentani, rotini, or bowtie pasta
1 cup pesto sauce
1 can chickpeas
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 head broccoli florets
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 lemon (optional)
Directions
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Wash and dry the broccoli, then cut into small florets. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast 10 minutes on high heat or until the edges begin to brown and the broccoli is cooked to your preference.
While the oven is preheating, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes depending on your pasta shape.
Meanwhile, chop the sun-dried tomatoes and drain and rinse the chickpeas. Set aside until ready to combine.
Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to a large mixing bowl. Remove the broccoli from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Add to the mixing bowl with the pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, and chickpeas. If using lemon, squeeze over the top, being careful not to include the seeds. Gently fold together to combine all ingredients.
Top with parmesan cheese just before serving. Serve warm, or chill until ready to serve.
ROASTED AUTUMN VEGETABLE SOUP
This comes from an old Weight Watchers emailing list, and begins, “This warm, comforting soup will stick to your ribs on cold fall days. Roasting the vegetables helps bring out their natural sweetness.”
POINTS® Value: 2; Servings: 8; Preparation Time: 25 min; Cooking Time: 30 min; Level of Difficulty: Easy
Note: This recipe originally called for “3 cups fat-free chicken broth.” But since this is a vegetarian blog, I substituted vegetable broth for the chicken broth.
Ingredients
1 large onion, cut into large chunks
4 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
6 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
4 cups winter squash, cubed
2 servings cooking spray (5 one-second sprays per serving)
3 cups fat-free vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Directions
Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large roasting pan combine onion, carrots, parsnips and squash; coat with cooking spray. Roast for 15 minutes.
Place vegetables in a large pot; add broth and milk. Season to taste. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes to allow flavors to combine. Transfer mixture to a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender in pot, and blend until smooth, about 4 to 5 minutes. (Puree soup in batches to prevent hot liquid from splatterng, if necessary. Or allow soup to cool before pureeing.) Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.
Notes
You can add more water or broth to the pureed soup to achieve desired thickness.
Friday, June 6, 2025
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay! What are your plans for the weekend? Hanging out with your kids? Yard work? Binge watching on Netflix, Peacock, CBS All-Access, or any other platform?
Whatever your plans for the weekend, if you're like me, chances are that on Monday, you'll wonder where the weekend went, and why you didn't get everything you wanted to do done. No matter.
In the end, though, we still need to eat. With that in mind, here are six yummy recipes to get you through the weekend, including Angel Hair Pasta, Vegan Chili, and Chocolate Mousse (photos above). Enjoy!
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
BEAN AND SALSA QUESADILLAS
This comes from page 32 of the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Salsa and roasted red peppers are blended together with cooked beans to make a smooth, rich quesadilla filling.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or black beans, or 1 15-oz. can beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (6 Tbs.)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch whole-wheat or multi-grain tortillas
Directions
Blend beans, salsa, cream cheese, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro in blender or food processor until mostly smooth.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Fold over tortillas to enclose filling. (If a tortilla’s edges don’t stick together, brush some oil along bottom inside edge.)
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 295; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 664 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Another one of my recipes. Enough for one pound of spaghetti.
Ingredients
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Directions
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
Whatever your plans for the weekend, if you're like me, chances are that on Monday, you'll wonder where the weekend went, and why you didn't get everything you wanted to do done. No matter.
In the end, though, we still need to eat. With that in mind, here are six yummy recipes to get you through the weekend, including Angel Hair Pasta, Vegan Chili, and Chocolate Mousse (photos above). Enjoy!
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
BEAN AND SALSA QUESADILLAS
This comes from page 32 of the April/May 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Salsa and roasted red peppers are blended together with cooked beans to make a smooth, rich quesadilla filling.” Serves 4 in 30 minutes or less.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or black beans, or 1 15-oz. can beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (6 Tbs.)
1/4 cup jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped
2 green onions, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 8-inch whole-wheat or multi-grain tortillas
Directions
Blend beans, salsa, cream cheese, roasted peppers, green onions, and cilantro in blender or food processor until mostly smooth.
Spread 1/2 cup filling on one half of each tortilla, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges. Fold over tortillas to enclose filling. (If a tortilla’s edges don’t stick together, brush some oil along bottom inside edge.)
Coat large skillet with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat. Cook quesadillas in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, turning once.
nutritional information Per Quesadilla: Calories: 295; Protein: 12 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 43 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 664 mg; Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g
ANGEL HAIR PASTA
I had something similar to this at a local Italian restaurant several times, and decided to try making it. A hint for making this: wait until all the veggies have been cut up, then start the water boiling for the angel hair pasta. The veggies should be cooked for 2-4 minutes, and the pasta cooked for 2 minutes before the pasta is drained and then allowed to finish cooking for another 2 minutes with the veggies. Timing is important - unless you like disgustingly soggy pasta.
Note: This recipe and the next (Spaghetti Sauce) are both from my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C water
2 T balsamic vinegar
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red pepper, diced
1/2green pepper, diced
1 T oregano
1 lb. angel hair pasta
Directions
Cut up veggies while heating the pasta water. DO NOT PUT PASTA INTO WATER UNTIL THE VEGGIES BEGIN COOKING. (There. I said it.) In veggie pot, heat 1/2 C water & balsamic vinegar until it begins to bubble; add onion, garlic, pepper & oregano and stir once or twice. NOW ADD PASTA TO POT OF BOILING PASTA WATER. (Boy, what a bossy broad.) Simmer veggies on low-medium heat for 2-4 minutes, covered. Cook pasta for only 2 minutes, then drain in colander. As soon as pasta is drained, remove cover from veggies, dump pasta into veggie pot, and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring several times. Remove from heat. DIG IN!!! (Now, isn’t that good?)
SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Another one of my recipes. Enough for one pound of spaghetti.
Ingredients
28 oz. can tomatoes (note)
2 8 oz. cans tomato sauce
2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
3 onions, chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, crushed
2 T oil
1 T oregano
1/4 - 1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. anise
2 T honey
Directions
Brown onions and garlic in oil. Add tomatoes, sauce and paste. Stir. Add everything except cheese and stir. Simmer 1 hour. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve over hot 1 pound of cooked spaghetti. Better the next day - if any is left!
NOTE: I usually use crushed tomatoes. If you’d rather use fresh tomatoes, 6-8 large ones may be used (diced, of course) in place of the canned tomatoes, & add an extra can of to-mato sauce.
Note: If you want to make it vegan, leave the honey out and use grated vegan cheese.
CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
I saw something similar to this a few years back and tweaked it a little. For anyone who is sure that he or she won't like tofu, this may be the game-changer.
Ingredients
1 10-12 ounce tub of silken tofu
12 ounce bag of chocolate chips
2 - 3 tablespoons milk (you can use soy milk, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Directions
Melt chocolate chips along with the milk over low to medium heat, stirring constantly.
Place silken tofu, melted chocolate chips, vanilla, and syrup into blender. Blend on a medium setting, pulsing if needed to combine.
Pour into 4 bowls or small cups, and let cool for 10 minutes or so.
Dig in! Yum!
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Chili
If you love Chili as much as I do, today's post is sure to please. Check out the Easy Black Bean Chili, the Chocolate Tofu Chili (do I have your attention?), and the rest of today's offerings. Enjoy!
BUSY DAY CHILI
This is from Elizabeth Mervosh at Southern Living. It begins, "Minimal work is required, but busy day chili tastes like you cooked all day."
The recipe then states, "The beautiful thing about chili is that it's a bit of a recipe life raft: You can deploy it and everyone will be happy. In short, it saves the day. And on top of that, folks can make it a bit more personal with their own toppings.
"So consider this busy day chili your emergency rescue for winter's long days, especially on nights when inspiration is far from your mind, and time is on the short side. We've streamlined the spices and ingredients so there's no need to fiddle or fuss. The seasoning packet takes the guesswork out and actually results in a flavorful, hearty meal."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Servings: 4
To view this online, click here.
Note: This recipe originally called for 1 pound ground beef. I changed that to a 12-ounce package of vegetarian crumbles to make it a vegetarian chili.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 12-ounce package vegetarian crumbles
1 medium (8-oz.) yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
1 medium (6-oz.) poblano chile, chopped (1 cup)
1 (16-oz.) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10-oz.) can seasoned diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Rotel Chili Fixin’s)
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 (1.25-oz.) envelope chili seasoning mix
Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, and tortilla strips (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef crumbles and is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add onion and poblano chile; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until tender, about 6 minutes.
Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and chili seasoning mix.
Bring to a vigorous simmer over high. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Divide evenly among 4 bowls and top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and tortilla strips, if desired.
VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI
This yumminess is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "If you keep canned beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in your pantry, you can make this dish on any weeknight without having to shop. The pickled onions aren’t strictly necessary, but they are simple to make and add a welcome tangy contrast to the beans. Pickled peppers are a fine substitute. If you have a bell pepper or jalapeño or two, chop them up and sauté them with the onions. And if you want to be fancy, grate the zest off the lime before juicing for the pickles, and stir it into the sour cream."
Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "5 Easy Meals for the Distracted Cook," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017704-vegetarian-skillet-chili. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Speaking of guides, check out Sam Sifton's guide, "Our Ultimate Guide to Making the Best Chili."
Ingredients
For the Pickled Onions
1 lime
1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
Large pinch of kosher salt
Small pinch of granulated sugar
For the Chili
Olive or grapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced
1 teaspoon chile powder, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more to taste
2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
Kosher salt
Fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Make the pickled onions: Squeeze lime juice into a bowl, and add onion, salt and sugar. Let rest while you make the chili.
Prepare the chili: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil. When hot, add onion and sauté until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, chile powder and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add beans and tomatoes and a few large pinches of salt and let simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes.
Taste and add more salt, chile powder and/or oregano to taste. Serve with the pickled onions and any of the garnishes you like.
VEGAN CHILI
This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.
Ingredients
For the Chile Paste (see Note):
2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)
For the Chili:
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond
1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)
Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.
Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.
Tip
You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.
EASY BLACK BEAN CHILI
This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We love chili for its rib-sticking deliciousness, and this meatless version is no exception. Just because it’s made with beans, and no meat, doesn’t mean it’s not filling. Cumin, chili powder and chiles add heat, while fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans and sweet corn give it extra flavor."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-black-bean-chili/f273db4a-5710-4ced-b099-205c9f3c1d70.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1 cup Cascadian Farm® frozen organic sweet corn
Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired
Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired
Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions
In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.
Top each serving with remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
You can vary the heat level of this chili by decreasing or increasing the amount of chiles that you use.
Serve this veggie chili with warm cornbread or corn tortillas.
CHILI SIN (WITHOUT) CARNE
This is from the October 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It begins, "Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients—this hearty chili can be made in under an hour. Serve with grated cheese, sliced green onions, and hot sauce, if desired." Under an hour is always good, as far as I'm concerned. Makes 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/chili-sin-without-carne/.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (1-1/2 cups)
2 carrots, diced (1 cup)
1 small bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes with juice
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. pkg. veggie crumbles
2 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen corn
Preparation
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 2 minutes. Add carrots and bell pepper, and cook 2 minutes more. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in 2 cups water and all remaining ingredients except corn, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in corn and 1/2 cup water, and simmer 10 minutes more.
CHOCOLATE TOFU CHILI
This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Packed with vegetables, the chili gets its deep flavor from the addition of chocolate, without tasting overtly like chocolate. For a little extra heat, you can mix in 1 or 2 finely chopped jalapeños before you turn on the slow cooker. Jalapeños can vary quite a bit in their level of heat. Take a small taste before adding them, and remember the membranes and seeds are the hottest part of the chile. Thinly sliced radishes or matchstick pieces of jicama make a pretty garnish."
Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes; Serves: 6; Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups; Difficulty: Easy; 3 points per serving
To view this online, go to https://cmx.weightwatchers.com/details/WWRECIPE:6037caaade317318b8e4bb84.
Ingredients
4 sprays cooking spray
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 2-inch cubes
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
15 oz canned kidney beans, drained
1 large uncooked onion, chopped
2 medium uncooked carrots, chopped
2 ribs medium uncooked celery, chopped
2 medium uncooked red bell peppers, chopped
1 cup fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth
2 oz 70-85% dark chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cloves garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium. Add cumin seeds and stir until slightly darker in color and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Transfer cumin seeds to slow cooker. Remove skillet from heat, coat with nonstick spray, and heat over medium. Add tofu to skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer tofu to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, beans, onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers, broth, chocolate, cocoa powder, garlic, chili powder, salt, and crushed red pepper.
Cover and cook chili for 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low. Divide chili among bowls.
BUSY DAY CHILI
This is from Elizabeth Mervosh at Southern Living. It begins, "Minimal work is required, but busy day chili tastes like you cooked all day."
The recipe then states, "The beautiful thing about chili is that it's a bit of a recipe life raft: You can deploy it and everyone will be happy. In short, it saves the day. And on top of that, folks can make it a bit more personal with their own toppings.
"So consider this busy day chili your emergency rescue for winter's long days, especially on nights when inspiration is far from your mind, and time is on the short side. We've streamlined the spices and ingredients so there's no need to fiddle or fuss. The seasoning packet takes the guesswork out and actually results in a flavorful, hearty meal."
Active Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 30 minutes; Servings: 4
To view this online, click here.
Note: This recipe originally called for 1 pound ground beef. I changed that to a 12-ounce package of vegetarian crumbles to make it a vegetarian chili.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 12-ounce package vegetarian crumbles
1 medium (8-oz.) yellow onion, chopped (about 1-1/4 cups)
1 medium (6-oz.) poblano chile, chopped (1 cup)
1 (16-oz.) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (10-oz.) can seasoned diced tomatoes and green chiles (such as Rotel Chili Fixin’s)
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
1 (1.25-oz.) envelope chili seasoning mix
Sour cream, shredded Cheddar cheese, and tortilla strips (optional)
Directions
Heat oil in a medium Dutch oven over medium-high. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until beef crumbles and is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add onion and poblano chile; cook over medium-high, stirring often, until tender, about 6 minutes.
Add kidney beans, diced tomatoes and green chiles, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and chili seasoning mix.
Bring to a vigorous simmer over high. Reduce heat to medium-high and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
Divide evenly among 4 bowls and top with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and tortilla strips, if desired.
VEGETARIAN SKILLET CHILI
This yumminess is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Melissa wrote, "If you keep canned beans, tomatoes, onion and garlic in your pantry, you can make this dish on any weeknight without having to shop. The pickled onions aren’t strictly necessary, but they are simple to make and add a welcome tangy contrast to the beans. Pickled peppers are a fine substitute. If you have a bell pepper or jalapeño or two, chop them up and sauté them with the onions. And if you want to be fancy, grate the zest off the lime before juicing for the pickles, and stir it into the sour cream."
Total Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
This was featured in "5 Easy Meals for the Distracted Cook," and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017704-vegetarian-skillet-chili. While you're at it, if you haven't already signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Speaking of guides, check out Sam Sifton's guide, "Our Ultimate Guide to Making the Best Chili."
Ingredients
For the Pickled Onions
1 lime
1 red onion or shallot, thinly sliced
Large pinch of kosher salt
Small pinch of granulated sugar
For the Chili
Olive or grapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, or to taste, minced
1 teaspoon chile powder, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon dried oregano, plus more to taste
2 (15-ounce) cans beans, drained
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes with their juices
Kosher salt
Fresh cilantro, diced avocado and sour cream, for garnish (optional)
Preparation
Make the pickled onions: Squeeze lime juice into a bowl, and add onion, salt and sugar. Let rest while you make the chili.
Prepare the chili: Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add the oil. When hot, add onion and sauté until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic, chile powder and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add beans and tomatoes and a few large pinches of salt and let simmer until the tomatoes break down, about 20 minutes.
Taste and add more salt, chile powder and/or oregano to taste. Serve with the pickled onions and any of the garnishes you like.
VEGAN CHILI
This comes from J. Kenji López-Alt at The New York Times cooking newsletter. The recipe begins, "This chili starts with a few different whole dried chiles, toasted and blended together, then fried with vegan ground meat and other aromatics to form the complex backbone of this stew. Along with tomatoes and kidney beans, I like to add some soy sauce (for umami depth), cider vinegar (for acidity and brightness) and a shot of hard liquor. The volatile alcohol in the liquor helps pull aromas up and out of the chili and into your nose. If you want to opt for a vegetarian version, feel free to use unsalted butter in place of the vegan butter, and garnish with sour cream or Cheddar."
Yield: 4 to 6 servings; Time: 1 hour
This was featured in "How to Cook With Plant-Based Meats", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020866-vegan-chili.
Ingredients
For the Chile Paste (see Note):
2 whole dried ancho, pasilla or mulato chiles, stems and seeds removed, torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/2 ounce)
1 whole dried New Mexico red, California, costeño or choricero chile, stems and seeds removed, and torn into rough 1-inch pieces (about 1/8 ounce)
1 to 2 dried hot chiles, such as árbol or pequín, stems and seeds removed and torn into rough pieces (optional)
For the Chili:
2 tablespoons vegan butter
1 pound vegan ground meat, such as Impossible or Beyond
1 medium onion, grated on large holes of a box grater (about 1-1/2 cups)
2 large garlic cloves, grated on Microplane (about 4 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (16-ounce) can dark kidney beans, drained
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon whiskey, vodka or brandy (optional)
Diced onions, chopped cilantro, chopped pickled jalapeños, sliced black olives, vegan sour cream, shredded vegan cheese, fresh tortillas or tortilla chips, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Make the chile paste: Add all the dried chiles to a Dutch oven or large, heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until slightly darkened and giving off an intense roasted aroma, 2 to 5 minutes. Turn down the heat if they begin to smoke. Add 1 cup water; it should immediately boil. Reduce heat so water barely simmers, and cook until chiles have softened, about 4 minutes. Transfer the chiles and liquid to a blender and blend at high speed, scraping down sides as necessary, until a completely smooth purée is formed, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
Prepare the chili: Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the vegan ground meat and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until fat has mostly rendered and it is starting to sizzle rather than steam, about 10 minutes. (I don’t mind leaving the rendered fat in the chili. It homogenizes as the chili reduces, so the end result should not be greasy. However, you can drain the mixture at this point if you prefer less fat in the finished chili.)
Add the onion, garlic, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened, about 2 minutes. Add the chipotles, cumin and reserved chile paste, and cook, stirring frequently, until the paste reduces to the point that it starts to sizzle and fry, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring frequently until homogenous, about 1 minute.
Add chopped canned tomatoes and scrape up any brown bits that have stuck to the pan. Add kidney beans, soy sauce and 1 cup water, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavors have developed and chili is thickened to desired consistency, about 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar and liquor, if using. Adjust texture by adding water, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with whatever garnishes you like.
Tip
You can omit the chile paste, and substitute 3 tablespoons chile powder instead. Add chile powder with chipotles and cumin in Step 3, and cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and continue with Step 4.
EASY BLACK BEAN CHILI
This comes from Betty Crocker, and begins, "We love chili for its rib-sticking deliciousness, and this meatless version is no exception. Just because it’s made with beans, and no meat, doesn’t mean it’s not filling. Cumin, chili powder and chiles add heat, while fire-roasted tomatoes, black beans and sweet corn give it extra flavor."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 60 minutes; Servings: 6
To view this online, go to https://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/easy-black-bean-chili/f273db4a-5710-4ced-b099-205c9f3c1d70.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded, finely chopped
2 cans (15 oz each) Progresso™ black beans, drained, rinsed
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted or plain diced tomatoes, undrained
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher or sea) salt
1 cup Cascadian Farm® frozen organic sweet corn
Sour cream or plain yogurt, if desired
Shredded Cheddar cheese, if desired
Chopped fresh cilantro, if desired
Directions
In 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and chiles; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender.
Stir in black beans, tomatoes, water, chili powder, cumin and salt. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 5 minutes longer.
Top each serving with remaining ingredients.
Expert Tips
You can vary the heat level of this chili by decreasing or increasing the amount of chiles that you use.
Serve this veggie chili with warm cornbread or corn tortillas.
CHILI SIN (WITHOUT) CARNE
This is from the October 2007 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 61. It begins, "Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients—this hearty chili can be made in under an hour. Serve with grated cheese, sliced green onions, and hot sauce, if desired." Under an hour is always good, as far as I'm concerned. Makes 10 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/chili-sin-without-carne/.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (1-1/2 cups)
2 carrots, diced (1 cup)
1 small bell pepper, diced (1 cup)
4 cloves garlic, minced (4 tsp.)
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes with juice
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15.5-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 12-oz. pkg. veggie crumbles
2 Tbs. chili powder
1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbs. light brown sugar
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen corn
Preparation
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 2 minutes. Add carrots and bell pepper, and cook 2 minutes more. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in 2 cups water and all remaining ingredients except corn, and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Fold in corn and 1/2 cup water, and simmer 10 minutes more.
CHOCOLATE TOFU CHILI
This is from Weight Watchers, and begins, "Packed with vegetables, the chili gets its deep flavor from the addition of chocolate, without tasting overtly like chocolate. For a little extra heat, you can mix in 1 or 2 finely chopped jalapeños before you turn on the slow cooker. Jalapeños can vary quite a bit in their level of heat. Take a small taste before adding them, and remember the membranes and seeds are the hottest part of the chile. Thinly sliced radishes or matchstick pieces of jicama make a pretty garnish."
Prep Time: 35 minutes; Cook Time: 4 hours; Total Time: 4 hours 35 minutes; Serves: 6; Serving Size: 1-1/2 cups; Difficulty: Easy; 3 points per serving
To view this online, go to https://cmx.weightwatchers.com/details/WWRECIPE:6037caaade317318b8e4bb84.
Ingredients
4 sprays cooking spray
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 2-inch cubes
28 oz canned diced tomatoes
15 oz canned kidney beans, drained
1 large uncooked onion, chopped
2 medium uncooked carrots, chopped
2 ribs medium uncooked celery, chopped
2 medium uncooked red bell peppers, chopped
1 cup fat free reduced sodium vegetable broth
2 oz 70-85% dark chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cloves garlic clove, finely chopped
1 Tbsp Chili powder
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp black pepper
Directions
Heat large nonstick skillet over medium. Add cumin seeds and stir until slightly darker in color and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Transfer cumin seeds to slow cooker. Remove skillet from heat, coat with nonstick spray, and heat over medium. Add tofu to skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer tofu to slow cooker. Stir in tomatoes, beans, onion, carrots, celery, bell peppers, broth, chocolate, cocoa powder, garlic, chili powder, salt, and crushed red pepper.
Cover and cook chili for 4 hours on High or 8 hours on Low. Divide chili among bowls.
Friday, March 7, 2025
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday. Yay! Here are six vegetarian recipes to help you through the weekend, including Vegetarian Bean and Cheese Enchiladas and African-Style Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Stew. Enjoy!
CHICKLESS POT PIE
This comes from country star Trisha Yearwood, who also has her own show on The Food Network (called Trisha's Southern Kitchen). The recipe starts off, “Trisha Yearwood's vegetarian take on chicken pot pie is just as decadent without the meat. Although the luscious vegetable filling with peas, carrots and potatoes could be a meal on its own, wrapping it in premade pie dough seals in flavor with a crispy crust.” Total Time: 1 hr 25 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 10 min; Cook: 50 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: easy
Read more online at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/chickless-pot-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup small diced potatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup butter substitute, such as Earth Balance
1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup almond milk
Two 9-inch unbaked pie crusts, lard free
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil to place the pie on before cooking; it will keep any filling from dripping into the oven and burning.
In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter substitute until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, celery seed and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out. Slowly stir in the broth and then add the milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the drained vegetables.
Roll out one of the unbaked crusts to a 13-inch diameter and place in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top. Seal the edges and cut small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. If the top of the pie becomes too dark, loosely cover with foil and continue cooking. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
VEGETARIAN BEAN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Enchiladas can be a bit of a project, but here, the process has been streamlined, making them a truly possible weeknight endeavor. Begin by sautéing peppers, onions and garlic until charred in spots, then blend half of the vegetables with canned tomatoes and chili powder for the sauce and combine the rest with black beans, shredded cheese and cumin for the filling. If you’re short on time, you could use store-bought enchilada sauce (you'll need three cups), but quality varies, so taste it and add whatever you think is missing: chipotle in adobo or chili powder for smokiness, hot sauce for heat, dried oregano or fresh cilantro for complexity and salt for overall flavor."
Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020244-vegetarian-bean-and-cheese-enchiladas. Also, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper or poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, preferably crushed (see Tip)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving (optional)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
5 ounces mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1-1/4 cups)
10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas
Fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)
Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Spread out the tortillas directly on the oven rack and heat until warmed and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes, then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Pour half the enchilada sauce (about 1-1/2 cups) into a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it to cover the bottom of the dish.
Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a little more than 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of one tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve immediately.
Tips
The sauce and the black bean mixture, minus the cheese, can be made, covered in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.
Avoid diced canned tomatoes. They are mixed with calcium chloride to help them retain their cube shape, so they won’t break down as well in the blender. The sauce will taste fine, but it will be noticeably chunkier.
POTATO CORN CHOWDER
This comes from UnitedHealthcare, and begins, "Serving more than two? Double the recipe for a cold-weather meal."
Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://www.medicare.uhc.com/wellness/health/uhcarticle/hwal-potato-corn-chowder.
Note: The recipe originally called for chicken bouilion granules. I changed it for this blog.
Ingredients
1 cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup loose-pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onion and peppers
3/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon instant veggie bouillon granules
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash white or black pepper
1 12-ounce can evaporated fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Snipped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
In a medium saucepan combine corn, hash brown potatoes, water, bouillon granules, garlic and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, covered, about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Do not drain.
Gradually stir the milk into the flour; add milk mixture to vegetable mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.
To serve, ladle the chowder into serving bowls. If desired, sprinkle each serving with parsley. Makes 2 servings.
Serving Size: 2 cups. Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 281 cal., 1 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 438 mg sodium, 55 g carb., 3 g fiber, 25 g sugar, 16 g protein
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
CHICKLESS POT PIE
This comes from country star Trisha Yearwood, who also has her own show on The Food Network (called Trisha's Southern Kitchen). The recipe starts off, “Trisha Yearwood's vegetarian take on chicken pot pie is just as decadent without the meat. Although the luscious vegetable filling with peas, carrots and potatoes could be a meal on its own, wrapping it in premade pie dough seals in flavor with a crispy crust.” Total Time: 1 hr 25 min; Prep: 25 min; Inactive: 10 min; Cook: 50 min; Yield: 8 servings; Level: easy
Read more online at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/trisha-yearwood/chickless-pot-pie-recipe.html?oc=linkback
Ingredients
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup small diced potatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup butter substitute, such as Earth Balance
1/3 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 3/4 cups vegetable broth
2/3 cup almond milk
Two 9-inch unbaked pie crusts, lard free
Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a jelly-roll pan or baking sheet with foil to place the pie on before cooking; it will keep any filling from dripping into the oven and burning.
In a medium saucepan, combine the carrots, peas, potatoes and celery. Cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the onions in the butter substitute until they are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, celery seed and garlic powder. Cook for 2 minutes to get the flour taste out. Slowly stir in the broth and then add the milk. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until thick, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the drained vegetables.
Roll out one of the unbaked crusts to a 13-inch diameter and place in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Pour the mixture into the bottom crust. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top. Seal the edges and cut small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake until the pastry is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. If the top of the pie becomes too dark, loosely cover with foil and continue cooking. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
AFRICAN-STYLE SWEET POTATO AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH STEW
This recipe comes from Publix.
Servings: 8; Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes; Active Time: 10 minutes
To view this recipe online, click here.
Ingredients
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 can chickpeas (garbanzos), (15–16 oz), drained
1 (14.5-oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (10-oz) can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
8 oz prediced bell pepper mix (1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon chunky garlic paste
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or stock)
1 package fresh (or frozen) prediced butternut squash (15–16 oz)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup roasted unsalted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
Directions
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes. Drain chickpeas. Place in slow cooker: sweet potatoes, chickpeas, tomatoes, bell peppers, seasoning, garlic paste, and broth; cover and cook on HIGH for 2 1/2–3 hours (or LOW for 4–6 hours) or until potatoes are tender.
Stir in squash during last 30 minutes of cook time. Chop cilantro and peanuts.
Remove 1 cup of liquid from stew and whisk with peanut butter until blended. Stir peanut butter mixture into stew. Serve topped with cilantro and peanuts.
VEGAN CHILI
This yummy recipe is from Lena Abraham on Delish. The recipe begins with the words, “Hearty and healthy.” Works for me!
Yields: 6; Prep Times: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 bell peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 (12-oz) bottle Mexican beer such as Modelo
1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15-oz) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (28-oz) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
2 c. vegetable broth
For Topping
1 avocado, sliced
Lime wedges
thinly sliced scallions
Directions
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add peppers, onions and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, and oregano and sauté until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper.
Add beer and cook until it has reduced by half, about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sweet potato, black and pinto beans, tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until slightly reduced and sweet potatoes are cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes.
Serve with the toppings of your choice.
VEGETARIAN BEAN AND CHEESE ENCHILADAS
This is from Ali Slagle in The New York Times cooking enewsletter. For this recipe, Ali wrote, "Enchiladas can be a bit of a project, but here, the process has been streamlined, making them a truly possible weeknight endeavor. Begin by sautéing peppers, onions and garlic until charred in spots, then blend half of the vegetables with canned tomatoes and chili powder for the sauce and combine the rest with black beans, shredded cheese and cumin for the filling. If you’re short on time, you could use store-bought enchilada sauce (you'll need three cups), but quality varies, so taste it and add whatever you think is missing: chipotle in adobo or chili powder for smokiness, hot sauce for heat, dried oregano or fresh cilantro for complexity and salt for overall flavor."
Total Time: 40 minutes; Yield: 4 servings
To view this online, go to https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020244-vegetarian-bean-and-cheese-enchiladas. Also, if you haven't signed up for The New York Times cooking enewsletter, I highly recommend doing so. Great recipes, guides, and more.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper or poblano chile, stemmed, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 (15-ounce) can fire-roasted tomatoes, preferably crushed (see Tip)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce or 1 chipotle chile in adobo, chopped (optional)
1/4 cup sour cream, plus more for serving (optional)
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed
5 ounces mild Cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (about 1-1/4 cups)
10 to 12 (6-inch) soft corn or flour tortillas
Fresh cilantro leaves and stems, for serving
Preparation
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and charred in spots, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Transfer half the vegetable mixture to a blender; add the tomatoes, chili powder and hot sauce. Blend until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (If your blender isn’t particularly strong and the sauce looks more like a chunky purée, add 1/4 cup sour cream and blend again until smooth.)
Add the black beans and 1/2 cup cheese to the remaining vegetables in the skillet and stir to combine. Some canned beans are already salted, so taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
Spread out the tortillas directly on the oven rack and heat until warmed and pliable, 1 to 2 minutes, then wrap in a kitchen towel to keep warm. Pour half the enchilada sauce (about 1-1/2 cups) into a medium casserole dish or a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and spread it to cover the bottom of the dish.
Line up the filling, tortillas and baking dish in a row. Place a little more than 1/4 cup of the bean mixture in the center of one tortilla. Roll up the tortilla and place in the casserole dish, seam-side down. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas, then sprinkle with the remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, about 10 minutes. Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve immediately.
Tips
The sauce and the black bean mixture, minus the cheese, can be made, covered in an airtight container and refrigerated up to 5 days in advance.
Avoid diced canned tomatoes. They are mixed with calcium chloride to help them retain their cube shape, so they won’t break down as well in the blender. The sauce will taste fine, but it will be noticeably chunkier.
POTATO CORN CHOWDER
This comes from UnitedHealthcare, and begins, "Serving more than two? Double the recipe for a cold-weather meal."
Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 2
To view this online, go to https://www.medicare.uhc.com/wellness/health/uhcarticle/hwal-potato-corn-chowder.
Note: The recipe originally called for chicken bouilion granules. I changed it for this blog.
Ingredients
1 cup loose-pack frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup loose-pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onion and peppers
3/4 cup water
3/4 teaspoon instant veggie bouillon granules
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash white or black pepper
1 12-ounce can evaporated fat-free milk
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Snipped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
In a medium saucepan combine corn, hash brown potatoes, water, bouillon granules, garlic and pepper. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cook, covered, about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Do not drain.
Gradually stir the milk into the flour; add milk mixture to vegetable mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.
To serve, ladle the chowder into serving bowls. If desired, sprinkle each serving with parsley. Makes 2 servings.
Serving Size: 2 cups. Nutrition Facts Per Serving: 281 cal., 1 g total fat (0 g sat. fat), 0 mg chol., 438 mg sodium, 55 g carb., 3 g fiber, 25 g sugar, 16 g protein
ITALIAN GRILLED STUFFED PEPPERS
This comes from Kraft and begins, “Discover these Italian Grilled Stuffed Peppers and bring a little bit of Italy into your kitchen! These grilled stuffed peppers are delicious!”
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 45 minutes; Servings: 6 servings
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1-3/4 cups water, divided
1-1/2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups frozen BOCA Veggie Ground Crumbles
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1-1/2 cups OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1 large each red, yellow and green pepper, cut lengthwise in half, seeded
Directions
Heat grill to medium-high heat.
Bring 1-1/2 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Remove from heat; let stand 5 min. Stir in crumbles, zucchini, seasoning and 1 cup each pasta sauce and cheese; spoon into peppers.
Place each filled pepper half on center of 12-inch-square sheet heavy-duty foil. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. Bring up foil sides. Spoon 1 Tbsp. of the remaining water onto bottom of each foil packet. Double fold top and ends to seal packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside.
Grill 20 to 25 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender and filling is heated through (160ºF).
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