veggie chili

This veggie chili is so perfect; I made it twice in one week. The beautiful colors, ideal consistency, and subtle heat create the perfect dish for a rainy fall night. If you are a meat-eater, you will not miss the meat in this chili. These lentils hold their shape, provide a nice bite, and are loaded with protein.

adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow’s My Father’s Daughter

serves 4-6

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 small-medium carrots, diced

1 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

¾ tsp. mild chili powder

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. chipotle in adobo

1 (28 oz.) can whole peeled tomatoes w/ juices (no added sodium)

½ cup de Puy lentils (small, dark, French) rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 (14 oz.) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Pinch coarse salt

2 Tbsp. tomato paste

to make your chili:

*with dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat the olive oil

*add the onion, carrot, pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper, stirring for 10 minutes, or until softened

*add chipotle and stir to combine

*add the tomatoes and juices, crush tomatoes with spoon

*bring to boil, and then simmer for 40 minutes

*add lentils and beans

*fill 1 (14oz.) can with water and add to pot, along with salt

*bring to boil, and then simmer for 40 minutes

*stir in the tomato paste and cook for 20 more minutes

*add more salt/pepper if needed before serving

serving suggestion:

serve atop brown rice or a split sweet potato

nutrition per serving:

calories: 350

carbs: 57

fat: 6

protein: 19

iron: 21

sugar: 14

white bean & chicken chili

It’s fall ya’ll! And I had house guests last weekend, so I made one of my favorite cold weather soups. This dish is always well-received and the leftovers are absolutely delicious. I recommend adding one more jalapeno for an additional kick and making cheesy jalapeno cornbread to go along with it.

The last time I made this chili, instead of simmering for 30 minutes, I baked the chili at 250 degrees for about an hour. The broth/wine proportion and volume is open to interpretation. I’ve made this without wine and/or with less liquid volume and still had great results. As always, home-grown, locally sourced, free-range, and organic ingredients make everything better!

serves 6-8 
1 onion, diced
1 fresh jalapeno, diced
1 rotisserie chicken, bones removed, chopped
28 oz. petite diced tomatoes
3 (15oz.) great northern white beans
14 oz. fresh salsa (I used Jack's Special Medium Salsa)
24 oz. chicken broth
1 cup white wine
½ bunch cilantro, chopped
juice from ½ of a lime
1 Tbsp. cumin

to make your stew: 
*sauté the onion and pepper in a little olive oil until softened
*add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil
*reduce heat and simmer, covered, for at least 30 minutes

serving suggestion:
serve with cornbread, sour cream, shredded cheese, and sliced jalapenos

chili con pavo

the original recipe is a chili con carne (made with ground beef); however, i planned to make this recipe the last time we were expecting snow and by the time i got to the grocery, ground turkey was the only option. i've enjoyed turkey chili before, so i knew this substitution would be sufficient.

chili is one of my favorite things to cook, but this was my first time using cinnamon. while cooking, the scent of cinnamon was very strong. i was skeptical the chili would be too sweet tasting but the vinegar adds a nice balance. this chili had a wonderful, distinctive flavor and was probably lighter with the turkey substitution.

another favorite of mine is chili over pasta. on the second day, i added 16 ounces of canned tomato sauce and italian herbs to the leftover chili which yielded more of a pasta sauce consistency. i served that over rotini pasta topped with cheese and it was fabulous as well!

adapted from Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution'

serves 6
2 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
2 medium carrots
2 celery stalks
2 red bell peppers
olive oil
1 heaped teaspoon chili powder
1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaped teaspoon ground cinnamon
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 x 15oz. can garbanzo beans
1 x 15oz. can red kidney beans
2 x 14oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 pound ground turkey
1 small bunch of fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

to make your chili:
*peel and finely chop the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery
*halve the peppers, remove stalks and seeds and roughly chop
*place dutch oven over medium high heat with 2 lugs olive oil
*add all your chopped veggies
*add chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon with a good pinch of salt and pepper
*stir every 30 seconds for 7 minutes until softened
*add the drained garbanzo beans, drained kidney beans, and the canned tomatoes
*add the ground turkey, breaking larger chunks up with a wooden spoon
*fill one of the tomato cans with water and add to the pot
*pick the cilantro leaves and place them in the fridge
*finely chop the stalks and place them in the pot
*add the vinegar and season with a pinch of salt and pepper
*bring to a boil and turn the heat down to a simmer with the lid slightly askew for one hour, stirring occasionally

to serve your chili:
Jamie Oliver recommends serving his chili con carne over rice with guacamole. we enjoyed the turkey chili with cornbread, oyster crackers, shredded cheese, sour cream, cilantro, and jalapenos.

to make the cornbread:
use a package of jiffy cornbread and make according to package. mix into the batter a handful of shredded cheese, 1/2 cup of cream corn, and diced jalapenos; bake as directed.