Veggie Lentil Chili

Did you know you don't need chili powder to make chili?  All you need is your own spices. Have you ever seen what kind of crap they put in some chili powder?  And have you ever noticed that all chili powder is, is a combination of spices that are probably in your pantry?  Here's the recipe - make some now :)

1 Small Yellow Onion

1 Red Bell Pepper

2 Jalapeno Peppers

2 Carrots

2 Ribs Celery

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic

3 Tablespoons Paprika

3 Tablespoons Cumin

1 Tablespoon Oregano

2 Tablespoons Sugar (Optional)

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon

1 16.5 Ounce Can Chili Beans

1 Small Can Tomato Paste

1 Quart Vegetable Broth

1 Tablespoon Canola or Olive Oil

1 Cup Lentils (any color)

Begin by finally dicing celery, carrots, onions, garlic and peppers (remove stems, ribs and seeds).  Heat oil in a medium-size saucepan and add all vegetables and aromatics.  Sauté until begins to get golden and add all salt, pepper, sugar and spices.  Deglaze pan with beans, tomato paste and vegetable broth.  Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer.  Rinse lentils thoroughly and add to the pot.  Simmer covered for about 45 minutes to an hour or until lentils are tender.  Taste test for seasoning and add additional salt or sugar if needed.  Serve immediately or allow to cool and store in a tightly sealed glass vessel in refrigerator for up to one week.  Enjoy!

Baked Jalapeño Corn Tortilla Chips

Okay folks, remember yesterday when I told you I was Mexican?!  Well, surprise, I'm not.  But the fact is I can NOT get enough Mexican food.  Instead of stopping at the grocery store for a gigantic bag of tortilla chips, I decided to make my own.  Since I am trying to cut calories to lose a few pounds before Summer, I decided to bake them instead of deep-frying (my usual method).

I really didn't want them to come out dry so I decided to coat them in a little oil before baking them.  But guess what!?  I used up all my oil making yesterday's Jalapeno Spread.  Solution = Coat them in the spread.  Result?  Genius.

So if you want to replicate these bad boys to the letter, you are going to have to make the Jalapeno Spread Recipe first.  Now, I'm not going to lie, they did come out a little dry.  But since they really are just a vehicle to get things like veggie chili and pico de gallo in to my mouth, I really didn't mind.

Baked Jalapeno Corn Tortilla Chips

6 Corn Tortillas

Jalapeno Spread

Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 300 Degrees F.  Begin by cutting your tortillas into fours.  Put them in a large bowl and using your hands, coat them gently with a couple teaspoons of the spread.  Make sure both sides are thoroughly coated.  Place them into an even layer on a large cookie sheet lined with parchment or non-stick aluminum foil.  Don't worry if they overlap a little.  Sprinkle with a little Sea Salt, if desired. Bake for 30 minute, turning over once halfway through cooking and check for golden brown doneness.

Jalapeno Spread

I am obsessed with all things spicy.  I'm pretty sure I'm Mexican underneath my white ass exterior.  But anyway, I digress.

Grab some fresh Jalapenos, roast them to perfection and make it rain!  This spread goes great on just about anything.  It is also simply delicious on a big, fat spoon.  Vamanos!

Jalapeno Spread

6-8 Fresh Jalapenos

4 Cloves Fresh Garlic

1/2 Red Onion

Canola oil

Sea Salt & Pepper

Fresh squeezed Lime

Fresh Cilantro

Begin by prepping your Jalapeno Peppers.  Wearing rubber gloves is a great idea.  Chop stems, slice lengthwise and remove white ribs and seeds.  Place them in a large roasting pan along with rough chopped red onion and whole garlic cloves (remove skins from both).

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Drizzle with a little canola oil, sea salt and black pepper.  Toss to coat and roast for about 15-20 minutes or until skins blister slightly.  Turn off oven and remove roasting pan from oven.

When mixture has cooled to touch, add all to food processor along with 1 bunch fresh cilantro (wash thoroughly) and juice of a few limes.  Turn on machine and drizzle in more canola oil until desired consistency is achieved.  Serve immediately or refrigerate unused portion for up to 5 days.

Taco Salad Salsa

If you have checked out my blog you know that I love making fresh salsa and that I rarely suggest canned ingredients.  However, this one stores well for days on end and goes great topped on mixed greens with avocado, a dollop of vegenaise and crushed tortilla chips for a great taco salad.  

It is a perfect way to have salad in a snap because you have already done the chopping ahead of time.  Of course if you just despise the idea of using canned beans, feel free to make your own and use them in this recipe.

Taco Salad Salsa

1 16 ounce Can Pinto Beans

1 16 ounce Can Diced Tomatoes

1/2 Yellow Onion

1 Cup Fresh Cilantro

2 Cloves Fresh Garlic

2 Jalapeno Peppers

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Dried Oregano

1/2 teaspoon Cumin

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Juice and zest of 1 Lime

Drain, rinse and strain pinto beans and add to a large glass bowl along with the whole can of diced tomatoes (juice and all).  Dice onion, peppers and garlic and toss those in.  (Your choice if you leave ribs and seeds in the jalapeno peppers, just remember that will add heat).  Thoroughly clean and chop cilantro and add it in along with lime, salt, sugar and other seasonings.  Stir gently but thoroughly and cover with plastic wrap.  Allow to sit on counter for at least 30 minutes.  Store in fridge until ready to use.

Double Citrus Black Beans

I love making beans from scratch.  The result is far superior to anything that comes out of a tin can.  You can also tailor the spice level to suit your individual preference.  These Double Citrus Black Beans are an Ode to my late Mother who, like me, adored all things Mexican!  Enjoy!!

Double Citrus Black Beans

1 Pound Dried Black Beans

10 Cups Water

1 Yellow Onion

6 Cloves Garlic

2 Small Oranges (Satsumas work well)

2 Limes

2 Bay Leaves

1 teaspoon dried Oregano

1 Tablespoon Sea Salt (add when beans finish cooking)

Begin by soaking beans in a large pot of cold water for 6 hours or overnight.  Strain and rinse and add beans to large pot along with 10 Cups of cold water.  Chop onion in half, remove peel and add to pot along with whole peeled garlic, bay leaves and oregano.  Zest 1 lime and add lime zest to pot.  Slice zested lime and 1 orange in half and add all of their juice to pot.  You can even just throw them in there if you like (I did).  

Bring mixture to a gentle boil and stir.  Reduce to lowest simmer, keep lid cocked to the side and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until all beans are tender.  Now turn off heat and add salt.  Allow to sit covered for 10 minutes and then strain out most of the excess liquid leaving a little to keep beans moist.  This is all in personal preference to how "soupy" you like your beans.  You might even want to retain the liquid for making soup later on.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon remove onions, garlic, lime, orange and bay leaves as best you can and discard.  They have already done their job.  Now lastly add juice of remaining lime and orange and stir to combine.  Serve immediately or allow to cool to room temperature and store in tightly sealed glass vessel for up to one week in refrigerator.

Eggplant Pepper Dip

This unique dip packs a mega Umami punch and goes great with all your favorite veggies, chips and crackers or smothered on tacos, burritos, tamales and more!

Eggplant Pepper Dip

1 medium Eggplant

2 dried Santa Fe Chili Peppers (seeds and ribs can be removed)

4 cloves Garlic

1/2 yellow Onion

1/4 Cup fresh Basil

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

Salt and Pepper

Oil of choice

Pinch of Sugar

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 bunch Fresh Cilantro

Water

Begin by washing, destemming, peeling and rough chopping eggplant, peppers, garlic, onion and basil.  Toss with a generous drizzle of oil, cumin, salt and pepper in a large roasting pan.  Roast at 400 degrees F for about 30-35 minutes or until caramelized (golden brown).  Remove and allow to cool slightly.  Add all to food processor along with lemon, sugar and fresh cilantro.  Puree and while machine is running, drizzle in water until desired consistency is achieved.  Although it might not be the prettiest dish, the flavor is unmatched!

Vegan Taco Bell Salad

Oh Taco Bell, how you tempt me so!  I have always loved you.  What I really love about you though?!  One word, SAUCE.  This  is why I always stock up on a lions share of your sauce packets, to stock my pantry of course.  I've tried the stuff in the bottle from the grocery store but it's not the same.

Fortunately for vegans, Taco Bell actually has some decent options.  Just avoid the meat and dairy and you are pretty safe.  That is, if you eat fast food.  Of course, I, like most folks, try to keep fast food intake to a minimum but when the craving strikes, Taco Bell gets my money.

This is not a promotional blog post about Taco Bell, although it does feel like that.  Let's proceed to my favorite fast lunch, homemade Vegan Taco Bell Salad.  If you know anything about me, you know I was Mexican in a former life.  Here goes:

Vegan Taco Bell Salad - serves 2

4 Cups Green Leaf Lettuce (hand torn)

1 Cup Cooked and Cooled Pinto Beans (homemade or canned is okay)

1 Cup Tortilla Chips (multicolored or flavored is fine)

1 Ripe Avocado

1 Tablespoon Vegenaise

1/4 Cup Salsa (homemade or jarred is okay)

2 teaspoons Nutritional Yeast

4-6 Taco Bell Sauce Packets (mild, hot and/or fire) optional

Tear up lettuce, chop Avocado, spoon on salsa, vegenaise and yeast, crush up tortilla chips, toss in a bowl and plate as desired.  Pictured prior to crushing chips and tossing altogether because it looked prettier.  This salad is also great with the addition of diced onion and chopped cilantro, I just didn't have any on hand.  Be sure to serve immediately or the chips will loose their CRUNCH.  Yum.  Eat.  Repeat.  Save your money and just grab some sauce packets.  Enjoy!

Easy Mole Sauce

Okay seriously, Mole sounds like a daunting task.  Just throw together some 20 ingredients and magically you have the flavor profile of Mole!  Right?!  Well, it goes something like that.  And today, this is how it went down in my kitchen.  Get a little adventurous with your spice rack.  You may surprise yourself.  I know I sure did!  Mole!!!

I didn't measure precisely on this one so just trust your own palate.  Just start with a couple teaspoons and tablespoons or so of each Ingredient. You can always add more as you go if you want it sweeter, saltier, spicer or more bitter.  This batch came out fairly spicy but not over the top.

Easy Mole Sauce

2 Dried Ancho Chilis

2 Dried Pasilla Ancho Chilis

2 Dried Santa Fe Chilis

2 T Pure Cocoa Powder

2 T Brown Sugar

1 t Salt

1 T Cinnamon

1/4 Cup Raisins

1/8 Cup Mixed Nuts (cashew, peanut, almond)

1 T Peanut Butter

1 t Coriander

4 Whole Cloves

6 Whole Black Peppercorns

1 t Thyme

2 T Massel "chicken" flavor buillion powder

1/2 Cup Brewed Dark Coffee

8 Cups Water

4 Garlic Cloves

1/2 Red Onion

Dash of Canola Oil (for sauteeing garlic and onion)

Remove stems from dried chilis, discard stems and put chilis in a large pot.  Cover with 8 cups of water, cover and turn on heat to high.  When water begins to boil, add ALL other ingredients EXCEPT GARLIC and ONION.  Reduce heat to simmer, stir to combine and cover pot with lid.  Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes.  

Meanwhile, In a separate saute pan, heat a dash of Canola Oil over medium heat and add whole garlic cloves and roughly chopped onion.  Reduce heat to low and saute mixture until garlic and onions begin to brown.  Turn off heat and set aside.  Also turn off heat of spice/broth mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.  Add onion mixture to spice/broth mixture and stir well.

Now In 2-3 batches, blend mole at high speed in blender.  You only want your blender about 1/2 full so mixture does not blow out the top!  Be sure to cover top with secure lid, a dish towel and a strong hand!  Once all batches have been well blended, pour mixture through a fine seive (mesh strainer) so as to remove any unwanted seeds and clumps.  Press and stir mixture in strainer with back of a spoon so you get all the good thick liquid separated.  Voila!  You should now have at least one quart of luscious Mole sauce to use on whatever your belly desires!  This would be great drizzled on rice or to coat tofu for burritos, tacos, tamales and more!

Potato Tomato Cilantro Soup

3 Russet Potatoes

1 Small Sweet Yellow Onion

1 Small Can Chopped Tomatoes

1 Small Can Chopped Fire Roasted Green Chilis

6 vegan Chicken Bouillon Cubes, Massel Brand

1 bunch Cilantro

8 Cups Water

Dash of Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Tortilla Chips (for garnish)

Begin by chopping onion and potatoes into 1-inch cubes.  Saute in a large pot in a little olive oil just until onions become translucent.  Add all remaining incredients (EXCEPT CILANTRO) and simmer over low-medium heat until potatoes are tender.  Lastly rough chop and add all cilantro.  Remove from heat and serve immediately.  Cool unused portion and refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Photo Courtesy of Jamie

Vegan Pozole

I knew eventually I was going to have to make Pozole veganized.  I put it off knowing it would be a feat to capture the essence of what used to contain loads of fatty chicken thighs and spicy Italian Sausage.  This version takes a few shortcuts utilizing canned ingredients I had on hand.  I am going to include serving suggestions and additions I'm sure would make it a hit on any festive occasion.

Vegan Pozole

1 Yellow Onion

4 Jalapeno Peppers

1 Large Tomato

1 Tablespoon Canola Oil

1 large can White Hominy (rinsed, drained)

1 large can Red Enchilada Sauce

1 Cup Red Lentils (rinsed, drained)

2 Cups Vegetable Broth

1 Cup Water

4 Tablespoons Chili Powder

3 Tablespoons Sugar

1 Tablespoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Oregano

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1 teaspoon Black Pepper

Lime and Cilantro (for garnish)

2-4 Vegan Spicy Italian Sausages and/or Chorizo-Style Smart Dogs (Optional)

Begin by finely dicing Onion, Peppers and Tomato and saute in Canola Oil in a large pot over medium heat.  For a super fine dice utilize your food processor if you have one.  After sauteing for about 5 minutes add all remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low.  Cook covered, stirring occasionally for at least 45 minutes.  Serve in bowls with a garnish of Lime, chopped Cilantro, Vegan Sour Cream and Crusty Croutons.  Chef's Note:  For a hearty addition, chop up some vegan spicy Italian Sausage or Chorizo Style vegan Smart Dogs (or both) and add them in with the soup half way through cooking.

Recipe Remix - Tostadas!

To create these beauties you will need to make the following recipes found here on my blog:

Arbol Chili Sauce

Perfect Pinto Beans

Autumn Harvest Veggie Medley

Directions: grab yourself a couple tostada shells.  Now pile on some beautiful green leaf lettuce, a generous scoop of perfect pinto beans, veggie medley and chili sauce.  Voila!  Heaven in a bite - I swear!

Arbol Chili Sauce

3 dried Arbol Chilies

2 cups Water

1 six-ounce can Tomato Paste

3 cloves fresh Garlic

1 Tablespoon ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 teaspoon dried Oregano

2 Tablespoon Sugar

In a small saucepan cover dried chilies (stems removed) with 2 cups water. Cover and bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Add contents of pot to blender with other ingredients and blend on high speed until well blended.  Arbol Chili Sauce can be served warm, room temperature or cold.  Use sauce immediately or store unused portion in tightly sealed glass vessel in refrigerator for up to one week.  Pairs well with hummus, tamales and so much more!

Tomatillo Cream Sauce

6 Tomatillos (husks removed)

1 yellow onion

4 cloves garlic

2-4 serrano peppers (depends on your heat preference)

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup olive or canola oil

Juice of 2 limes

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro

Remove husks from tomatillos and slice into 4 chunks.  Rough chop onion, garlic and serranos.  Coat all with a Tablespoon of oil, salt and pepper.  Roast in large dish at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Thoroughly wash and dry cilantro (stems okay to use) and set aside.  Blend vegetables in high speed blender until smooth.  Add cilantro and lime juice and puree.  Now while blender is running, drizzle oil until sauce emulsifies to a creamy sauce.  Finish blending and taste test for salt level.  Enjoy with chips, tamales, tacos, burritos, burgers and more.  Or eat with a spoon.  Yum!

Traditional Pico De Gallo

I could (and often do) eat Mexican food every day.  My husband always teases me that I am Mexican.  When it comes to my love of Mexican Cuisine, I pretty much am.  This recipe for Traditional Pico De Gallo is just that, no frills, no secret ingredients, just a simple loving concoction of a few of my favorite things.  I make a lot of salsas and I encourage you to try them out.  This simple straight forward traditional Pico De Gallo is sure to be a hit for everyone in your family.  My kids love this stuff.  It goes down great with any of your favorite tortilla chips or with a spoon.  Enjoy!

Traditional Pico De Gallo

6 Medium Tomatoes

1 Medium White Onion

1 Large Lime

1 Large Clove of Fresh Garlic

1 Large Fresh Jalapeno Pepper

1 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro

1/2 teaspoon Salt

1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Sugar (can be omitted if you have very sweet tomatoes or if you are watching your sugar intake)

Finely dice onion, garlic and tomatoes and add to a large glass bowl.  Remove stems, seeds and ribs from jalapeno, finely dice and add to bowl.  Add all seasonings (salt, pepper, sugar) and juice of 1 lime and toss thoroughly to combine.  Lastly, thoroughly wash and finely chop cilantro.  Add to bowl and toss again.  Taste test for seasoning level.  Allow to sit out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before serving.  Serve immediately.  Store any leftovers in tightly sealed glass vessel in refrigerator and use within 2 days.  

Crazy Easy Tamale Cake with Fire Sauce

I love tamales. I could probably eat them every day and never tire of them. I remember being a child and my Mom used to feed us cans of Hormel Tamales and they were amazing. Do they even make those anymore? Tamales are so versatile and can be made from scratch in a snap. There is no limit to the number of fillings and toppings so the opportunities for creativity are infinite. Now don't get me wrong, making individual tamales for large supper parties with complex fillings can be VERY labor intensive but there are some fun shortcuts when you just want tamales and you want them now.

Crazy Easy Tamale Cake with Fire Sauce

Tamale Cake
2 cups Masa Harina (corn flour)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth

 Begin by combining your dry ingredients, Masa Harina, salt, baking powder and salt until fully combined. Next add the oil and mix together. Now slowly add in the vegetable broth and mix until all ingredients are well combined but DO NOT OVERMIX. Now take out a small casserole dish(glass or metal)and line it with tin foil allowing some to hang over the sides of the dish so you can "wrap it" over the top. Put a layer of parchment paper down and spread mix on parchment. Using another piece of parchment paper the size of the dish, press down slightly so that you have an even layer of dough. Leave that parchment on top and wrap foil over top. Add another couple layers of foil on the top of the dish so that there are no leaks. Next step is to place this dish in the middle of a larger dish. Now place in the oven (no need to preheat oven, it's easier to make your water bath if you are not fighting with a scorching hot vessel) and POUR water all around the dish so that it comes up to about half way. Now cover the whole thing in more foil so it is sealed and cook for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees F.  While it is cooking, make your Fire Sauce.

After your timer goes off, remove from oven and very carefully remove outer foil and lift smaller dish out and set on counter to cool for about 10 minutes. Be very careful because there will be a lot of steam trapped in this contraption! Remove your tamale cake and slice into desired sizes. This is especially great for kids because you can give them smaller portions if necessary.

 ***This recipe does not use filling, although I did throw a few raisins on top because I thought my kids would enjoy them. The beauty of tamales is you can easily make the tamale and then your "fillings" can just be toppings, it still tastes the same. Think beans, potatoes, and any array of vegetables you like, and of course, don't forget the fire sauce! Be creative. If you want to "fill" these, just double the recipe and layer your filling in between and add 20 minutes cook time***

Fire Sauce
1 can tomato paste
1 red hot chili (dried or fresh with stem removed)
2 cups water
2 cloves fresh garlic
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Combine all in your high speed blender and then warm in a sauce pan for serving. Be sure to cover your blender with a towel and keep your hand on the top to avoid a tomato explosion in your kitchen. Trust me on this one. Serve immediately with your tamale cake and store any unused portion in refrigerator in a tightly sealed glass vessel for up to one week. ENJOY.

Christmas (in July) Fire Gazpacho

3 Roma Tomatoes

2 Tomatillos

1 small Yellow Onion

10 cloves Garlic

3 Jalapeños

6-8 mini sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, orange)

1 bunch Cilantro

1 leaf of Kale (any variety)

Juice of 2 Limes

2 teaspoons Sea Salt

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground Black Pepper

1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Wash and rough chop all produce.  Be sure to de-stem jalapeños and remove ribs and seeds (wearing rubber gloves is advised during this step).  Blend all fresh produce in separate batches in food processor to desired consistency.  Add lime juice, salt, black pepper, sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Mix all well in large glass bowl and cover tightly.  Allow to sit on counter covered for at least 1 hour before serving.  Serve at room temperature.  Store unused portion in air-tight glass container in refrigerator.  Chef's note:  I prefer mine extra chunky similar to a Pico De Gallo but you can purée mixture to any consistency you desire.

5 Alarm Serrano Chile Sauce

This spicy green sauce is extremely versatile and pairs well with all you favorite Mexican dishes.  Although the sauce is very spicy, due to the ratio of chile peppers to tomatillos, it can be adjusted to suit your preferred spice level.  Give it a try.  I promise it will be a hit.  Just do me a favor and please, wear rubber gloves while handling  your chiles, no matter how tough you think you are in the spice department.


5 Alarm Serrano Chile Sauce

1 pound Serrano chiles (stems, seeds and ribs removed)

4 Tomatillos (husks and stems removed)

8 cloves fresh garlic (left whole with skins removed)

Juice of 4 Limes (zest of 1)

1 cup Canola Oil

1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro (washed with stems attached)

1 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/2 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Wear rubber gloves while removing stems, ribs and seeds from Serranos.  Wash prepared chiles in cold water thoroughly and pat to dry.  Drizzle a little oil into a large glass casserole dish to coat bottom.  Place chiles, garlic and tomatillos in dish and toss with oil and sea salt.  Bake for about 30 minutes or until skins begin to blister.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Place mixture into blender or food processor along with additional salt, sugar(if desired), lime juice, lime zest and fresh cilantro (okay to leave cilantro stems in tact).

Turn on machine to puree and slowly drizzle in remaining oil until desired consistency is achieved.  Serve immediately or store in glass jar in refrigerator for up to one week.  Makes a great dip or drizzle on tacos, burritos, burgers and more!

Chef's note:  if you want to make this less spicy, use half or one-third amount of Serrano Chiles and double amount of sugar.

For The Love of All Things Mexican

Ok I am pretty sure I am not Mexican, however, I could probably subsist wholly on Mexican cuisine. Thankfully when it comes to this fare, vegan options are plentiful.

A few days ago I was faced with eating fast food and hubby and I decided on Taco Bell. I quickly Googled vegan options and was pleasantly surprised. I had the new cantina burrito veggie style with no cheese and no sour cream. I was tickled pink that it tasted fantastic, creamy and tummy satisfying. Hooray for all of their vegan hot sauces.

I have a plethora of vegan Mexican recipes to share that will satisfy all palates. One of my favorites is my Loaded Veggie Tamales with Firey Red Sauce. I will post this very soon. Happy Hump Day Universe!! Be Well.

Mama Ash's Meaty Vegan Chili

It's very cold here in San Francisco and I was craving something warming and spicy.  One of my favorite foods to prepare, vegetarian or otherwise, is hearty, meaty, salty, succulent chili!  Unfortunately, my husband won't eat it.  Not because it's vegan but because he doesn't like chili.  Oh well, his loss.  More for me and the kiddos!

I challenge you to prepare this for any chili loving carnivore and see if they can tell the difference.  Just don't tell them it is vegan.  Wait until after they have eaten it (providing they don't have a soy allergy as TVP, a key ingredient resembling ground meat, does contain soy).

I have played around with lots of vegetarian chili recipes and came up with this one because I find it simple to prepare yet complex in body and flavor.  It is so hearty and filling.  Please let me know how it turns out.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, I am Mama Ash, a nickname bestowed upon me in my college days in Humboldt County long before I actually had children of my own.

Mama Ash's Meaty Vegan Chili
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 sweet yellow onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
4 Tablespoons chili powder (I used Whole Foods Market 365 brand, Valle del Sol Chili Powder)
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 Tablespoon oregano
3 vegetable bouillon cubes (I used Rapunzel brand, Vegan Vegetable Bouillon with Sea Salt & Herbs flavor)
1 cup TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein.  I used Bob's Red Mill brand)
4 cups water

1 fifteen-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 six-ounce can tomato paste (I used Whole Foods Market 365 brand, Organic Tomato Paste)

Saute onion, red pepper, garlic and carrot over low heat in olive oil for about 5 minutes.  Add chili powder, cumin, oregano and bouillon cubes.  Stir to coat and then add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of TVP.  While it is simmering add 1 can of pinto beans and tomato paste.  As it reduces slightly, add remaining 2 cups of water and stir.  Allow chili to simmer covered on very low heat for about 20 minutes.  Voila!

Serving suggestions:  top with a dollop of vegan sour cream, chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lime.

Makes about 8 servings.