Vegan Chili

 

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Vegetarian Chili

• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 1 1/2 hours
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

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Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
• 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
• 2 to 3 serrano chiles, minced
• 1 1/2 pounds baby bella mushrooms, diced
• Salt and cayenne pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Mexican oregano, crushed between your fingers
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, stems and leaves separated and both finely chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• Two 14.5 ounce cans petite diced tomatoes (with juices)
• 3 cups water, or more as needed
• Two cans black beans, drained and rinsed under cool water
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• Cooked brown rice, for serving
• Sour cream, for serving
• Chopped green onions, for serving
• Diced avocado, for serving

Directions

• Heat the oil over medium high heat in a large heavy Dutch oven and saute the onions, bell pepper, poblano, and serrano chiles until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 6 minutes.

  Add the mushrooms, season lightly with salt and cayenne, and continue to cook, stirring as needed, until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and then begin to brown around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes longer.

  Add the garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, cilantro stems, bay leaves, and cook until the spices are fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

  Stir in the canned tomatoes and 2 cups of the water. Bring to a simmer, lower heat so that the chili gently bubbles, and cook for about 20 minutes, adding more water if the chili gets too thick.

  Add the beans and cook until thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, then stir in the corn and any additional water to correct the consistency if the chili has become too thick. Cook until the zucchini is softened but not mushy, about 10 minutes, then stir in the cilantro leaves, correct the seasoning with salt and cayenne, and remove from the heat.

  Serve the chili garnished with a spoonful of brown rice, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of green onions and diced avocado.

Date and Honey Zucchini Bread

The same edition of the Press Enterprise that brought me the eggplant tart brought this recipe.  I haven't tried it yet.  But I'm going to!

Date and Honey Zucchini Bread

Start to finish: 11/2 hours

Servings: 10

11/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pan

11/2 cups white whole-wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

11/2 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 eggs

1 cup honey

1 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups packed shredded zucchini (not peeled)

1 cup coarsely chopped medjool dates

Set a rack in the center of the oven.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mist a Bundt pan with baking spray.

In medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until well beaten.

Stir in the honey, oil and vanilla, then fold in the zucchini.

Add dry ingredients and chopped dates to the zucchini mixture.

Stir just until the dry ingredients are just moistened.

Do not over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

Bake until a toothpick inserted at the center of the loaf comes out clean and dry, 50 to 60 minutes.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional information per serving: 510 calories; 210 calories from fat (41 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (2 g saturated; 0.5 g trans fats); 55 mg cholesterol; 71 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 40 g sugar; 7 g protein; and 400 mg sodium.

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Caramelized Onion, Eggplant and Heirloom Tomato Tart

I took this recipe from the Press Enterprise Sept. 4, 2013, edition.  It was meant for a summer Rosh Hashanah recipe - the Jewish New Year.  But I find it's one of my favorite summer recipes.

A few tips - the 2 hour time is extremely optimistic.  It takes me at least 3 hours, what with the chopping and everything.

And I rarely get the dough to come up in a nice, easy crust to be draped prettily into the springform pan.  Luckily, it doesn't matter.  If it breaks into pieces, press it into place, use your fingers to smooth over the cracks and rips, and pretty up the edges by crimping them like a pie crust.  Or not - it won't matter. Once it bakes, the crust will be just fine.  And this recipe is always a hit!

Caramelized Onion, Eggplant and Heirloom Tomato Tart

Start to finish: 2 hours

Servings: 8

For the crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, chilled in the freezer for 1 hour

4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:

Olive oil cooking spray

13/4 pounds small eggplants, peel and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cups thinly sliced red onions (about 3 large)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 heirloom tomatoes (multiple colors), cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Fresh basil leaves, to garnish

To make the crust, in a large bowl whisk together flour and salt.

Add chilled olive oil and using clean hands or a fork, mix until the oil is incorporated and the mixture is the consistency of small peas.

Add the ice water and mix until dough has just formed.

Shaped into a 6-inch disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling.

Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Coat a large baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray.

Mist the eggplant rounds with cooking spray, then season both sides of each slice with salt and pepper.

Arrange the eggplants slices in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until soft and golden brown.

Remove from the oven and set aside.

While the eggplant cooks, in a large saucepan over medium, heat the olive oil.

Add the onions and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Stir in 1 teaspoon salt and the thyme, then reduce heat to low.

Cook, stirring occasionally so the onions don’t burn, until very soft and browned, about another 30 minutes.

Stir in the vinegar and remove from heat.

Mist an 11-inch springform tart pan (or a tart pan with a removable bottom) with cooking spray.

On a clean, floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll the chilled dough into a 13-inch circle.

Transfer the dough to the tart pan and fold in and press together the overhanging dough to build up the edges.

If the dough tears or breaks, simply piece it together and press it into the pan.

Spread the onion mixture in an even layer over the bottom of the tart.

Add an even layer of the eggplant.

Top with tomato slices arranged in an overlapping circular pattern.

Spray the top of the tart with olive oil cooking spray, then season with salt and pepper.

Bake until the crust is golden and the tomatoes are slightly browned, about 45 minutes.

Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Remove the outer ring of the pan and transfer the tart to a serving plate.

Slice into 8 wedges and serve warm, at room temperature or chilled.

Serve garnished with torn basil leaves.

Nutritional information per serving: 340 calories; 160 calories from fat (47 percent of total calories); 18 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 41 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 8 g sugar; 6 g protein; and 610 mg sodium.