I’ve been thinking of recipes that keep us warm and satisfied, because we so need them at this time of year. This week, I thought I’d share with you my vegan chili recipe.
As I have stated in the past, when you can get organic ingredients, do so. This recipe calls for 2 organic “must haves”: corn and tofu. Soy and corn are heavily genetically modified crops so whenever using them in a recipe, it’s a good idea to use organic.
I like to use kidney beans for this recipe, but some people have a preference for another variety, or a combination of beans is also delicious in a chili. For optimal nutrition, I recommend buying the dried beans and soaking them overnight before cooking them. Do you remember the trick I taught you for eliminating the gas-producing effects of beans and chickpeas? Soak and cook them with a bay leaf and a piece of Kombu. If you only have the bay leaf, that will work too. Also, remember to skim the foam and discard it when you are cooking them.
I kept this recipe very mild in terms of spiciness level, but if you do enjoy it spicy, add more chili flakes, or cayenne pepper, whatever you prefer. You can even purchase a hot pepper of your choice and chop it in there with the bell pepper. I love to do that because I love it hot hot hot! So have fun with this spicy, hearty dish!
Enjoy, in joy and in health and please keep warm!
Amore’s Chili Sin Carne
Ingredients:
1 cup kidney beans, cooked, or any beans of your choice
1 cup organic firm tofu
1 cup organic frozen corn, cooked
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 large white onion, chopped
1 sweet potato, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 tomato, chopped
½ cup tomato paste or strained tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Juice from ½ a lime
Method:
- After rinsing it, slice your slab of tofu into thick pieces and pat dry with paper towels. You can leave the pieces of tofu on paper towels for 15-30 minutes to absorb excess moisture.
- Crumble tofu with your hands into a large bowl. Add olive oil, garlic, paprika, bay leaf, cumin, chili, oregano and cayenne. Mix well. Set aside and allow to marinate for 20-30 minutes minimum. If you have time to marinate for longer, you can place it in the fridge to marinate.
- Heat grapeseed oil and add onion and tomato. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add sweet potato and carrots and sauté for 5 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf from marinated tofu and discard. Add tofu and tomato paste to the pan with the vegetables and sauté for 10 minutes. Stir in cooked beans and corn. Continue to cook for 1 more minute. Add spinach and stir. If all the vegetables are soft, turn off heat.
- Taste test to see if you desire more sea salt or spices. Garnish with fresh cilantro and a splash of lime juice if desired. Serve warm.
Growing plants and gardening is more feminine work; plants are tended and nurtured, and as we work with the cycles of nature, we are part of a process that enhances and amplifies life. It is life-affirming and humble (from humus, earth) work that supports our place in the web of life. On the other hand, large animal agriculture or husbandry was always men’s work and required violent force from the beginning, to contain powerful animals, control them, guard them, castrate them, and in the end, kill them. ~Dr. Will Tuttle, The World Peace Diet
Follow my vegan culinary adventures on Twitter and check out my new Facebook page.
