Garden Chili

Because I'm doing the Daniel Fast I was reminded of another vegetarian dish I made. A while back a friend of mine asked me to make her some chili. She requested the vegetarian version of this one, but I didn't have the ingredients for it so I concocted a new one. It was inspired by the diner style garbage plates, it may be a California thing so I'll explain. A garbage plate is when you take whatever's in the fridge that's about to go bad, dice it up in scrambled eggs and serve with or on top of potatoes (hash browns or home fries). Its to die for! Same thing with this chili. I thought about naming it garbage chili, but garden sounded more appetizing, ha ha.

Ingredients

2 cans of pinto beans
2 cans of dark red kidney beans
2 cans of black beans
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 box (32 oz) of vegetable stock
3 small poblanos (diced)
1 medium onion (diced)
1 large zucchini (diced)
1 large carrot (diced)
1 bag (10 ounce) frozen corn
2 tbsp of chili powder
2 tbsp of cumin
1 tbsp of garlic powder
1 tbsp of onion powder
1 tsp of cayenne pepper
2 tsp of pepper
1 tsp of Adobo
1 tsp of paprika
Seasoning salt

Directions

1. Dice all the veggies before starting to cook
2. Saute onions in a dash of oil until translucent
3. Pour in the vegetable stock and add tomatillos and poblanos
4. Add spices and season to taste with salt
5. Bring to a boil. Cook for 15-20 minutes
6. Add beans and veggies.
7. Lower heat and stir occasionally
8. Simmer as long as you like, but at least 30 minutes

Daniel Fast: Portuguese White Bean Soup

This recipe I followed exactly and of course it follows the running theme of this fast: I found it on pinterest. So good even my picky and carnivorous bf had a bowl!

Ingredients

1⁄2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1⁄2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons ground fennel seeds
1 small fennel bulb, diced (about 2 cups)
1 cup diced carrots
1 1⁄2 cups diced potatoes
2 teaspoons dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
1⁄4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or one 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 cups cooked white beans (two 15-ounce cans drained)
4 cups water or vegetable stock
5 or 6 cups loosely packed chopped kale
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

In a covered soup pot on medium-low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onions, garlic, and salt and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the ground fennel and diced fennel bulb and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots, potatoes, thyme, and black pepper and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, beans, and water or stock and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are just tender. If the soup is too thick, add another cup of water.

Add the kale and sun- dried tomatoes to the pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the kale is tender. Stir in the lemon juice. Season with more salt and black pepper to taste.

Daniel Fast: Mexican Red Lentil Soup

Fast is still going quite well although I have a craving for breads and pastries. I don't usually want bagels, croissants, or garlic Texas toast, and I don't keep them in the house, but suddenly that's all I want. A cheesy bread from Papa John's would be heaven right now. Or a meat lovers pizza . . . Mmmmm (in my Homer voice). Okay I digress. My willpower is strong.

I will say that this soup was extremely hard to photograph, but delicious. The fresh cilantro and lime made it pop for my Daniel fast lunches. Oh and its another pinterest find!

Ingredients

1 c red lentils, rinsed
1 T oil
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalk, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 roasted red pepper, diced
2 t chili powder
1/4 t chipotle powder
1 t cumin
1 t Adobo
1 t black pepper
1 28oz can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 quart vegetable stock
1 c chopped cilantro

Directions

Add rinsed lentils to a small pot and cover with water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat leaving cover on pot. Set aside.

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat and saute onions celery, and carrots.

When the veggies soften a bit add garlic, spices, and roasted red pepper. Cook another 1-2 minutes.

Dump in the whole pot of lentils along with the vegetable stock and tomatoes. Stir everything well, cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and serve with fresh lime wedges.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Daniel Fast Snacking: Dried Fruit

Dried fruits were an easy option for snacks during my fast. The problem is finding fruit that doesn't have added sugar. Even at Trader Joe's I found my favorite dried fruits, cherries and cranberries, had extra sugar so I opted for apricots and apples. Fasting doesn't mean you have to be hungry!

Daniel Fast Breakfast: Sweet Quesadilla

Now that the secret is out about my love of almond butter, I'll share my breakfast recipe for the week. Pick your favorite fruits, spread any nut butter of your choosing on a whole grain tortilla, heat and serve. It's so good! And here I thought I'd be sick of eating the same thing for 7 days straight. My favorite combination thus far is bananas and dark chocolate. The combination of saltiness of the almond butter with the sweet bananas and rich chocolate is to die for. Since strawberries are not in season (sorry Florida I don't care that it's warm enough to harvest your strawberries in January, they're just not as good as California's so I'll wait til April) the top recipe wasn't as sweet as it could have been but still good and worth another shot when strawberries are in season. Tomorrow I'm trying apples and cinnamon! Have a good day all!

Daniel Fast: One Pot Pasta

Week one of my fast is over. So far no outrageous cravings. I found another awesome  recipe on Pinterest. It was quick and easy for a weeknight meal and very tasty. You can basically add anything you want to it. Enjoy!

Ingredients

12 oz. whole wheat or brown rice spaghetti (I used Trader Joe's)

1 (14-oz.) jar artichoke hearts, chopped

1 large white or yellow onion, sliced or diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pint can cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1 (8-oz.) can basil, garlic, oregano tomato sauce

1 tsp. dried oregano

4-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes 

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 quart vegetable broth, low sodium or no salt added

Instructions

Add the pasta to a large, deep pot or skillet

Add the rest of the ingredients, minus the broth, to the pan on top of the pasta

Pour the vegetable broth over everything.

Cover the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a steady simmer (medium to medium-low heat) and, keeping covered & stirring occasionally, cook for 8-10 more minutes, or until pasta is done through.

Daniel Fast: Curried Vegetable Stew

Another Pinterest find. I can't reiterate enough how much I love curry. I mean it might be the best seasoning in the world. It goes with everything curry chicken, curry goat, curry shrimp. . . ok let me stop before I go into Bubba mode. Anyway I already decided (with this recipe) that chickpeas, curry, and kale belong together, so without further ado: 

Curried Vegetable Stew

Serves 8 - 10

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 large onion, dice

2 all-purpose potatoes, diced

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon curry powder

1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated (about 1 tablespoon)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups vegetable broth

2 (16-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 green bell pepper, sliced

1 yellow pepper, sliced

1 medium head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

4-5 large kale leave, torn into bite size pieces

6 cups water

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion and bell peppers with one teaspoon of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, and remaining spices and sauté until fragrant. 

Pour in water and chickpeas. Bring to a boil. Season to taste.*

Add potatoes and cauliflower. Lower heat, cover, and simmer for 30-45 minutes.

Stir in the kale just before you think the potatoes are done. Cover with lid for 1 minute to allow the kale to wilt. 

I meal prepped this stew for lunch. The original recipe calls for coconut milk which I didn't have, but will definitely add next time for that creamy effect and bit of sweetness.

*Note: This step is important because your potatoes and cauliflower will not be able to absorb the flavors after they are cooked. 

Daniel Fast: Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

Sweet Potato Black Bean Chili

I scoured Pinterest for my Daniel Fast recipes. I searched vegetarian and vegan as well as sugar-free recipes. I love chili so this one was a no brainer. Plus I happened to have all the ingredients already on the house. For this recipe just make sure your canned tomatoes do not have added sugar.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 small green bell pepper, diced

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1½ teaspoons Mexican chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 jalapeno pepper, sliced

2 medium sweet potato, diced

2 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes 

1 quart vegetable stock

Salt

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a dutch oven or large pot. Add the diced bell peppers and onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the peppers soften and the onions become translucent. Add garlic and saute another minute.

Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, paprika, garlic and onion powder and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the diced tomatoes and vegetable stock and bring your chili to a boil over medium-high heat. Add sweet potatoes, black beans, and jalapeno. Add salt to taste (I didn't need to add salt because the broth I used was not low sodium and was supper flavorful, from Trader Joe's) and return chili to a boil.

Lower to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 30 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender. 

Remove the lid and simmer for 10 more minutes or until the chili has thickened slightly.

Ladle chili into bowls and serve with toppings of your choice.

Suggested toppings:

Scallions or green onions

Avocado

Radishes

Cilantro

This chili came out absolutely delicious. All the flavors worked so well together. I love beans so next time I'll probably add another can and some cilantro. Feel free to jazz it up anyway you like. Add some cocoa powder, substitute poblano peppers for green bell pepper, or different beans perhaps? That's the great thing about chili, the possibilities are endless; it doesn't really matter what you add, it will still taste good. Enjoy!

Daniel Fast

Hey all! Happy New Year! I hope your year is going well thus far. This year I decided to partake in the Daniel fast. It's a religious fast that takes place at the beginning of the year. I've been hearing about it and watching others participate for years. It lasts 21 days. 

The time is to be spent praying for specific things that you need or want in your life (e.g. better job, a raise, better relationships). One of the churches I used to attend in Georgia proclaims this the year, the year of increase. So I'll be praying for increase in finances, in assets ( I plan to buy a house), in strength (physical and mental), in health, and in love. The fast is a great way to strengthen your relationship with God while dropping a few pounds from the healthy way of eating. I'm super excited about this undertaking! 

The nutritional part of the fast entails the following:

Eat!

All fruit – fresh, frozen, dried, juiced, or canned.

All vegetables – fresh, frozen, dried, juiced, or canned.

All whole grains – amaranth, barley, brown rice, oats, quinoa, millet, and whole wheat.

All nuts & seeds – almonds, cashews, macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pine nuts, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds; unsweetened almond milk. Nut butters are also included.

All legumes – canned or dried; black beans, black eyed peas, cannellini beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), great northern beans, kidney beans, lentils, pinto beans, and split peas.

All quality oils – canola, coconut, grapeseed, olive, peanut, and sesame.

Beverages - distilled water, filtered water, and spring water.

Other – unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, or soy milk; herbs, spices, salt, pepper, unsweetened coconut flakes, seasonings, Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, soy products, and tofu.

Avoid!

All meat & animal products – beef, buffalo, fish, lamb, poultry, and pork.

All dairy products – butter, cheese, cream, eggs, and milk.

All sweeteners – agave nectar, artificial sweeteners, cane juice, honey, molasses, raw sugar, syrups, stevia, and sugar.

All leavened bread & yeast – baked goods and Ezekiel bread (if it contains yeast and honey).

All refined & processed food products – artificial flavorings, chemicals, food additives, preservatives, white flour, and white rice.

All deep-fried foods – corn chips, French fries, and potato chips.

All solid fats – lard, margarine, and shortening.

Beverages – alcohol, carbonated drinks, coffee, energy drinks, herbal tea, and tea

I will be chronicling my journey and menu here on the blog! You can also follow me on Instragram!

Vegetarian Tamale Pie

I haven't had tamale pie in years. My mom used to make it when I was a kid. When I started this vegetarian kick I didn't want to just eat vegetables, especially salad. I always enjoyed this dish and I'm not sure why I didn't think to make it until now, but it turned out great. Mom used Fritos but I went for blue corn tortilla chips instead. Next time I think I'll stick with the corn chips because the baked chips I used got soggy. Feel free to add anything you like to the pie. I added poblano pepper which mom never did and I wanted to add zucchini but it went bad before I got to it. Anywho, without further ado, here's the recipe:

Ingredients

1 12oz package Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef (or any brand you choose)
1 15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can petite diced, undrained
2 cups frozen corn
1 medium poblano
1 medium red onion
5 oz blue corn tortilla chips or corn chips
2 cups shredded cheese

Toppings

Sour cream
Salsa
Green onion, sliced

Directions

1. Sauté the onions
2. Add the beans, tomatoes, poblano, and corn
3. Cook until corn is done, then remove from heat
4. Layer the chips in a baking dish
5. Pour mixture over chips
6. Top with cheese
7. Bake til golden and bubbly
8. Add your favorite toppings

Vegetarian Empanadas

Everyone has their own version of a meat and bread combination: hamburgers, beef patties, samosas, sambusas, pork buns, empanadas and so on. My favorite would have to be the latter. Whether they're Colombian, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or Peruvian, empanadas are the best hand pies around. They can be filled with beef, pork, or chicken along with olives, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, cheese, raisins, or egg. This time I used soy chorizo for mine and while you can make your own dough I choose to use Goya, or any brand that's on sale, discos (they're located in the freezer section of most grocery stores). Here's my vegetarian version:

Ingredients

1 package soy chorizo (I like Cacique)
1 15oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium red onion
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 package (10) Goya discos, unthawed

Preparation

Sauté the onions
Add chorizo and tomatoes
Cook until the tomato juice is evaporated
Add cilantro, stir, and remove from heat
Allow to cool
Fill discos and close with a fork
Brush with melted butter or egg wash to help brown (optional)
Bake on a greased baking sheeting until golden brown

Taco Tuesday: Chik'n Tacos

Ingredients

1 cup Quorn Chik'n Tenders

1 small red onion, sliced

2 tbsp Mojo Criollo

2 sprinkles of Adobo

4-6 corn tortillas

Toppings

4 tbsp salsa or taco sauce

3-4 tbsp light or fat free sour cream

1 cup shredded lettuce or cabbage

1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheese

Chopped green onion

Vegetarian Loaded Potato Soup

For two weeks I tried an all vegetarian diet. I honestly had no idea what to eat, so  the firrst thing I tried was a recipe I already new and loved. This is vegetarian version of one of my favorite soups. Just leave out the bacon and use vegetable broth. Simply enjoy!

Ingredients

6 Large Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 Large Onion, diced
1 Quart Vegetable Broth
3 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 Cup Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 Cup Milk
16 oz Container Sour Cream
1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Day Twenty-Five: Brazilian Black Bean Stew

Brazilian Black Bean Stew

Leave out the chorizo for a vegetarian version.

Ingredients
Original recipe makes 6 servings

 1 tablespoon canola oil
 1/4 pound chorizo sausage, chopped
 1 medium onion, chopped
 2 cloves garlic, minced
 2 (1 pound) sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
 1 large red bell pepper, diced
 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
 1 small hot green chile pepper, diced
 1 1/2 cups water
 2 (16 ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
 1 mango - peeled, seeded and diced
 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, and cook the chorizo for 2 to 3 minutes. Place the onion in the pot, and cook until tender. Stir in garlic, and cook until tender, then mix in the sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes with juice, chile pepper, and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

2. Stir the beans into the pot, and cook uncovered until heated through. Mix in the mango and cilantro, and season with salt.

Day Twenty: Slow Cooker Vegetarian Stew

There's something about curry! I can't get enough! So here is yet another stew with curry. This one comes from Betty Crocker; it's vegetarian (can be vegan with a few substitutions) and a slow cooker recipe! Win!

Curried Sweet Potato and Lentil Stew

3 cups peeled sweet potatoes, cubed
1 small onion, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 1/2 cups ready-to-eat baby-cut carrots
3/4 cup dried lentils, sorted, rinsed
2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger root
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (14 oz) vegetable broth or 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen cut green beans, thawed
1/2 cup plain fat-free yogurt

1 In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix sweet potatoes, onion, carrots and lentils.
2 In 8-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add curry powder, cumin, salt, pepper, ginger  root and garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth. Pour mixture into slow cooker; stir.
3 Cover; cook on Low heat setting 5 to 6 hours.
4 Increase heat setting to High. Stir in green beans. Cover; cook about 15 minutes longer or until green beans are crisp-tender. Serve topped with yogurt.