Steel Cut Oat Bean Chili

One of my favorite vegan chefs out there, Chef AJ, shared a recipe on Facebook for a Steel Cut Oat Bean Chili. The picture itself oh so appetizing. The recipe was super simple. It looked like it would come together is around 30 minutes. The temperatures have been dropping all week and today .. snow was coming down in gentle flurries all day long. It was a perfect day for a bowl of chili. I even had all the ingredients on hand. It was meant to be :) 

Adapted from: www.sheknows.com (original recipe in OATrageous Oatmeals, by Kathy Hester)

Prep Time: ~25-30 min

Ingredients (Serves 4):

1. 2 cups water 
2. 1.5 tsp Better than Bouillon Vegetable Base 
3. 1/2 cup steel-cut oats
4. 1 tbsp Oregano
5. 1.5 tbsp Ground Cumin
6. 1 tsp Smoked Chipotle Chili powder
7. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
8. 1 (14.5 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed 
9. 1 (14.5 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1-1/2 cups homemade)
10. 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
11. 1 cup frozen corn
12. 1.5 tsp Liquid smoke
13. 1 tsp Freeze-dried Cilantro leaves (or fresh)
14. Juice of 1/2 a lime (optional)
15. Salt, to taste

Directions:

I pretty much followed the directions on the sheknows.com website with the exception that I did not wait for the oats to be completely cooked before I added the rest of the ingredients. I let everything cook together which blended the flavors much better in my opinion. Bring the water and vegetable base to a boil in a heavy cast iron pot (I used my Le Creuset). Add oats, bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Then stir in remaining ingredients, bring to a boil again and reduce heat to low, cover with a heavy lid to prevent excessive evaporation and serve when the oats are completely cooked (about 20 min). I forgot to use the lime juice listed in the original recipe. And with the vegetable base I used, I didn't even need to add salt to this recipe. It turned out great!!

My Assessment: This chili was really good. I love using different grains in my chili recipes and hadn't used Oats until now. The recipe was so simple, even with my couple of substitutions and additions, anyone could throw it all in a pot and have a wholesome dinner in half an hour!! A+++ 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 242 (Fat Calories 19)
Total Fat 2.1 g; Carbohydrates 44.7 g; Fiber 9.8 g; Sugars 3.5 g; Protein 12.0 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Mexican 7-Layer Dip

We were at the store a couple days ago for a mid-week grocery supplement trip when Tony picked up a container of 'ready to eat' Mexican dip from the deli-fresh section. I looked at it and it had more cheese and sour cream than any of the other whole ingredients and offered to make a whole foods-plant-based version at home. I mean, really, how hard could it be? So away we went .. picked up all of our ingredients and a bag of baked tortilla chips and we had the best lunch ever ... yep! we're those people! We at chips and dip for lunch! :)

Prep Time: <10 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 x 16 oz can of La Preferida Fat Free Refried Black Beans 
2. 1 x 8 oz bag of Shredded Lettuce (about 2 cups)
3. 1 Medium White onion, finely diced
4. 2 Medium Tomatoes, finely diced
5. 1 x 4 oz can of Ortega Fire-Roasted Diced Green Chilies
6. 1/2 x 3.8 oz can of Early California Sliced California Ripe Olives
7. 0.5 cup Pace Restaurant Style Salsa
8. 1 tbsp Ortega Taco Seasoning (to taste). 

Directions: 

I used black beans for this recipe because that's what we like to eat more than regular refried beans. Feel free to use a can of regular beans instead. The brand I used (La Preferida) has only cooked black beans, water, salt, and onion and garlic powder. I made sure also that the green chilies and olives are preserved in water, and not oil. Once all the ingredients are ready, start layering a bowl with the ingredients starting with half the lettuce, black beans, tomatoes, onions, black olives, green chilies, salsa, with sprinkles of taco seasoning between each layer. Finally top off with the remainder of the lettuce and add a few extra olives, and a sprinkle of taco seasoning, as a garnish. Refrigerate for about 30-60 minutes before serving. The longer the ingredients sit together, the better the flavors blend together. Serve with baked tortilla chips for an awesome experience. 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 108 (Fat Calories 14)
Total Fat 1.6 g; Carbohydrates 20.4 g; Fiber 5.4 g; Sugars 3.9 g; Protein 6.7 g


If you liked this recipe, be sure to check out my Recipe Index for more Whole-Food, Plant-Based, No-Added-Oil recipes. You can also like Rugrat Chow! on Facebook. Thanks!

Savory Southwestern Oatmeal

I made this last weekend and loved it and I made it again this week for dinner when I couldn't figure out what else to make for myself at short notice (after staring at the pantry for a few minutes). Ever since I returned from my trip to India, I've been somewhat lazy and have been making either super quick meals or staring at the pantry for several minutes each night before deciding on what to make. This is another recipe that has been modified from one posted by The Oatmeal Artist and it's a definite keeper. 

Adapted from: The Oatmeal Artist: Savory Mexican Corn Oatmeal

Prep Time: 10 min

Ingredients (Serves 1):

1. 1/2 cup Old-Fashioned (Rolled) Oats
2. 1/4 Small Red Onion (diced)
3. 1/2 cup Frozen Corn
4. 1/4 cup Black beans, rinsed and drained
5. 1 Medium Roma Tomato (diced)
6. 1/2 tsp Cumin
7. 1/2 tsp (Deggi) Red Chili powder
8. 1 tbsp Lemon/lime juice
9. 1 tsp Cilantro leaves, finely diced
10. Salt and Pepper, to taste
11. Hot Sauce, to taste (I used Cholula)

Directions:

Mix Oats, cumin, a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup corn with 1/2 cup water in a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high for 3 minutes, making sure to keep an eye on the bowl so that it doesn't overflow. Once the oats are done, remove from microwave, mix well and set aside. Line a sauce pan with water. On medium heat, saute onions in water until translucent. Add cumin, a pinch of salt, chili powder, the rest of the corn and mix well. Cook for a few minutes and then add black beans. Stir and simmer for a few minutes until beans are warmed up nicely along with the rest of the veggies. Remove from heat, mix with oats and corn, and lemon/lime juice (to taste). Transfer to a serving dish, top with fresh diced tomatoes and cilantro leaves. Serve with hot sauce.  Enjoy!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 301 (Fat Calories 38)

Total Fat 4.3 g; Carbohydrates 60.5 g; Fiber 10.7 g; Sugars 6.1 g; Protein 12.0 g

Southwestern, Pan-Seared Smothered Tofu

Some days I stand in my pantry for a few minutes searching for something to make for dinner. This, despite the fact that the pantry and freezer are pretty well stocked, except at the end of the week ;) !!! I definitely wasn't expecting this on a Tuesday evening. Anyhow ... it turned out Tony had not eaten his lunch and was going to eat his leftovers for dinner. He's not a big fan of tofu so I decided that this would be my main ingredient. The rest of the recipe just kind of evolved around it, as I gathered up various items from the pantry and refrigerator. 

Southwestern, Pan-Seared Smothered Tofu

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (Serves 2):

1. 1 x 14oz Pack of Firm or Extra-Firm Tofu (cut into 4-6 strips)
2. 1 x 12 oz Pack of fresh White Mushrooms, stems removed and halved.
3. 1/2 cup frozen yellow corn
4. 1/2 cup cooked Black beans, drained.
5. 2 tsp Taco Seasoning
6. 2-4 tbsp BBQ Sauce (your favorite)
7. 2-4 tbsp Salsa (your favorite)
8. Hot Sauce (optional)

Directions:

Heat a medium cast iron skillet to high heat (a drop of water should sizzle as soon as it is added to the skillet). Toss the mushrooms with a sprinkle of table salt and add to the heated skillet and dry roast for a few minutes until the mushrooms begin to darken. Remove mushrooms and set aside. Allow all the water released by the mushrooms to evaporate and the skillet to attain a nice uniform dry heat again. Move the mushrooms to the side and add each of the tofu slices directly onto the dry heated skillet. The tofu will sizzle immediately upon placing on the skillet. Do not move each piece for a couple of minutes. This allows a seared skin to form on the tofu which allows you to turn it without crumbling it. Sear the other side in a similar manner. 

Once each piece of tofu is well seared, add the mushrooms equally across the surface of the skillet, sprinkle taco seasoning over mushrooms and tofu, and then drizzle the salsa and BBQ sauce over the entire surface.  Next cover the tofu with black beans and corn, cover, reduce heat to medium low and allow everything to simmer for 5-7 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together. Garnish with hot sauce and serve with fresh bread, or toast as I did. Enjoy!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 458 (Fat Calories 85)
Total Fat 9.5 g; Carbohydrates 58.6 g; Fiber 11.5 g; Sugars 10.2 g; Protein 34.7 g

Quinoa & Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Normal Yoder is back :) Yup! Our local Amish Farmer's Market is finally open. I stopped by yesterday and picked up 3 fresh aromatic green peppers, a head of cabbage, some fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I decided to make some stuffed peppers for dinner last night. I looked for various recipes online and found quite a few but wanted to make something very simple. So I decided to make a simplified version of all the recipes I read. This one had 6 ingredients total and taste-wise .. it's da bomb in taste and simplicity!

Quinoa & Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

Prep Time: 15 min + 45 min (baking time)

Ingredients (Serves 3 or 6):

1. 3 Bell Peppers, halved, seeds removed
2. 3/4 cup Quinoa, prepare according to package instructions
3. 1 x 15oz can of Bush's Black Beans, drained and rinsed
4. 1 Medium Onion (I used white)
5. 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
6. A few sprigs of fresh cilantro, diced finely
7. Salt and Pepper, to taste 

Directions:

The stuffing

Line a skillet with water and add diced onion. Saute until translucent and add drained/rinsed black beans. Allow any excess water to evaporate, leaving the dish moist. Add Cumin seeds and saute for another couple of minutes, adding occasional splashes of water, as needed, to prevent sticking. Once cumin is aromatic, add quinoa, toss well and add finely diced herbs. The final stuffing mix should be moist but not runny. Taste test for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare each of the peppers by cutting in half and removing seeds with a paring knife. If necessary, shave off a piece at the bottom of each pepper to make sure it sits like a flat boat. I diced the shavings into small pieces and added those to my stuffing as well. Line a casserole dish with parchment paper (or cooking spray) and set aside. Using a small spoon, fill each pepper with the stuffing, over stuffing is good as there is nothing in this stuffing to expand. Set each pepper in the casserole dish and bake uncovered for about 30-45 minutes. Typically when the peppers are done, their aroma is released and the house starts to smell like roasted/grilled peppers. Serve warm, as a side. Serve with hot sauce. 

My Assessment: This dish was really filling and very low-calorie for being so filling. We had it as our entree instead of as a side, so I served 1 whole pepper per person and I could only eat about 3/4 of it, with effort.

Nutrition Facts (Per half-pepper): Calories 162 (Fat Calories 14)
Total Fat 1.6 g; Carbohydrates 31.4 g; Fiber 6.5 g; Sugars 3.8 g; Protein 7.7 g

Black Bean & Lentil Soup

So the DH is feeling a little under the weather with a sinus infection. What better to feed the poor baby than a wholesome home-made soup. I often add split lentils to my soups to increase overall protein content and also to make the broth at little creamier. Skinned Split lentils tend to breakdown when cooked well and that helps add a nice creaminess to soups. So much better than adding dairy based cream or additives like corn starch. This one came together really well. 

Black Bean & Lentil Soup

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (6 Servings):

1. 1 cup Mung Dal (split, skinned)
2. 1 x 15oz can Black Beans, drained, rinsed.
3. 1 Russet Potato, peeled and diced
4. 1 Large Tomato, diced (~1 cup)
5. 1 x 12oz Bag of Frozen Spinach
6. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
7. 1 tbsp Better than Bouillon Mushroom Base
8. 1.5 tbsp Dried Parsley flakes
9. 1-2 tsp Lawry's Garlic Salt
10. 8-10 cups Water or Homemade Vegetable Broth
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste
12. Hot Sauce (I use Cholula, optional)

Directions: 

Add all ingredients to a deep stock pot (start with 8 cups of water/broth and add more later, if needed). Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until lentils are tender and begin to break apart (~20-25 min). Taste test for salt, and add pepper for a garnish. Serve hot :) 

Tony's Assessment: Loved it. He ate 2 bowls for dinner and asked to take some for lunch tomorrow. 

My Assessment: This was a very filling soup by my standards. I was pretty full halfway through my first bowl and finished it only so as to not waste any. I liked it better with hot sauce added to it!! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 170 (Fat Calories 15)
Total Fat 1.7 g; Carbohydrates 31.4 g; Fiber 7.9 g; Sugars 2.0 g; Protein 9.5 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Taco Night

After a week of restaurant hopping in Texas, we returned to a home-cooked meal today. Guess what we had? Taco night!!! Yup, we didn't get enough Tex-Mex while in good 'ol Tejas so we had to have some the first day we were home. 

Taco night at the Coder Residence!!! 

I've posted about our taco fixin's before (see here). Today, we had Steamed Corn, Southwestern Quinoa, Spicy Black Beans, Sautéed Onions, Fresh Tomatoes .. and for the omni boys some taco meat and cheese.  For final toppings we had Salsa Verde and regular Medium Salsa. Everyone made their tacos with what they liked ... and everyone was happy!! No added-fat in the veggie fixins'!

Taco fixins!!! 

My Assessment: A+++ ... this might just be the most favorite dinner at the Coder residence.

Black Bean Burrito

This post was inspired by a post by Fat Free Vegan Kitchen yesterday. She was asked what she made for her family when she was short on time. And just like me, her response was, Black Bean Burritos. Her pictures are more colorful than mine ;) maybe that's why she's more famous. My recipe is extremely lazy compared to hers :)

Black Bean Burritos w Spanish Rice

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients (6 Burritos): 

1. 1 bag of Kroger Boil-in-Bag Parboiled Brown Rice
2. 1 x 15oz can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
3. 3 cups of Baby Spinach
4. 2 tbsp Dried Minced Onions
5. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
6. 1 tbsp Taco Seasoning
7. 1/4 cup Mrs. Renfro's Hot Jalapeno Green Salsa.
8. Salt & Pepper, to taste
9. 6 Tortillas or your choice (today, I had white flour tortillas)

Directions: 

In a sauce-pot with ample water, boil brown rice until tender. Once done, transfer to a bowl. Add salsa to rice and toss well. Separately, line a skillet with water. On medium heat, add garlic and minced onions and allow to saute until garlic is fragrant. Add Spinach, allow it to wilt and then add black beans. Mix well, add taco seasoning, using more as needed to your taste. Saute for a few minutes until almost dry. Warm tortillas, wrapped in aluminum foil, in an oven preheated to 350F (10 min). Once tortillas are warm, transfer beans and rice to each and roll into a burrito. Add greens, fresh tomato, olives and more salsa, as needed. Enjoy!

My Assessment: Perfect for a great lazy evening meal! 

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 90 (Fat Calories 4)
Total Fat 0.5 g; Carbohydrates 17.6 g; Dietary Fiber 3.2 g; Sugars 1.2 g; Protein 4.7 g

* Nutrition facts are provided without the taco shells as calorie content can vary by size and brand.

HH Black Bean Burgers

This afternoon we were planning on going to our favorite family restaurant, a Mom & Pop Mexican place, which we often visit. I always get Grilled Vegetarian Fajitas, without cheese or oil or tortillas (yeah, basically grilled veggies on a plate) and I love it!!! Unfortunately the Rugrat Gods were unhappy and we had a rather cranky 3-year old and decided it was probably best to avoid entering a sit-down restaurant. Unfortunately, everyone in the car, including the cranky 3-year old, was starving and couldn't wait for the 30 minute drive home. So DH decided on Wendy's. I was determined to not ruin my resolve and refrained from ordering anything. All 3 of them gratefully chomped down on their lunch while my stomach groaned and moaned all the way home. So, the long and short of it, is that I needed something to eat, and real quick too, once we got home. I decided on Black Bean Burgers which were on the table in 20 minutes from the moment I turned on the oven to preheat. 

HH Black Bean Burgers

Adapted from: Happy Herbivore Hotel Room Black Bean Burgers

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients:

1. 1 can (15 oz) Black Beans, drained and rinsed
2. 2 tbsp Ketchup
3. 2 tbsp Dijon Mustard
4. 1 tsp Garlic Powder
5. 2 tbsp Soy Sauce
6. 1 tbsp Vital Wheat Gluten Flour
7. 1/2 cup Instant Oats

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.  Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper and set aside. In a mixing bowl, coarsely mash black beans with a fork or rounded spatula or your hands (whichever works for you!) leaving some half beans and whole bean intact. Stir in all condiments and spices, using your hands if necessary until well combined. Add oats and vital wheat gluten (the latter helped it stay together a little better for me) and mix really well to allow all the ingredients to combine. Divide into 4 approximately equal portions and shape into thin patties. Bake for 7 minutes, flip over and bake for another 7-10 minutes, until crusty on the outside. 

HH Black Bean Burgers with Peppers & Onions

My Assessment: These were sooooo much better that the commercially available black bean burgers. It came together in a jiffy. While the burgers were cooking the first time, I sliced onions, mixed them with taco seasoning salt and when I flipped the patties, I made space on the cookie sheet and added the onions on the side to grill/roast those as well. The roasted red peppers came out of a bottle (roasted red peppers in water, not oil). I also used a touch of Dill relish and more ketchup and mustard on the buns!! Umm Umm Good!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 113 (Fat Calories 10)
Total Fat 1.4 g; Carbohydrates 18.8 g; Dietary Fiber 5.6 g; Sugars 2.6 g; Protein 7.5 g

* Nutrition facts are provided without the buns as calorie content can vary by size and brand.

Feisty Fiesta Toss!

So T wanted tacos and he wanted quinoa for dinner tonight. I wanted something Mexican but wasn't sure I wanted to really eat the tortillas. I knew I wanted lots of veggies and I wanted to incorporate some greens in my dinner AND I wanted rice. A tall order? Naaah ... its not THAT difficult to make tacos, veggies, rice, quinoa and greens ... heck .. I decided to mix them all together :) 

Fiesta Toss-Up

This recipe is inspired by Happy Herbivore's Vegan Taco Salad

Prep Time: 20-25 min

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 1 cup TVP crumbles (reconstituted) OR 1 cup Brown Lentils (Masoor Dal, steamed)
2. 1 cup Brown Rice 
3. 1 Pk Birds Eye - Steamfresh Mixed Vegetables - Corn, Peas, Carrots, Green Beans
4. 1 x 15oz can of Black Beans
5. 1 Medium Tomato, fresh, diced
6. 2 cups of Baby Spinach, fresh
7. 2 tbsp Low-Sodium Soy Sauce
8. 2 tbsp Onion flakes
9. 2 tsp Minced Garlic
10. 2 tsp Ground Cumin
11. Salt & Pepper to taste
12. 2-4 tbsp Medium Salsa

Directions: 

Place TVP crumbles in a fine mesh hand-held strainer and run water over the it for a couple of minutes. This removes any TVP dust and also partially reconsititutes the TVP.  Place TVP in a skillet and add half a cup of water and all dry spices. Mix well and allow water to evaporate. Then add steamed brown rice and baby spinach and toss well. Allow the spinach to wilt. Meanwhile steam the pack of mixed vegetables in the microwave (about 5 minutes). Transfer contents of the skillet to a large bowl and add salsa, steamed vegetables, black beans and fresh diced tomatoes. Add a sprinkle of fresh cilantro leaves, if available. Toss everything together and serve warm, with freshly baked tortilla chips to scoop up the veggie loaded crumbles. For those who like tostadas, serve over corn tortillas after crisping them in the oven (flat cookie sheet, 10 min @350 F). Yum!

Fiesta Toss-Up Tostada

My Assessment: This was a great WARM way to enjoy lots of veggies and carbohydrates. If you're watching carbs (I'm not sure why anyone would!), enjoy just the toss-up without the tortillas. If you're in the mood for a burrito, wrap the toss-up into a large tortilla.  Of course, if you're in the mood for a salad, go right back to the original HH recipe !!! This was a hit even with my non-TVP eating husband!! He loved it and asked to take leftovers for lunch ... AGAIN!!! Score :)

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving, with TVP): Calories 240 (Fat Calories 9)
Total Fat 1.0g; Cholesterol 0g; Carbohydrates 44.0g; Dietary Fiber 8.9g; Sugars 7.0g; Protein 15.5g

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving, with Lentils): Calories 224 (Fat Calories 10)
Total Fat 1.1g; Cholesterol 0g; Carbohydrates 45.8g; Dietary Fiber 8.8g; Sugars 5.6 g; Protein 10.5g

Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Soup

Sitting at home on a lazy Saturday afternoon, with no plans for the day, I felt the need for a hearty wholesome soup. I had New Veggie #66 - A Green Cauliflower - sitting in the fridge for the last few days and while I knew I wanted to roast it, I knew I wanted to do something more! 

Roasted Cauliflower & Black Bean Soup

Prep Time: 30 min

Ingredients (6 servings):

1. 2 x 15 oz cans of Black Beans (~3 cups, drained and well rinsed)
2. 1 head of Green Cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets (~2 cups)
3. 2 Portabella Mushroom caps, diced
4. 1 Medium White Onion, diced
5. 2 tbsp Garlic, minced
6. 8 cups of home-made no-added-salt Vegetable Broth, or water
7. 1 tbsp Miso
8. 1 tbsp 'Better than Bouillon' Mushroom Base
9. 1/2 tsp fresh Rosemary, diced finely
10. 2-3 tbsp fresh Cilantro, diced finely
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste
12. Lemon/Lime Juice, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, or Pam and spread cauliflower florets in a single layer. Place in oven and turn the broiler on Hi. Monitor the progress of the cauliflower as your prepare the rest of the soup. Turn florets over after about 5-7 minutes, and if needed, turn the broiler down to Lo. Roast until the florets are tender (not mushy) and aromatic, and a hint of brown at the tips. Mine took about 8 min on Hi, and 10 min of Lo before the aroma and look was just right. 

Roasted Cauliflower & Black Bean Soup

While the cauliflower is roasting, line a deep pot with water or broth and add garlic and onions. Once the garlic begins to release its aroma add the black beans, and mushroom base and the remaining broth (yes, it will look very soupy at this time) and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to allow a simmer and add rosemary, cilantro and diced Portabella mushrooms. Simmer for 15 min. Once the cauliflower is done roasting, remove the sheet from the oven and allow to sit for a couple of minutes (which allows the outside of each piece to dry up some, which prevents them from disintegrating in  the soup). Then add each floret, piece by piece, to the soup and once all the pieces are added, give the whole thing a gentle stir. Turn off heat, dissolve miso in a few tablespoons of water and add to the soup. Mix again gently and then cover and let sit for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld before serving with freshly cracked black-pepper and/or a few drops of lemon juice, with warm bread. 

My Assessment: My DH had 2 bowls. He preferred it without the lemon juice. I liked mine better with a few added drops of lemon juice. Both of us ate it with some of last night's bread. Li'l Nik didn't want nothing to do with the soup :) ... we loved it!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)*: Calories 161
Total Fat 0.9 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 34.5 g; Fiber 8.9 g; Sugars 3.4 g; Protein 10.4 g

* Nutrition facts are provided for the water option as vegetable broth calorie content can vary tremendously.

Quinoa Chili

Every year on the last weekend before Halloween we visit with T's mom .. at the Indian Lake Campgrounds for The Annual Halloween Campout. Every year, the menu includes Chili, Beef & Vegetable Soup, Shredded Chicken sandwiches and cupcakes and desserts galore ... of course along with all the candy that you could possibly want to eat. Since both T and I are plant-based this year, I decided to bring along a plant-based Chili. I asked folks on our 'New Herbies' page on facebook what their most favorite Chili recipe was and I got a few suggestions ... and this one (Savvy Vegetarian) seemed the most interesting. Since we have to leave early tomorrow to get to the campgrounds, I decided to make it tonight on the stove top, although the website provides the crock-pot version as well. After making it as described, I decided that it didn't meet our expectations at all. My husband is a new herbie and I needed to live up to his expectations of "real" chili. The recipe below is my uber-modified version. The biggest change is 0% Added Fat. 

Quinoa Chili

Prep Time: 60 min, with prep time included.

Ingredients (12 servings):

1. 1 Medium Red Onion, diced
2. 3 Stalks of Celery, diced
3. 1 Jalapeño, deseeded, diced
4. 2 tbsp minced Garlic
5. 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
6. 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
7. 2 cups Quinoa, rinsed and drained.
8. 1 can (15oz) Black Beans, rinsed and drained
9. 1 can (15 oz) Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
10. 2 cans (15 oz) Dark Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
11. 1 can (15 oz) Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, with Garlic
12. 3 cans (8 oz) Tomato Sauce, unsalted
13. 8 cups Water or Vegetable Broth
14. 3-4 tsp Cumin powder
15. 6-8 tsp Coriander powder
16. 3-4 tsp Italian seasoning
17. 2-4 tsp Taco seasoning
18. 2 tsp dried Basil
19. 1-2 tsp dried Cilantro
20. 2 tsp Paprika (add more, to taste)
21. 3 tsp Chipotle Pepper (add more, to taste)
22. 2 large Bay leaves
23. 2 tbsp Light Molasses
24. 4 tbsp Soy Sauce, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
25. Salt and Pepper, to taste
26. Fresh Cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions:

In a large pot, add diced onions, celery, jalapeño and garlic and 1 cup of vegetable broth. Cook until both onion and celery are translucent. Add diced bell peppers, and cook for another 5 minutes. Then add remaining ingredients and all the spices except for the 'hot' spices which should be added once the quinoa is cooked and even then mix in the chili peppers slowly and taste test frequently. Add water or broth as needed once the quinoa is cooked to get to the right consistency for chili. Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and freshly cracked black pepper. 

Quinoa Chili

Our Assessment: Tony LOVED it!!! He's a 'real' chili guy and he LOVED IT!!!! I am so excited. He wants me to add this version (with my modifications) to our regular rotation and guess what? Winter is here ... we'll be eating a lot of it.  The pot is now sitting in the fridge. Tomorrow, I plan to transfer it to my crock pot first thing in the morning. I'll check consistency again, and add broth if needed. Let's hope someone in our Omni family, besides us, is willing to try it. It is truly yummy!!

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 464 (Fat Calories 27)
Total Fat 3.0 g; Cholesterol 0 g; Carbohydrates 85.3 g; Dietary Fiber 18.3 g; Sugars 8.1 g; Protein 26.3 g

Oil-Free Loaded Tostadas

So we're a family of Mexican food lovers ... all the boys including 3-year old li'l Nik Coder love tortilla chips with salsa and when asked, each one of us, will prefer to eat at a Mexican restaurant than any place else. Tacos are on our regular dinner rotation and everyone enjoys them immensely. Over the last several months, Tony has moved from making beef tacos to using ground turkey and recently even grilled chicken (the kids all still eat meat).

Since I went plant-based 9 months ago, I've tried TVP tacos, chick pea tacos, portabella mushroom tacos, squash fajita burritos and even just bean burritos. While I've always been a soft taco kinda gal ... the boys all seem to prefer crispy shells. Tony is especially fond of tostadas .. although it always bothered me to see him deep frying flour tortillas (not a very healthy option I must add!!). Now that Tony is going plant-based with me (yayy!) ... and his repertoire of plant-based foods is still somewhat limited, we've been trying to explore new foods and today was the day to try some new taco toppings. As I was getting dinner ready, he mentioned tostadas ... just in passing .. and I remembered reading this blog post a few weeks ago (I can't recall where) which talked about making baked tostadas and taco shells. And so ... taco night quickly transformed into Loaded Tostada night :)

Oil-Free Loaded Tostada

It was so superbly satisfying for me to able to serve Tostadas without even a trace of oil. All in all tonight's dinner took about 20 minutes to prepare (I multi-task well and used a combination of appliances - pressure cooker, microwave, oven and the stove). This was one of the more enjoyable dinners we've had in a long time.  Preheat oven to 375 F. Drape store-bought corn tortillas/soft tacos over an inverted muffin pan and bake for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for a few minutes (to allow them to crisp up a tad more) and serve warm. ... super simple and not fried or dripping oil!!  

Here's how I went about preparing each of the toppings -

Southwestern Quinoa - I use an electric pressure cooker for making Quinoa, and follow Chef AJ's technique. 1 cup Quinoa + 1.5 cup water - Cook under high pressure for 2 min, let stand for 10 min and release the steam immediately for fluffy perfectly cooked quinoa - every time. Today, I simply added 2 tsp of Taco seasoning mix to give it the southwestern kick. Or you can make Quinoa is a sauce pan too (simply use 2 cups of water for every cup of Quinoa). 

Sautéed Mushrooms - Slice 1 cup mushrooms and sauté in a skillet lined with water (or vegetable broth), with 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce and salt (to taste) until mushrooms are tender and all the water has evaporated. 

Sautéed Corn - Thaw 1 cup frozen corn and sauté in a skillet lined with water (or vegetable broth), with 1-2 tsp Taco seasoning until all the water has evaporated. 

Refried Black Beans - Drain 1 can of plain black beans, add 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 2-3 tbsp mild salsa and microwave on high (uncovered) for 5 min. Remove, mix well with a spatula making sure to smush some of the beans while doing so. Microwave on high for another 2-3 minutes, uncovered. Or you can also do the same thing in a skillet. 

Serve with fresh salsa, freshly diced tomatoes, black or green olives, avocado and lettuce (we didn't have any today). Um mm good! 

My Assessment: I am a convert. I can most definitely say that these were so much better than soft tacos. The crispy shell adds so much more to the overall gustatory pleasure of tacos :) ... I hate to admit it ... but Tony was right all along! Tostadas are so much better than soft tacos. One more lesson I learnt from Tony today (after my tostadas were already loaded), spread the beans first then add the rest of the toppings - that helps all the other toppings stay on so much better!! Enjoy!

15-min Barley & Vegetable Soup - Take 2

Recently, Tony decided to go herbie with me :) for 90 days. Since his repertoire of veggies and grains is still rather limited, I've been attempting to try some of the things he might enjoy for his dinners and left-over lunches. He's told me often enough that he likes Barley and that he likes it in soup, so I decided to make another version of my 15-min Barley & Vegetable Soup by withholding some of the non-traditional items that I use in my original version (no TVP or lentils today). I added black beans to add back the protein that I lost by removing TVP and lentils and since those are T's favorite bean ... we were all set for a wonderful heart-warming dinner :)

Barley & Vegetable Soup - Take 2

Prep Time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1. 5-6 cups Vegetable broth, or water
2. 3/4 cup Barley 
3. 3 stalks of celery, diced
4. 2 carrots, diced
5. 1 bunch of Spinach, stems removed
6. 1 15oz can of Black beans, drained
7. 2 Portabella mushrooms, diced
8. 2 tsp dried Basil
9. 2-3 tsp Minced Garlic, to taste
10. 1 heaping tbsp Yellow Miso
11. 1 tbsp Ketchup
12. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients, with the exception of the last 3 in a pressure cooker and cook for 5 minutes under high pressure. I used "quick" barley since I am trying to get it eaten before I open my bag of regular barley, With regular barley, I'm guessing a 10-15 min high pressure would be enough. I'll have to update that when I've had a chance to try it out. Once the steam is released, open the cooker, add and mix in the miso & ketchup and salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste ... enjoy!! 

Cajun Red Beans & Rice

So i tried quite a few new and old recipes on li'l Nik Coder this December. I just haven't gotten around to posting all of them. Am trying today, as we wait for the ball to drop .... Happy New Year, everyone!!

Cajun Red Beans & Rice

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes with canned red beans.

Ingredients: 

1) 1 lb spicy sausage - italian, andouille etc.
2) 1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed. 
3) 1 medium onion, diced.
4) 1 large diced tomato
5) 1 tsp Zatarain's Creole seasoning (more if you want it spicier)
6) salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:
Fry up the sausage until almost done and then slice thickly. drain almost all of the drippings so the pan is just barely greased. Fry up onions in the drippings, add tomato and spices and bring to a nice simmer. Then add the sausage back in and add water, or V8 juice, for some extra flavor. Bring to a boil. Add drained and rinsed kidney beans. Cover and let simmer for the rest of the time. In a separate pan, steam white or brown rice. I served mine with steamed white rice, with some peas for a splash of color ... !!