Day 2: Vegetarian Quinoa Chili

Courtesy of ww.twopeasandtheirpod.com/ 

Day 2 out of 7 of Ariel's home cooking adventure. Day 1 was a great success, providing me with delicious leftover pork chops with apples and onion for lunch on Day 2. Continuing with the healthy, simple meal theme, I decided to cook up a new favorite chili recipe of mine which I discovered on Two Peas and Their Pod. I love that this chili is packed full of veggies and protein rich quinoa. One of my problems with other veggie chili recipes is that it can be more soup-like due to the lack of ground beef. The quinoa comes in and adds this great texture, in addition to the protein punch. It really mimics that chunky beef chili consistency. I love that quinoa is being incorporated into more and more recipes (ancient grains revolution)! And not all quinoa recipes "taste like a dirty old tree branch" (see video below).

This recipe includes a plethora of veggies: carrots, celery, zucchini, onion, and peppers. This recipe is great in that you can totally swap out any veggies for others that you prefer (I omitted the celery). And it really comes together in a cinch. Plus you have leftovers the next day (which tastes even better). I think one of the keys to successfully eating at home is to cook meals that will provide you with some extras, so you're not constantly cooking every night or making lunches everyday. 

This quinoa chili really hit the spot on the cold winter night. I served it up with some blue corn chips (whole grain party!)

Two Bean Chilli with Cashews

Chilli and cornbread go together like peas in a pod.

A great vegetarian dish is chilli. Some people perish at the thought of a meatless chilli, but I have always thought that the great spices and tomato and onion flavors are the biggest ingredients. I added two kinds of beans: black and kidney. The addition of cashew nuts was inspired by some vegetarian chillis I have had in the past. It adds a nice crunch and sweetness.

Sauteeing onion, garlic, and bell peppers.

Vegetarian chilli allows for freedom - you can add in whatever vegetables you like. I always like to start with onion, garlic and bell peppers sauteed in some olive oil. It is such a flavorful base. This is then added to diced tomatoes and tomato paste. I then add some chilli powder, cumin, red chilli flakes, salt, and pepper. The spicier you want it, the more chilli powder or red chilli flakes you would add. Then you can get creative, add in some chopped portabellos or diced carrot - whatever you fancy. Let simmer for 30 minutes and dinner is served. I always serve my chilli with cornbread. Yum.

Two Bean Chilli with Cashews

15 oz can kidney beans

15 oz can black beans

1/2 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 bell pepper (JAM Note: Used half red, half green)

1/3 c cashews

1 15 oz can diced tomatoes

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp chilli powder

1 tsp red chilli flakes

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp cumin

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped cashews and toast for 5 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid burning. Remove cashews and set aside. Heat olive oil in same skillet and sautee onions and bell pepper. Add garlic after a couple minutes and sautee until tender. Heat tomatoes and paste in a large pot. Add sauteed vegetables, and spices. Bring to a boil and then cover and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25 minutes and then add cashews and cook for 5 minutes. Top with shredded cheese and some good cornbread.

Chili Cheese Dog Goodness

For those of you who know me well, you know that (a) my teenage years were spent eating out at lots of fast food restaurants and (b) I love chili cheese dogs. Upon returning back to NoVa for a lovely vacation, I knew I needed to drag any of my lucky friends for a ritual trip to Vienna Inn, home of the what I'm convinced is the best chili cheese dog ever.

While, for the most part, my palate has matured and beyond my high school diet of Taco Bell, McDonald's, Panera, and Starbucks, something about heading down memory lane and stuffing myself with greasy food makes me smile.

Luckily, Katy, Phil, and Dan were willing to accommodate my cravings and we set off on a wet afternoon for loaded chili cheese dogs.

Ordering 2 each, the beauties quickly appeared at our table on their requisite plastic trays (reminiscent of a cafeteria or a Roy Rodgers), steaming hot, oozing melted cheese, meaty chili, and mustard onto their white paper wrappers below. Heaven.

Forcing ourselves to wait for them to cool, we finally all chowed down, and in the end, the only thing left on the trays were wrappers and piles of used napkins. The dogs were delicious - a slight snap upon biting into the dogs, with a mouthful of meaty chili (not spicy), spicy mustard (perhaps Goulden's mustard?), chopped fresh onions, melty cheese, and the white bread bun to mop it all up. Yes, I did use my fingers to pick up stray chili and onions. But, they were amazingly good and filling (2 is more than sufficient) and left us all in a happy state, knowing that not only were they culinary delights but also super cheap, with a total meal of 8 loaded dogs, onion rings, and 4 cokes, plus tip, equaling less than $30.

3 out of 3 JAMs.

(Note - Vienna Inn is not a fancy joint, and has minimal wait staff and serve-yourself drinks, but hopefully you're looking for an atmosphere to match a menu highlight of chili cheese dogs!)

Nothing Says Comfort Like Mom's Chili

Homemade turkey chili and cornbread

Nothing says comfort food like a piping hot bowl of chili on a cold day, especially when it is made by your mother (with help from dad). Chili has become a staple in our family. In recent years it seems that lean ground turkey has replaced beef - how telling of the times. This meal is not only good for the soul, but for the body too!

My mom loves spicy food, so we never know how hot she's made it until our first spoonful. If she's used restraint we're fine, if not then a couple of us will be running to the kitchen for the jug of milk! While we often serve our chili with a nice pot of rice, I am partial to a pan of homemade cornbread. It is surprisingly easy to whip up, and can be on the table in 30 min. I used a simple recipe on the back of the cornmeal bag - tweaking the temperature to compensate for a glass pan (oh the things my mother has taught me).

Sauteing the bell pepper, onion, and garlic.

Turkey Chili with Kidney Beans

1 lb ground lean turkey meat

1 onion, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

4-6 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 16 oz can kidney beans

1 32 oz can stewed tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

3 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1-2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large pot on stove top at medium high. Saute onion and bell pepper for 8 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Pour vegetable mixture into separate bowl. Add a little oil to coat pan. Add turkey meat to pot, breaking apart with spoon. Cook until browned. Add vegetable mixture back to pot. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, paste, and spices. Bring to a boil, and then cover, reducing to a simmer. Cook for 10 more minutes. Serve with warm cornbread or rice.

Pouring the batter into the pan.

Cornbread

1 cup flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp salt

3 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/4 cup canola oil

Mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in bowl. Add egg, milk, and oil. Mix just until combined. Pour into 9x9x2 glass pan. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.