Vegan MoFo Day Day 14: Magic Hat Chili

I don't drink a lot. Maybe once a month, sometimes twice. Everyone knows the freshman 15 is just code for beer belly. And then when you get out of college, it's all down hill from the 15. And I attribute all that to excessive amounts of alcohol. Sure, aging slows your metabolism and you don't have your parents there to tell you not to eat chipotle 3 times a day, but I think it's mostly the beer pong tourney's. Plus, wouldn't being a huge alchy just competely defeat the health benefits of being vegan?

That being said, there are two beers I really like. That's Bud Select and Magic Hat #9. I'm not a super beer guru by any means, but I know what I like. Magic Hat #9 works well with this chili-- it has undertones of apricot that pair well with the smoky chipotle flavor. And you may think, "Wtf Chickpeas?" but they work, too. They're a little harder than the black beans and sausage, which gives it a nice texture contrast. And this recipe is pretty spicy. So, adjust it per your personal Scoville threshold. Or do what I do, and put a buttload of tofutti sour cream on it.


[[Magic Hat Chili]]
I know I said the magic hat works oh-so well with this chili, but if you can't find it, I'm sure any fruity, flavorful beer will work. You all are probably better beer connoisseurs than I am. You'll figure it out.

2-3 tbs olive oil
1 carrot diced
3 celery branches diced
1 small red onion diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced or finely chopped
2 red bell pepper diced
1 tsp chipotle pepper
1/2 tsp ancho chili powder
a pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 bottle of magic hat #9
1 can of diced tomatoes, drained
2 cans of black beans
1 can of chickpeas beans
1 cup of no-chicken broth or veggie broth, plus more
1 tbs lime juice
1 tsp salt
2 chipotle field roast sausages, diced

finely chopped onions
tofutti sour cream

-- Heat oil. Add diced vegetables and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until onions are translucent.
-- Add the chili powders, pepper and cumin. Mix with a wooden spoon about 1 minute. Don't over cook the seasoning.
-- Add the beer. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
-- Add the drained can of tomatoes and beans. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
-- Add the no-chicken or vegetable broth and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add more vegetable broth if it becomes too thick.
-- Once thickened to desired consistency, add the salt, lime juice, and diced/microwaved chipotle sausages. Taste and add more seasoning as necessary.
-- Top with sour cream and onions. Serve with corn bread or garlic bread.


Fun Fact: Andrew has a black cat named Magic.

Italian Vegetable Soup

This is a really herby, healthy soup. It isn't hardy and full of bold flavors like I usually make. Sometimes you need simple though. The flavor of rosemary is very prevalent and the huge slices of zucchini give it a unique and interesting touch. Growing up, we ate a lot of canned vegetable soup, drenched in beef broth and full of starchy potatoes. It was delicious then, but the more I think about it, the less that sounds like "vegetable" soup to me. I tried to keep mine vegetable heavy, and light feeling. The garlic croutons give it a great, crunchy contrast.


[[Italian Vegetable Soup]]
You don't have to use the same vegetables. The great thing about vegetable soup is it can change with the seasons and still taste great. Use whatever is available locally to you. I got all this at the Clintonville Comminity Market.

2 larged chopped carrots
1 chopped zucchini
1 small red onion chopped
2 chopped celery sticks
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup corn
4-5 cloves garlic
4 tbs olive oil
1 14 1/2 oz can of diced tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
2 tbs Italian seasoning
a dash of salt and pepper

-- heat olive oil and add all vegetables. Cook about 8 minutes. Then add the undrained can of tomatoes.
-- add broth and water with the bay leaves and cook covered on medium heat about 10 minutes until vegetables tender.
-- remove bay leaves, and add the seasoning and stir.
-- serve with garlic croutons.

Spicy Tortilla Soup

After my recent post about almonds, I've been thinking a lot about oils and whether or not it's healthy to heat them. A lot of people are under the impression that roasting nuts and heating oils releases free radicals that are harmful to your body and potentially cause cancer. I've tried to do some research online, and I have not found any compelling cases for not heating oils.

What I do know, however, is that olive oil is the best oil you can eat. It has the best fats, lowers cholesterol, and prevents heart disease [[go here]]. I also know that it's a staple of the Mediterranean diet, which has always been praised for being extremely healthy.

With oils, you just need to be sure not to over heat it. Know the temperature ranges for your oils. Olive oil is low/no-heat cooking. Safflower oil is medium heat cooking. Grapeseed, vegetable, and canola oil are high heat cooking.


With that in mind, I have for you a no-oil dish. I always use oil so it's a little odd for me, but this is an amazing and extremely healthy tortilla soup [[you can make it even healthier and not use sour cream]]. Enjoy.

[[Spicy Tortilla Soup]]
Please note that this is a bit spicy. The sour cream helps cool it, but you may want to adjust some of the spices for those with a softer palate. Cutting the cayenne pepper out and the hot sauce will help.

*all organic ingredients
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro plus two tbs
2 ancho chilies, broken up into pieces [[they come in little plastic bags at Whole Foods]]
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups no-chicken broth [[you can find this at Kroger or Whole Foods]]
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbs cholula hot sauce [[or whichever Mexican hot sauce you like]]
2 bunches chopped green onions, diced
some Tofutti sour cream [[at Kroger and Whole Foods]]

-- Blend onion, bell pepper, and 1/2 cup cilantro in a blender or food processor until smooth-- just do it 'til they are combined, it doesn't need to be a completely smooth paste. Add 1 tbs water if it's sticking, and give it a shake.
-- Add to sauce pan and heat on medium stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add garlic, corn, and drained tomatoes. Once it has simmered a bit and the top layer seems to be separating, like a pool of oil, add the broth.
-- Stir and let simmer for 10 minutes. Add spices, the 2 tbs reserve of fresh cilantro, hot sauce and stir.
-- When ready, top with a dollop of sour cream and a handful of chopped green onions.

Basil Tomato Bisque with Garlic Coutons

I had this huge can of diced tomatoes in my cupboard and I've been meaning to try a tomato bisque, so this seemed like a great opportunity. I also made it with a really great side sandwich that will be featured in another post.

I love that I got a chance to prominently feature tomatoes. They are a super food, and full of amazing benefits:

Tomatoes contain high levels of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that supports the immune system and helps maintain healthy skin and tissue lining. They are packed with antioxidant flavonoids and vitamin E, both of which are essential for heart health, and are a good source of potassium. One medium-size tomato provides 50 per cent of the recommended daily dose of vitamin C; they contain no saturated fatty acids, are low in salt, starch and sugars, high in dietary fiber and have a low glycaemic index [[article]].

This bisque is slightly chunky with a little kick [[I love my crushed red pepper]] and some basil of course. The garlic croutons are something I read about in an article featuring Vegan Soul Kitchen so unfortunately I cannot take credit for those.

I used chickpea flour to thicken my soup this time, for the regiment's sake. But you can use white flour. I know it's just a small amount, but I really don't want to use it at all. This also helps the soup be gluten free.

P.S. I got new bowls and plates. So those are also featured today. :)


[[Basil Tomato Bisque]]
This makes kind of a lot. I'll say it serves six. You may have leftovers still, depending on how much you serve.

2 tbs earth balance
one white onion finely chopped
3-4 cloves garlic minced
3 tbs chickpea flour
1 1/4 cup plain NOT LIGHT soy milk
1/2 cup red cooking wine
3 lb. diced tomatoes
1 14 1/2 oz can tomato sauce
1 bunch chopped fresh basil
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper

-- Melt butter in a sauce pan, add onions and garlic. Cook onions until soft and translucent.
-- Add chickpea flour and whisk vigorously to make it thick and clumpy. Add milk and wine. Continue to whisk and cook on medium heat until thickened.
-- Once thickened, add tomato sauce and tomatoes and stir. Let cook for about 10 minutes so the tomatoes soften.
-- To make it less chunky, take small amounts to a blender and blend. Then re-add to soup, and blend more. It will be hot so be sure to life the blender lid in between to let some steam out.
-- Add your bay leaves, basil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and enjoy.
-- Top your soup with some garlic croutons and balsamic vinegar. If you're having a fancy dinner, you can add a bay leaf for prettiness sake.



[[Garlic Croutons]]
I think this is a really good way to eat croutons if you're going to eat them. They often have parmesan cheese on them [[well the good ones anyway]] so this a good way to control ingredients. It's really, really easy, too.

3 toasted pieces of Ezekiel bread [[you can use any kind of bread]]
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced

-- Chop up toast into desired crouton shape. I've seen some that are just a crouton "stick", you could try that. I think it's really cute.
-- Heat oil and cook garlic for 1-2 minutes.
-- Add your cubed toast. You want them to be slightly burnt so they don't get soggy in your soup. [[Although Andrew liked the soggy ones, so go figure]]
-- You can add some herbs to this, too, if you want to make some for a salad or something. The garlic is really prominent and flavorful on its own, though.

Lentil Soup = My Comfort Food

[[Lentil Soup]]
Maybe this recipe is painfully easy and obvious, I'm not sure. I know that a year ago, I'd have no idea how to make lentil soup, so I'll post it anyway. I love soups. They're easy and really really really good. I'd like to say this is a throwback to my Lebanese roots, but I think everyone loves lentil soup. With warm whole wheat pita. HEAVEN.

* 3 tablespoons organic olive oil
* 1 chopped organic sweet onions
* 1 cup chopped oragnic celery stalks
* 1 cup chopped organic carrots
* 1 tsp organic garlic minced
* 4 cups organic no-chicken broth -- it's about one of those box containers
* about 1-2 cans of organic lentils,
--if you want to be awesome you can use fresh lentils, just cook them first
* 1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
* the SPICES:
-- 2 bay leaves
-- 1 tsp cumin
-- 1 tsp smoked paprika
-- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
-- 1/2 tsp cardamom
-- 1/2 tsp garam masala
-- 1/2 tsp. chili powder
-- some salt and pepper to taste
** add more of everything if it's too bland for you. I don't really measure spices so these are pretty good guesses. Up the cayenne and chili powder for lentil soup with a little kick
* organic balsamic vinegar for the end!

-- Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add garlic, onions, carrots, and celery and heat until softened. Add the tomatoes with juice, lentils, and no-chicken broth with spices. Heat for 20-30 minutes.
-- To thicken, take out one to two cups and move to a blender. Make sure you don't get a bay leaf! Then place it back in the soup and stir. BE CAREFUL -- the steam may cause you blender's lid to pop off, so stop and open as it fills up with steam from the hot soup while you blend it.
-- Serve with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and warm whole wheat pita.

Black Bean Soup = Amazing

In accordance with my plan to not spam with the same old recipes, I thought I'd post something of my own. It's snowy and cold [[for most of us]] and just plain ugly out-- but I think this soup is enough to brighten your day. Or at least it brightened mine. Ok, that was unbelievably corny, but you know what I mean.

When Andy and I went to Yellow Springs [[I haven't quite gotten to writing about our trip, but I will]], we went to this cafe/restaurant-- The Winds Cafe. At night, it's this slightly expensive fine dining experience, and during the day, it's upscale still yet not as unaffordable of a place to eat. Which was cool for us, because we got to go without cleaning ourselves out for the weekend. We were really going there for this tofu sandwich they offered, but as it turns out, there was honey in the sauce. So, we went for the black bean chili and some other delicious, Indian-inspire dish that escapes me [[and the online menu]] now. Both top notch. The coolest part was that when we double checked to make sure that the tofu sandwich was vegan, the cook was informed enough about vegan food to know that honey is in fact not vegan. [[Which sort of ties into my blog about how no one knows the difference between vegetarian and organic-- how refreshing that moment was!]]

Anyways, back to the soup. My point was, that awesome black bean chili from The Winds inspired me. So, my soup is wonderful, delicious, yada-yada-yada-- try it.



The Recipe
Cook Time: about 30 Minutes
Serves: 6-8 people [[or two meals for two people in our case]]

* 2 Tbs. olive oil
* 10 slices Smart Bacon, chopped up into little pieces
* 1 1/2 medium white onions, chopped
* 6 garlic cloves, pressed
* 14 1/2 ounces No-Chicken Broth
* 2 cups canned diced tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons ketchup
* 1 tablespoon chili powder [[this and all spices to taste really-- this is a guess really, I honestly don't know how much i put it. I just dump a whole bunch in til it tastes awesome]]
* 2-3 teaspoons paprika
* 2-3 teaspoons red pepper
* 2-3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
* splash in some Worcestershire sauce
* 2 25 oz. cans of black beans, drained
* 1 small can of black beans, smashed
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 1 bunch cilantro


* Tofutti Sour cream, for garnish
* Some left over white onions and cilantro for garnish

First, you want to take a large pot, heat some oil. Test it with a small chunk of smart bacon, make sure it sizzles and bubbles around it, but not too much or you'll burn your smart bacon! Then, put all the bacon in, cook for about 4 minutes. Add the onions, cook for another 4 minutes. Add the garlic, cook for another minutes. Then, add the No-chicken Broth, ketchup, and tomatoes. Add the spices. Then, add the two large cans of drained black beans. Cook for about 10 minutes. Add the smashed black beans, cook for another 5 minutes, until desired thickness. Add your salt, pepper, chopped cilantro, stir. Serve with a dollop of Tofutti Sour Cream and white onions.


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