Vegetarian Chili with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

This is a wonderful sweet and spicy chili that is easy to make.  I hope you will give it a try, you won't be disappointed.  The addition of kale adds fiber, vitamin C and folic acid, as well as a new depth of flavor.  It also adds texture to the chili that makes it more interesting than your run-of-the-mill chili.

1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
2 tsp olive oil, or cooking oil spray

Place diced sweet potatoes on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle olive oil on top, and stir around with a spatula.  Then roast in an oven at 385 degrees, for about 15 minutes, or until potatoes are cooked through, stirring every 5 minutes to avoid burning.  Remove from oven and set aside.

Then:

1 red pepper, chopped
1 jalepeno, chopped (more or less to your liking)
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs olive oil

In a pot, heat the olive oil and cook the above ingredients until soft and fragrant over medium high heat, about 10-15 minutes.  Then add:

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (I love Muir Glen brand)
1/2 cup water
1 can drained, rinsed black beans
1 can drained, rinsed garbanzo beans
2 tbs chili powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt (or regular if that's all you have)
1/2 tsp corriander
1 tsp cumin
1 tbs oregano

Cook on medium low heat until thickened, adding more water if too thick, about 20 minutes, allowing spices to meld.  Then add the roasted sweet potatoes, as well as

2 cups chopped baby or regular kale

Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes, or until kale is completely wilted and softened.

Enjoy over rice, quinoa, bulgar, or alone.  Top with favorite toppings, such as shredded vegan or regular cheddar cheese, vegan or regular sour cream, chopped cilantro, and diced avocado.

Chocolate Popeye Muffins

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour
1/2 cups cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Combine the above into a bowl.

In another bowl, whisk:

1/2 cup pureed steamed spinach  (steam a large, Costco-sized container of fresh baby spinach until wilted; process in a food processor for one minute or until finely pureed)
1 mashed very ripe banana
1 1/2 cups black bean puree (puree 1 1/2 cups black beans in processor with 1/3 cup of water until smooth)
1/3 cup oil
1 tbs vanilla extract
1 cup sugar

Combine the two bowls, mix slowly until just incorporated.  Then add 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Divide batter into paper-lined muffin tins.  Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes, or until toothpick comes clean.

Makes 12, moist, chocolatey, (iron-, folic acid- and protein-rich) muffins.

Veggie-balls

1 package of Gimme Lean, veggie ground "beef" (textured veggie protein (TVP))
1 onion
1/2 bunch fresh parsley
1 clove garlic
1 cup of italian bread crumbs
equivalent of 1 egg using Ener-g egg replacer
1-2 tbs olive oil

In a food processor, process onion, parsley and garlic.  Add to a bowl with veggie 'beef', bread crumbs, and egg-replacer.  Form into balls and brown in heated olive oil.  Then cook in your favorite tomato sauce until heated through, about 15 minutes over med-low heat.

Lentil-Quinoa Soup

Double the protein by adding cooked quinoa, and up your feeling of fullness with this hearty lentil soup.

5 carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 tbs olive oil

Combine the above in a pot, cook until softened, about 20 minutes.  Then add:

2 cups dried lentils
4 cups of water
4 cups of vegetable broth or stock
1 tsp salt
fresh ground pepper
1/2 tsp of thyme
pinch of herbs de provence

Bring to a rolling boil, then cover and simmer on low for 25 minutes, or until lentils are very soft.  With an immersion blender, puree about 1/3 of the soup (I did this just in a corner of the pot of soup) to thicken, but be sure to leave chunks of vegetables and lentils.  Add 1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa and stir.  Serve and enjoy.