Vegan Chili To Spice Up the Winter

Baby, it’s cold outside! Well, not really where I am in Louisiana, but around the globe it’s time to buckle down and break out the heavy coats. What’s a person to eat after trekking through the snow or ice to get home to their loved ones? Chili! It’s always a favorite staple, whether you’re a vegetarian, vegan or sustainable meat-lover. Chili is a dish reminiscent of childhood, running inside after playing in the snow all day, scooping up a handful of saltines or cornbread and digging into a steamy bowl of heartiness at varying degrees of hotness depending on your spice threshold (which I imagine was not that strong when you were younger).

There are as many different ways to cook chili as there are different types of beans. Below you’ll find a few meat-free recipes to bring back the joy of snow days and warm bellies. I prefer this Hearty Vegan Slow-Cooker Chili recipe from AllRecipes.com because it uses a variety of beans and spices, and all the flavors have a while to complement each other. Credit goes to AllRecipes user, Grete:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
• 2 onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 zucchini, chopped
• 1 yellow squash, chopped
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce, or more if needed
• 1 cup vegetable broth, or more if needed

Go here for the preparation instructions. The chili serves 10-15, so it is dinner party sized.

If you don’t really want to mess with a slow cooker, here is a “soulful” vegetarian chili recipe from a non-vegetarian!

What goes better with chili than a homemade slice of cornbread? Exactly. VegWeb.com has a lot of different cornbread recipes, but this simple and easy recipe for “Grandma’s” cornbread makes for a perfect match to a dense bowl of chili.

There are plenty of people out there who prove vegan or vegetarian chili can cut it against the meat-laden kind. It just might take a while for everyone to warm up to the idea. Just ask this competitor for the Brooklyn Chili Takedown competition.

Enjoy!

Vegetarian Awareness Month Kicks Off

Today is World Vegetarian Day. The day kicks off both World Vegetarian Awareness month and food bloggers vegan MoFo month (Vegan Month of Food). World Vegetarian Day celebrations are occurring around the globe this weekend. Perhaps one of the biggest celebrations is in San Francisco at their World Veg Festival Weekend hosted by the San Francisco Vegetarian Society. The event includes two full days of speakers including Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Bob Linden and Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.

The idea behind Vegan MoFo month is for food bloggers to write as much as they can about vegan food. The posts can be about the food you make, recipes you found, food preparation techniques, vegan restaurant reviews, vegan cooking tips or any other anecdotes relating to veganism.

Here are some of my favorite vegetarian recipes.

For a healthy, filling breakfast try a vegan avocado smoothie. The avocado will provide heart-healthy fats. The banana is packed with potassium while the nut butter contains protein.

Lunches can be something light or packable. Try out this Mock “Chicken” Salad made from garbanzo beans! Throw it in a pita or on two pieces of sprouted wheat bread.

Make use of the fall harvest with this Butternut Tofu Squash recipe. Butternut squash is steamed or boiled and mashed with tofu to fill large pasta shells. Spices including B12-rich nutritional yeast, garlic and nutmeg are added to incorporate a good spice mix to the filling.

SPARQ Indoor/Outdoor Grill is a Father’s Day Favorite

With cicadas buzzing, tulips in bloom and fireflies lighting up the night, summer is here. Along with summer comes days at the beach, outdoor gardening and, of course, summer grilling!

Make your outdoor grilling healthier and lock in flavor by using a SPARQ Soapstone Indoor/Outdoor Griddle/Grill Combo. Set the soapstone grill OR griddle side up right on your grilling rack! The grill uses high heat distribution over its entire surface resulting in evenly cooked, tastier and healthier food for you, your family and friends. The food is healthier because the grill significantly reduces the risk of producing cancer causing carcinogens from cooking over an open flame.

Here are some favorite grilling recipes from our Organic Bugs that are sure to bring raves…so feel free to give them a try this summer on your grill!

Thai-Glazed Fruit + Vegetable Grill (serves 4)

Adapted long ago from a recipe by Celia Brooks Brown, her cookbook, New Vegetarian (Ryland Peters & Small 2001), is a wonderful intro to vegetarian cooking that pleases the palate of vegans (with some egg + dairy substitutions) and omnivores alike. This is nice served with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli.

• 1 large mango, peeled, seeded + cut into 8 chunks
• 1 pineapple, peeled, cored + cut into 16 pieces
• 1 red onion, cut into 8 chunks
• 2 small zucchini, cut into 8 slices
• 2 limes, cut into 8 slices
• 8 shitaki mushrooms, stems removed
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded + cut into 8 pieces
• 4 Serrano chiles, halved

8 long metal or bamboo skewers (remember to pre-soak the wood skewers for at least 30 minutes)

Thread skewers with the fruit and vegetables. Place in a large casserole dish and brush generously with barbecue sauce. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Place skewers on a preheated stove top griddle and cook, turning occasionally and basting with barbeque sauce. You want the fruit and vegetables slightly tender and lightly charred for best flavor.

Thai Barbecue Sauce

• 1/3 cup coconut milk
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup tomato puree
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 piece fresh ginger (about 1”), peeled + coarsely chopped
• 1 whole lime, ends discarded and rest of lime (including peel) coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk lemongrass, finely sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 3 Tablespoons coconut oil
• 1-2 bird’s eye chiles (or other chile 50,000-100,000 Scoville heat units)
• Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
  

Portobello Stacks + Asparagus Grill (serves 4)

This is a nice combo that is quick + easy served with a side salad! Substitute long, slender green beans for the asparagus and serve with mashed potatoes for a heartier meal!

Portobello Stacks

• 4 large Portobello mushroom caps, stems removed
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
• 4 teaspoons Balsamic vinegar
• 4 thin slices red onion
• 4 thick slices tomato
• 1 handful fresh basil, chopped
• Salt + pepper

Place mushroom caps on a plate stem side up. Spread chopped garlic evenly over the mushroom caps. Pour a tablespoon of oil and a teaspoon of vinegar evenly over each mushroom cap. Place a slice of onion on each mushroom cap then top off with a slice of tomato. Sprinkle the tomato toppers with basil, salt + pepper.

Cook Portobello Stacks on a preheated stove top griddle without turning for 10-15 minutes until the mushrooms are tender.

Asparagus

• 2 pounds asparagus, trim ends
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt + pepper

Coat preheated stove top griddle with olive oil. Grill asparagus until crispy tender (about 5 minutes depending upon thickness). Toss in a dish with lemon juice and season with salt + pepper.

Crabby Patty Cakes (serves 4)

This is a vegan recipe co-founder, Peggy English, developed as an alternative to Crab Cakes! If you are vegetarian you can substitute an egg for the flax seed meal/water mixture in the main recipe and use mayonnaise instead of a non-dairy/egg free replacement like Vegenaise (my personal favorite) as a base for the Tartar Sauce.

• 2 1/2 cups grated daikon radish
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 fresh jalapeno pepper, deseeded + minced
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• ½ sweet red pepper, minced
• ½ bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons flax seed meal mixed with 1/3 cup water, let sit for 10 minutes
• 1 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons dulce flakes
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Coconut oil for grilling

Place the daikon radish in a large bowl with the salt and cover with water. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the daikon radish and stir in garlic, jalapeno, onion, sweet pepper, parsley, flax seed mixture, breadcrumbs, pepper, dulce flakes and paprika. Mix well. Form into 8 small round patties.

Coat flat griddle with oil and preheat over medium heat. Grill patties until firm and nicely brown, 3-5 min per side. Serve with tartar sauce as a condiment. Some sides that go well with this are corn-on-the-cob (yummy with salt, pepper + fresh squeezed lime juice) and cole slaw!

Tartar Sauce

• 1 cup Vegenaise
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• ¼ cup capers OR 1 Tablespoon minced spicy dill pickles

Put ingredients into a jar with tight fitting lid and shake until well mixed.

Find out more about the SPARQ grill.

A Vegan Barbeque

The thought of barbecues and grilling usually brings up images of burgers, hot dogs and juicy steaks. However, there are many healthy and tasty vegan food options for the grill. From stuffed red peppers to tempeh kabobs, some vegetarian favorites might even entice the most die-hard meat eater. According to the American Dietetic Association, replacing grilled meat products with vegetarian fare could help lower your cholesterol, blood pressure and risk of hypertension and heart disease.

Vegan Meat Substitutes

Plant-based diets are on the rise, and major food manufacturers are producing more vegetarian and vegan options to meet this demand. Vegans enjoy a variety of fake meat substitution products that include, but are not limited to, meatless chicken, hamburgers, brats, hot dogs, and steak. The main ingredients in most of these products is soy or wheat protein.

To cook the meat substitute, grill it as you would grill a meat product, but remember the meat substitute will take significantly less time to cook. To avoid grilling the substitute where meat products have been, wrap the product in aluminum foil and cook on the grill with the foil. After five to ten minutes, unwrap and serve.

Corn on the Cob

An old fashioned staple, corn on the cob provides another grilled vegan food option. Grill the corn in the husk or remove the husk prior to cooking. Brush on a tablespoon or two of olive oil and sprinkle with salt or your choice of seasoning.

Stuffed Red Peppers

Grilled stuffed red peppers require more preparation time. To begin, cook two cups of brown rice in a stove pot according to the directions on the rice package. While the rice is cooking, in a separate pan saute one small chopped onion, in two tablespoons of olive oil, with a few minced garlic cloves.

After one minute, add one cup of peas and a teaspoon of oregano and basil to the onions and garlic. Reduce the heat. Add one medium-diced tomato, one half cup of tomato sauce and the peas, onion and garlic mixture to the cooked rice pot. To obtain a creamier consistency, add in a half cup of vegan mayonnaise.

Leave the mixture on the stove for three to five minutes so all  the ingredients cook thoroughly. While it is cooking, wash the peppers and cut off the tops to remove seeds. Wrap each individually in foil and grill for five to ten minutes.

Grilled Vegetable Medley

To prepare a grilled vegetable medley, mix one cup of olive oil with an Italian spice mix. The mix could include garlic powder, basil, parsley, oregano, pepper, and salt. Allow the mixture to sit while you prepare the vegetables.

Next, slice zucchini, eggplant and potatoes into one-half-inch sections. Quarter an onion and two to three bell peppers and also include baby carrots and mushrooms. Dip all the vegetables into the olive oil spice mixture and place them on a piece of foil. Place the foil onto the grill rack to cook the vegetables.

Portobello Mushroom Sandwiches

Brush the portobello mushroom with olive oil and place on grill. Cook for about five minutes.

*Avoid vegan fare mixing with non-vegan foods by using your own SPARQ Soapstone Indoor/Outdoor Griddle/Grill Combo! Bring it to barbecues and have a separate vegan griddle!

A Travel Agency for Environmentalists, Vegans & Vegetarians

Traveling as a vegan, vegetarian or eco-conscious individual can present its own unique set of challenges. As a vegan, you may need to do some research on how to say “dairy” or “eggs” in another language. As an environmentalist, you may be concerned about your environmental footprint as the result of a trip and seek out ways to minimize it.

Many “green” and vegetarian travelers enjoy being in a group with similar-minded people. Green Earth Travel, LLC., founded in 1997 as the nation’s premier vegetarian/vegan/eco travel agency, seeks to reduce these challenges by organizing travel trips for the environmentalist or vegetarian/vegan traveler.

Recently, Green Earth Travel has announced “trips that make a difference” vacations. These trips, scheduled for the later part of 2011, enable animal lovers to care for orphaned animals at an animal sanctuary for a few days before camping at the Grand Canyon or staying at an eco spa resort in Zion National Park.

“We are proud to once again offer these unusual trips for animal lovers around the country,” comments Donna Zeigfinger, Green Earth Travel President. “Guests will enjoy high quality time at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary caring for furred and feathered residents of their choice and learning about Best Friends’ tradition of service. Following two days of dedicated service to rescued animals, participants enjoy the dramatic beauty of our desert southwest.”

The August trip to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary and the Grand Canyon is scheduled from August 8th to 13th, 2011. Animal behaviorist, naturalist and author Jonathan Balbombe – author of the best-selling book Pleasurable Kingdom: Animals and the Nature of Feeling Good – will join this particular excursion.

Marie Oser, best-selling author, host/producer at VegTV and Managing Editor at ecomii.com will join the October trip, scheduled for October 10th to 15th, 2011.

In addition to these animal-lover volunteer trips, Green Earth Travel offers green trips across the globe. Yoga retreats in Hawaii, vegetarian tours of South America, Monarch bike tours and vegan New York tours, to name a few, are available. Costa Rica trips are always popular, and prices vary depending on the trip.

Green Earth Travel and founder Donna Zeigfinger have been featured in numerous publications including the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Veg News, Vegetarian Times, Travel Life and Travel Age.

Vegan Living, Vegan Food

Some people shift into a vegan diet slowly, starting with vegan ‘analogues’— plant-based foods whose taste resembles animal products. Others simply take out the animal products from their diet and replace them with plant foods with which they’re already familiar. Still others concentrate on experimenting with entirely new vegan foods, often from international cuisines. Thankfully, there is no shortage of vegan foods to help make the transition. In fact, most of the food we eat is vegan, without us knowing it!

Eggs are a popular product that vegans do not partake in. If you are making the transition or are looking for more options, check out below for substitution options:

•              Ener-G Egg Replacer (follow directions on box)

•              1 banana (for cake recipes)

•              2 Tbsp corn starch

•              2 Tbsp arrowroot flour

•              2 Tbsp potato starch

•              2 Tbsp soy milk powder & 2 Tbsp water

•              2 Tbsp mashed silken tofu

Your local grocery store likely carries veggie burgers and vegan hot dogs. Alternative milks are also available ranging from rice to almond. There are also vegan alternatives for butter and cheese. Try them all to see what you like best.

Dining out doesn’t have to be overwhelming if you are vegan. Check out the menu for asterisk and footnotes describing whether they have vegan dishes or alternatives.  If you’re on a fast food schedule, pizza places, Taco Bell, and Subway all have vegan options. Check out VegDining.com for a vegan restaurant near you!

Here is a video that shows you how to easily make delicious chocolate chip cookies vegan style! Courtesy of Everyday Dish TV.

How Would You Like Your Eggs?

Was there ever such a thing as an egg being an egg or have there always been specialty eggs with prices to match? Conventional, free range, organic, cage free… but what does it all mean? Let’s take a closer look at egg labels.

Conventional eggs are packaged with no special labels. However, in regards to the animal’s welfare, less than half a square foot of space is devoted to each hen (which is not even enough room for them to spread their wings) . Typically the diet is unknown or not noted.

Cage Free is pretty much self explanatory and has everything to do with the welfare of the animal and little to do with diet. The hens are free to move as they wish without being confined to a cage or any restricted space. They are able to engage in natural behaviors such as walking and spreading their wings.

Free Range implies that chickens live on thriving green pastures. Also known as Free Roaming.

Organic labels means the hens were fed only organic feed. This could also mean no animal byproducts are found in the feed. They are fed an organic all vegetarian diet, free of antibiotics and pesticides as required by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. The USDA has to approve it to be organic in order for it to be sealed that way.

Vegetarian means the hens were fed a strict vegetarian diet. However, chickens are in fact omnivores not vegetarians and will naturally eat bugs, and grub. This term has little to no significance to animals living conditions and welfare.

Pastured means the chickens were raised on a pasture. With all access to the sun, grass, bugs, grains and other feed (sounds glamorous doesn’t it…it is).

So now the real question, which type of eggs are the healthiest? The USDA claims that all eggs are equally healthy. However, the input should correlate with the output right?

According to a study done by Mother Earth News, pasteurized eggs have 1/3 less cholesterol, ¼ less saturated fat, 2/3 more vitamin A, 2 times more omega-3 fatty acids, 3 times more vitamin E, 7 times more beta creotene, and 4-6 times more vitamin D.

So, next time you are at the store, take a closer look at the kind of eggs you tend to buy. The things that set the higher price should be taken into consideration (diet and welfare) and are worth the extra buck to make certain you are not only getting the most bang for your buck (nutrition wise) but that you are also supporting farmers that take the welfare of chickens seriously.