Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Chili Stew March 2, 2012

The weather has been a bit cold and windy these days, and last night was no exception. On nights like that, a hearty soup or stew hits the spot. I threw in tons of different things in this chili and I think this one is my favorite version so far. It’s also great to scoop onto tortilla chips. I had three avocados I planned on dicing up to top the chili, but each one was bad! Total bummer. Crash Test Vegetarian used olives and roasted red peppers in her chili recipe, so I owe her a big thanks for the idea!

INGREDIENTS:

1 large onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbs olive oil

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2 C of barley is a good substitute)

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, drained

4 C low-sodium vegetable broth

2 C water

1 6-oz can black olives, sliced

1 small can tomato paste

3 jarred roasted red peppers, diced

1/8 C lime juice

2-3 Tbs Ancho chili powder

1-1/2 Tbs cumin

1 tsp oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

4-5 green onions, sliced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Optional: Daiya cheese, diced avocado, Tofutti sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook for 7-8 minutes, or until tender. Add the broth, water, potatoes, tomatoes, black beans, and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are slightly tender, about 20 minutes. Add the seasonings, roasted red peppers, olives, and lime juice. Simmer another 15-20 minutes and stir in the lime juice. Sprinkle servings with green onion, cilantro, cheese, and sour cream, if desired. Enjoy!

 

Paella Primavera February 7, 2012

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 8:02 am
Tags: , , , , , ,

Like many of you, I received the latest issue of Vegetarian Times yesterday . . . when I saw this recipe on the cover, I had to make it. I didn’t have all the same ingredients, so I improvised, plus I added some other seasonings. It came out delicious! Next time, I think I’ll try using barley instead of rice and maybe use zucchini instead of broccoli. It helps to have all of your ingredients chopped and ready to go first. Despite some prep work, this dish came together quickly and I liked that I only needed one pan.

Adapted from Vegetarian Times

INGREDIENTS:

1 Tbs olive oil

2 C broccoli florets

1 red bell pepper, chopped

6 green onion, sliced

3 C low-sodium vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 C white rice

1 C corn kernels

12 pitted green olives, halved

12 pitted black olives, halved

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

Salt, pepper, and cumin, to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the broccoli, bell pepper, and green onion. Cook about 5-6 minutes.

Stir in the broth and garlic; bring to a boil. Stir in the rice, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the corn and olives; cover and cook another 8 minutes.

Season with salt, pepper, and cumin and serve with a pinch or two of fresh parsley. Enjoy!

 

Amazing Avocado Salsa December 3, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers — epicureanvegan @ 6:43 am
Tags: , , , , , , ,

Beware: This feeds a crowd . . . and . . . you can easily fill up on this salsa before dinner because it’s so delicious! It’s packed full of flavor and would be ideal for a summer get together. (yes, it’s December, but avocados were on sale). The recipe is from All Recipes, but I just made a couple of changes such as using red onion instead of yellow and adding 1 cup of fresh cilantro. Dig in!

INGREDIENTS:

1 (16 ounce) package frozen corn kernels, thawed

2 (2.25 ounce) cans sliced ripe olives, drained

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 small red onion, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 C fresh cilantro, chopped

4 avocados – peeled, pitted and diced

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, mix corn, olives, red bell pepper, onion, and cilantro. In a small bowl, mix garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper.

Pour into the corn mixture and toss to coat. Cover and chill in the refrigerator 8 hours, or overnight. (I didn’t have time to let it sit that long. I chilled it for about 4 hours). Stir avocados into the mixture before serving with tortilla chips or toasted baguette slices. Enjoy!

 

 
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