For Daysss

It's what's for dinner.

Chili

with Galaxy Foods Veggie Shreds cheddar, of course

1-1/2 c dried red kidney beans
1-1/2 c dried black beans
1/4 recipe seitan "beef" (see below)
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
24 oz tomato paste
# cloves garlic (whole head!), peeled & crushed
1 medium onion, diced
1 green capsicum, diced
1 c water
1/4 c ground cumin
2 tbs chili powder
1 tbs smoked paprika
1 tbs black pepper
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tsp molasses (agave/honey/brown sugar)
1-2 tsp cayenne (only 1 if children are involved)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp liquid smoke


On the day before, prepare Seitan Beef:

2 c wheat gluten
2 tbs whole wheat flour (additional flour may be needed if dough is too moist)
1/4 c nutritional yeast

1-1/2 c cold water
1/2 c shoyu (tamari or Bragg's Liquid Aminos)
1 tbs tomato sauce (or ketchup)
1 tbs. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 tsp. lemon juice

cooking broth:
12 c. cold water
1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce

In a large bowl, mix drys (first 3 ingredients) thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, stirring well. Pour wet mix into the dry mix and stirstirstir. Form [goopy dough] into a loaf and set aside.

Bring broth to a boil then reduce heat to simmer. Cut "loaf" into 6-8 pieces and, once broth is no longer boiling, lower the pieces gently into the broth; cover pot with lid and simmer for an hour(ish) -- pieces will float once finished cooking.

transfer seitan from pot of broth to colander to drain thoroughly. Set somewhere out of the way to cool completely (makes a "meater" substance).

Once cooled, pat dry and divide into [storage containers] for freezing (keeps indefinitely) or refrigeration (keeps 7 days).

Servings: 12 | Calories: 170.4 | Total Fat: 2.0 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 370.2 mg | Potassium: 104.4 mg | Total Carbs: 8.9 g | Dietary Fiber: 1.0 g | Sugars: 0.1 g | Protein: 30.3 g | Vit. A: 0.1 % | Vit. C: 0.6 % | Calcium: 5.9% | Iron: 12.8%
Full nutrition can be found here.

and soak dried beans overnight in a no smaller than 5 quart stock pot -- it will barely fit in the 5 ;) In the morning, drain and rinse beans, put 'em back in the pot, then cook according to package directions (ie. simmer in 6 c water -- with lid... my package didn't say as much -- for 1-1/2 to 2 hours). Once the beans have finished, you can begin your chili (in the same pot).

Add everything except the seitan to your bean pot and stir well. Cut seitan into little chunks, stir into mixture. Set your burner to low, put a lid on it, and let 'er ride, stirring every 30 minutes or so, for 3 hours.

Servings: 13 | Serving Size: 1 c | Calories: 200.5 | Total Fat: 1.4 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 417.8 mg | Potassium: 668.1 mg | Total Carbs: 38.6 g | Dietary Fiber: 13.7 g | Sugars: 9.3 g | Protein: 15.9 g | Vit. A: 36.1% | Vit. C: 33.1% | Calcium: 10.4% | Iron: 29.0%
Full nutrition can be found here.

Takes some time to make, but toootally pays off in not really having to cook for days. Serve with cornbread, corn chips; over fries, baked potatoes; or any other way you can conceive.

Chili forever!!!

Allo, 2013

Little thick at the moment, as I had multiple adult beverages last night... the first since half of a glass of pinot in October. They were gentle, fizzy-sweet libations, but I knew when the center of my forehead made itself known, around one o'clock this morning, I would be in for it today.

Cracking on! Haha, the thought of audibly using that exclamation point made me wince. We like to keep tradition of the southerner's New Year's Day dinner, eating the post-Civil War fare of black eyed peas and cabbage for luck and money. I think collard greens are the standard, but my family always did cabbage, so cabbage it is!

Black Eyed Peas, Please!

2 tbs olive oil
1 5-oz pkg veggie bacon (we like LightLife's Smart Bacon)
1 lg onion, chopped
1 green capsicum (bell pepper); topped, seeded, & sliced
1 red capsicum; topped, seeded, & sliced
1 orange capsicum; topped, seeded, & sliced
# cloves garlic (minimum of 2, I use most of a bulb), peeled
2 c veggie broth
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 14-oz pkgs of presoaked or 1 lb dried black eyed peas, prepared according to directions (the day before), drained

Heat oil in large [skillet] (with lid); separate bacon and tear into little pieces to save crumbling later; fry bacon in oil until crisp. With a slotted spoon (or somesuch) transfer bacon from pan to paper towel covered plate to absorb excess oil.

In the oil remaining in the pan, saute onion, capsicum, and garlic until onions are translucent. Stir in veggie broth and liquid smoke thoroughly, then stir in peas. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in bacon crumbles and allow to cook in peas for the last 5-10 minutes.

Servings: 10 | Calories: 189.5 | Total Fat: 5.1 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 413.1 mg | Potassium: 152.7 mg | Total Carbs: 28.8 g | Dietary Fiber: 6.5 g | Sugars: 5.2 g | Protein: 8.4 g | Vit. A: 18.2% | Vit. C: 64.3% | Calcium: 15.5% | Iron: 7.5%
Full nutrition can be found here.


Tasty Cabbagestuff

2 tbs turbinado sugar
3 tbs olive oil
1 med onion, chopped
1 med head cabbage, shredded
2 golden delicious apples, cored & thinly sliced
8 (~2 lbs) butter red potatoes, sliced into 1/4" rounds
1 recipe breakfast susej (see below), cut into bite sizes
1 tbs ground black pepper
salt (optional, not included in nutrition)
1 c veggie broth + 1/4 c water

In skillet, brown sugar in oil over medium-high heat, stirring often. Reduce heat to medium and saute onion until golden.

Transfer onion to (large) stock pot; stir in cabbage and apples thoroughly. Top cabbage mix with sliced potato; top potato with susej; season; and pour broth+water over the whole lot. Bring quickly to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes pierce easily with fork (45-60 minutes). Stir before serving.

Servings: 12 | Calories: 220.3 | Total Fat: 5.7 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 157.0 mg | Potassium: 697.3 mg | Total Carbs: 30.6 g | Dietary Fiber: 5.8 g | Sugars: 4.0 g | Protein: 14.4 g | Vit. A: 4.9% | Vit. C: 71.2% | Calcium: 8.5% | Iron: 14.3%
Full nutrition can be found here.

Breakfast Susej
1/2 c navy (or other light colored) beans, drained, measured then smashed with fork
1 c water (or veggie broth, water used in calculation)
1 tbs olive oil
1 tbs shoyu
1 tbs pure maple syrup
1-1/4 c wheat gluten
1/4 c nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp sage
1 tsp ground thyme
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp fennel seed
1/2 tsp anise seed
1/4 tsp cayenne

Preheat oven to 325° Fahrenheit.

In a small bowl, whisk together wet ingredients (navy beans through maple syrup). In a medium bowl, thoroughly combine dry ingredients (wheat gluten through cayenne). Stir wet into dry until a dough begins to form, then knead dough until all of the dry bits have been incorporated.

Form dough into a log, approximately 14" long, and roll securely (2-3 wraps) in heavy aluminum foil, twisting the ends tightly, without compacting the dough. Bake on rack for 90 minutes. If the foil pops during baking (and you hear it), quickly (and carefully) rewrap tightly and return to oven.

When baking is complete, remove susej from foil and allow to cool on wire rack until room temperature, where it will be ready to use or refrigerate -- will keep for a week.

I typically use breakfast susej in other recipes, but it can be sliced and pan fried (in a little oil or spray) and served as typical sausage patties.

Servings: 8 | Calories: 134.7 | Total Fat: 2.6 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 88.3 mg | Potassium: 168.4 mg | Total Carbs: 11.5 g | Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g | Sugars: 1.8 g | Protein: 18.0 g | Vit. A: 4.2% | Vit. C: 1.2% | Calcium: 5.3% | Iron: 11.5%
Full nutrition can be found here.

Proper Cornbread

1/4 c coconut (or other light, flavorless) oil
1 c yellow cornmeal
1/2 c unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/4 c plain, unsweetened soy milk
2 tbs Ener-G egg replacement powder OR whole ground flaxseed + 4 tbs cool water, beaten (calculated with Ener-G)

Measure oil into a 9" x 9" baking dish/pan, place dish in oven and preheat to 425° Fahrenheit.

In a medium bowl, stir together dry ingredients (cornmeal through salt) thoroughly. Pour in soy milk and egg replacement (+water) and stir until fully incorporated.

By now, your oil should be hot. Carefully remove dish from oven and, working quickly, pour batter into dish, spreading to edges. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Allow to cool a couple minutes before slicing.

Servings: 9 | Calories: 196.0 | Total Fat: 7.2 g | Cholesterol: 0.0 mg | Sodium: 419.5 mg | Potassium: 81.2 mg | Total Carbs: 27.0 g | Dietary Fiber: 2.6 g | Sugars: 7.6 g | Protein: 3.9 g | Vit. A: 0.6% | Vit. C: 0.0% | Calcium: 17.1% | Iron: 6.7%
Full nutrition can be found here.

With that, I'm off to cook :) Happy New Year!