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Bean Chilli

I didn’t eat a lot of red meat before going vegetarian, but for some strange reason when I made the switch, I started getting intense cravings for red meat. This is the first recipe I made up in response. With some experimentation over the years, this is now a staple in our house that I’ve served to many guests, with even avid carnivores going back for seconds and thirds.

Total Prep Time: 2-3 hrs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1            Onion, diced

12          Cremini mushrooms, cut into chunks

1 can (796ml)     Diced tomatoes

1 can (540ml)     Black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (156ml)     Tomato paste

1 pkg (340g)       Yves Original Veggie Ground Round, crumbled

3 tbsp        Chili powder

1 tbsp        Cumin

1 tsp          Garlic powder

Cayenne to taste

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except sour cream and cheddar cheese) in slow cooker and mix well. Cook on high setting for 2-3 hours, until onions are translucent and well cooked. Adjust seasonings as desired and serve topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Enjoy with fresh, crusty bread to mop up all the sauce.

Choose your own adventure:

You can swap the black beans for any bean you like. Sometimes I do red kidney beans for a more traditional version. More often, I do 1/2 a can of black beans and 1/2 a can of chickpeas.

Try adding zucchini or corn (I use frozen).

 

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‘Spaghettikka Masala’

This recipe isn’t perfect yet but it was too interesting not to share! Consider it an Indian version of spaghetti. I will definitely be making this again anytime I get a craving for Indian food but don’t want anything too heavy. This dish is highly customizable and satisfying!

Total Prep Time: 60 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1           Spaghetti squash

10         Mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 can     Lentils, drained and rinsed

6 oz       Baby spinach

1 jar      Tikka Masala sauce (I used Sherni’s Tikka Masala cooking sauce)

Canola oil & Salt

Directions:

To prep the squash, cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Drizzle a little oil all over the cut surface, lightly season with salt, and then place cut sides down in a baking dish. Bake at 375 F for 35-45 minutes until tender. Use a fork to scrape squash out of shell into spaghetti-like strands.

While the squash is baking, prep the other ingredients and heat a little oil in a deep skillet pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms, lentils, and spinach. Stir frequently and add sauce when spinach has started to wilt. When the sauce is warmed through, add the squash and toss until sauce is evenly distributed. Serve with warm naan.

Choose your own adventure:

Try different sauces. Loblaws has different PC and Patak’s Indian cooking sauces of varying spice levels and flavours.

Switch up the veggies. I had planned on adding some frozen peas but found that I was out. Cauliflower florets or diced eggplant would also work well with this dish.

Not a fan of spaghetti squash? Go for a more traditional basmati rice, or try quinoa or cauliflower rice.

Add some freshly grated ginger to brighten it up.

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Cauliflower ‘Alfredo’ sauce with Pasta

Despite my best efforts to eat healthily, sometimes I just want the comfort of cheese and carbs. This is a healthier take on the classic alfredo sauce. Instead of butter, flour and cream, the base is cauliflower and milk. I hope you enjoy this interesting spin for a guilt-free indulgence!

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1                Cauliflower head, cut into small florets

1 box        Linguine or fettuccine pasta

3 cups       Skim milk

1/4 cup     Nutritional yeast

1 tsp          Garlic powder

1/2 tsp      Nutmeg

1 tbsp       Dijon mustard

1 cup        Frozen peas

2 cups      Cheddar cheese, grated

Salt & pepper

Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Steam cauliflower until tender, about 10 minutes. While the cauliflower steams, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Drain and rinse in cold water, and then set aside.

In a large pot, combine steamed cauliflower, milk, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, nutmeg and mustard. Transfer to a blender or puree in the pot with an immersion blender. Adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.

With pot over low-medium heat, add peas and cheese. Stir frequently until peas are thawed and cheese is melted. Add more milk if the sauce is too thick.

Add pasta and toss until well coated. Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.

Choose your own adventure:

In place of pasta, try the sauce over zucchini or sweet potato noodles for a lower carb version.

Mix up the cheese. Try 1 cup of cheddar and 1 cup of any other cheese. More flavourful cheeses work better than milder ones.

Add other veggies instead of peas. I’ll be trying sautéed mushrooms and baby spinach next time!

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Chunky Tomato Spaghetti (& Meatballs)

No need for a jar of tomato sauce filled with sugar, salt, and who knows what else. Not quite like your Nonna makes, but here’s my fresh take on this classic pasta dish.

Total Prep Time: 30 minutes

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp    Olive oil

1             Onion, diced

4             Garlic cloves, minced

4             Large tomatoes, diced

6 oz        Baby spinach, washed

475 g      Ricotta

1 tbsp     Basil

1 tsp       Oregano

500 g      Spaghetti (one package)

Sea salt & Fresh-cracked pepper

Parmesan cheese & chili flakes

Directions:

Heat oil in large, deep pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic and onion, sautéeing until onion is translucent. Add tomatoes, cover and let simmer until tomatoes start to break down.

While sauce is simmering, boil water in large pot and cook pasta according to instructions.

Once tomatoes have broken down, add spinach and fold in. Let the spinach wilt a bit and then add ricotta, basil, oregano, salt and pepper. Stir until ricotta is well blended. Add pasta and adjust seasoning as desired. Drizzle with some extra olive oil and toss.

Scoop onto plates and top with grated parmesan and chili flakes.

Choose your own adventure:

Skip the beef or turkey and try adding a package of veggie ‘meatballs’. Add them with the tomatoes so that they simmer and pick up all of the flavours.

You can omit the ricotta if you just want a plain tomato ‘sauce’. I like the creaminess and protein it adds so I usually use light ricotta.

Instead of pasta, you can have this over quinoa or zucchini noodles for something a little different.

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Tacos – Black Bean & Spinach

Taco Tuesday is a favourite in our house. They’re easy to make and fun to eat. Everyone gets to customize their toppings and there are endless combinations for filling. This recipe is the one I go back to time and again.

Total Prep Time: 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 tbsp       Avocado oil

2-3            Tomatoes, diced

1 can         Black beans, rinsed

4 oz           Baby spinach, washed

1 tbsp       Chili powder

1 tsp         Cumin

8                Corn tortillas

Sour cream or plain greek yogurt

Salsa &/or Hot sauce

Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, black beans, chili powder and cumin. Stir occasionally and simmer 3-4 minutes. Add spinach slowly and fold in. Continue to simmer until most of the water from the tomatoes is evaporated and the spinach is wilted.

Sprinkle some cheese into each tortilla. Spoon bean mixture into tortillas and top as desired with sour cream, salsa and hot sauce.

Choose your own adventure:

Swap the black beans with chickpeas. As they cook and become tender, you can lightly mash them with a fork to help them stay put better in your tortillas. I also like to do a 50/50 split of black beans and chickpeas.

Spice it up with cayenne in your bean mixture!

Different salsas and cheeses can make a big difference. Try a green salsa or havarti to change things up.

If you don’t have fresh spinach, chopped, frozen spinach, or kale, also work well.