Slow Cooker Tailgate Chili

In the deep winter, it's still a great time for chili and slow-cooker chili! 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (15-oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14-oz) diced tomatoes
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
2-3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp (vegan) Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
¼ tsp ground allspice
¼ tsp ground ginger
dash ground cloves 

1 bay leaf
1 cup dry bulgur wheat

2 cups vegetable broth 
1½ cups corn
1 cup (9-oz) salsa
4-oz guacamole

Directions:

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent.
2. Combine onions and garlic with all ingredients except guacamole in slow cooker. 
3. Cook on low approximately 8 hours.
4. Remove bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
5. Thin with water or veg broth if necessary.
6. Garnish with guacamole.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 397 calories, 8.1g fat, 73g carbs, 21g fiber, 9.9g sugars, 16.9g protein

Kelley's Quick Burrito Bowl

Wanting to skip the torilla but still want a quick and easy buritto-like meal? Try Kelley's Quick Burrito Bowl!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 bag (16-oz) cauliflower rice
1 bag (16-oz) frozen okra (or broccoli)
1 jar (24-oz) salsa
1 ½ cup roasted corn (or regular)
1 can (15-oz) (vegan) refried beans (or black beans)
4-oz guacamole

Directions:

1. Line a large skillet with ¼-cup broth.
2. Add cauliflower rice and okra (if using broccoli steam separately or microwave as directed) and cook until cauliflower rice is just soft and okra has thawed.
3. Stir in salsa, corn and beans, or serve over cooked cauliflower rice.
4. Top with guacamole before serving.

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Time: 15 minutes or less
• Per serving: 421 calories, 6.5g fat, 77.4g carbs, 16.4g fiber, 26.7g sugars, 22.9g protein 

Bean Burrito

Who doesn't love a burrito? This is an easy recipe for a basic bean burrito. It's a great starting place for yum!

Ingredients

Two​ ​15-ounce​ ​cans​ ​black​ ​or​ ​pinto​ ​beans,​ ​drained​ ​and​ ​rinsed
Water​ 
1​ ​Tbsp​ ​chili​ ​powder,​ ​or​ ​to​ ​taste
1​ ​tsp​ ​ground​ ​cumin
1​ ​jalapeño​ ​pepper,​ ​finely​ ​chopped
6​ ​large​ ​flour​ ​or​ ​corn​ ​tortillas​ ​(corn​ ​tortillas​ ​are​ ​smaller,​ ​so​ ​you​ ​may​ ​need​ ​more)
1​ ​cup​ ​cooked​ ​brown​ ​rice​ ​(seasoned​ ​with​ ​salt​ ​and​ ​perhaps​ ​a​ ​squeeze​ ​of​ ​lime​ ​juice)
2​ ​cups​ ​of​ ​mixed​ ​greens
1-1/2​ ​cups​ ​of​ ​your​ ​favorite​ ​salsa
2​ ​avocados​ ​or​ ​1​ ​cup​ ​guacamole
2​ ​fresh​ ​tomatoes,​ ​chopped

Directions

1. In​ ​a​ ​saucepan,​ ​add​ ​the​ ​rinsed​ ​beans​ ​and​ ​just​ ​enough​ ​water​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​the​ ​beans.
   
2. Add​ ​the​ ​chili​ ​powder,​ ​cumin,​ ​and​ ​jalapeño​ ​pepper.​ ​Cover,​ ​and​ ​heat​ ​over​ ​a low-medium​ ​flame.​ ​It​ ​should​ ​take​ ​about​ ​10​ ​minutes​ ​for​ ​the​ ​water​ ​to​ ​begin​ ​to thicken​ ​(and​ ​evaporate​ ​a​ ​bit)​ ​so​ ​that​ ​the​ ​spices​ ​become​ ​more​ ​incorporated​ ​into the​ ​beans.
   
3. When​ ​the​ ​beans​ ​are​ ​heated​ ​through​ ​and​ ​thickened​ ​up,​ ​begin​ ​filling​ ​the​ ​tortillas.
   
4. To​ ​make​ ​the​ ​tortillas​ ​a​ ​little​ ​more​ ​pliable​ ​(and​ ​delicious),​ ​just​ ​heat​ ​them​ ​up briefly​ ​over​ ​an​ ​open​ ​flame​ ​or​ ​in​ ​the​ ​microwave​ ​for​ ​a​ ​few​ ​seconds.
   
5. Spoon​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​tablespoons​ ​of​ ​rice​ ​onto​ ​a​ ​tortilla​ ​about​ ​1​ ​inch​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bottom, and​ ​spread​ ​it​ ​out​ ​in​ ​a​ ​horizontal​ ​line.​ ​Using​ ​a​ ​slotted​ ​spoon,​ ​scoop​ ​out​ ​the​ ​beans and​ ​add​ ​a​ ​few​ ​tablespoons​ ​on​ ​top​ ​of​ ​the​ ​rice.
   
6. Add​ ​the​ ​remaining​ ​toppings,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​the​ ​lettuce,​ ​salsa,​ ​avocados​ ​or​ ​guacamole, and tomatoes,.​ ​Do​ ​not​ ​overfill,​ ​or​ ​it​ ​will​ ​be​ ​difficult​ ​to​ ​roll.​ ​Begin rolling,​ ​from​ ​the​ ​bottom​ ​up,​ ​tucking​ ​the​ ​sides​ ​in​ ​as​ ​you​ ​go​ ​along.

Notes:

• ​6​ ​servings

Insta-Pot Stuffed Pepper Soup

Soup for the winter, done in the pressure cooker for fast and easy.

Ingredients:

1 cup green or brown lentils

1 cup rice

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 cups vegetable broth

1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp ground ginger

16 oz (usually 2 cans) tomato sauce

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

bay leaf

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients in Insta-pot or other pressure cooker. 
2. Stir.
3. Cook on high for 22 minutes.
4. Allow natural release for 10 minutes.

Notes:

• Serves 4

Vegetable Korma

Vegetable Korma is a wonderful winter dish. It's good in the summer, too, but I love its heartiness.

Ingredients:
oil

½ onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
2 carrots, diced
4-oz green beans, trimmed
1 potato, diced
½ can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tsp ground coriander
½ tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp turmeric
½ cup tomato sauce
½ cup peas
¼ tsp garam masala
dash cayenne pepper
rice

Directions:

1. Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent.
2. Add carrots, green beans, and potatoes, and cook 3-5 minutes more.
3. Stir in coriander, cumin, and turmeric to coat.
4. Add tomato sauce, cover, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer until vegetables are fork tender, adding water as needed. (You want to
6. keep a thin layer of liquid along the bottom).
7. Stir in chickpeas and peas and heat over low until thoroughly warm.
8. Add garam masala and stir to combine.
9. Rest 5 minutes then taste, adding salt or more garam masala if desired. You can also add cayenne
10. pepper for a spicy dish. 
11. Serve with rice (or on warmed pita) 

Notes:

• Serves 2
• Per serving: 394 calories, 3.5g fat, 78.2g carbohydrates, 17.6g fiber, 13.8g sugars, 17.3g protein
• You can add ¼-cup coconut milk for a creamy curry version.

Firecracker Curry Noodles

This is a great meal in the summer or in the winter or any season. When do you light off your firecrackers?

Ingredients:
12-oz dry noodles (e.g. bow-tie firecrackers)
16-oz frozen stir-fry vegetables
1 cup lite coconut milk
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2-3 tbsp red curry paste
1-2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Directions:

1. Cook noodles according to package instruction, adding stir-fry vegetables 2-4 minutes before the noodles are done to cook briefly. 
2. Drain and rinse under cool water then return to pot. 
3. While the noodles and veggies cook, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients starting with 2 tbsp curry paste and 1 tbsp soy sauce. 
4. Pour over cooked noodles and vegetables, stirring to combine. 
5. Heat over low until thoroughly warm. 
6. Taste, adding more curry paste, soy sauce, and/or Sriracha as desired.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 428 calories, 8.2g fat, 75.1g carbs, 10.8g fiber, 6.8g sugars, 13.5g protein 

Simple Lentil Chili

There's nothing like a bowl of soup or chili in the cold, wintry months. This simple lentil chili cooks the lentils while simmering the chili. An easy dish for the upcoming weeks between snacks and time-intensive meals.

Ingredients: 

1 onion, diced 

3-4 garlic cloves, minced 

1 bell pepper, seeded and diced 

1 qt vegetable broth 

2-3 tsp chili powder 

1/4 tsp smoked paprika 

1 1/4 cup dry lentils 

1 can (14-oz) diced tomatoes 

crackers 

Directions 

1. Sauté onion, garlic and bell peppers until onion is translucent. 
2. Stir in chili powder and smoked paprika to coat. 
3. Add lentils and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. 
4. Add tomatoes (with juices) and broth. 
5. Cover and bring to a boil. 
6. Reduce heat to low and simmer until lentils are tender. 
7. Salt and pepper to taste, plus more chili powder or smoked paprika if desired. 
8. Serve with crackers or crusty bread.

Notes:

• Serves 4 
• Takes ~40 minutes after prep
• Nutritional Analysis per serving (sans crackers): protein 16.3g, sugars 6.8g, fiber 17.7g, carbs 40.5g ,fat 1.1g , calories 235