Vegetarian Chili

Whenever the last remains of summer are blown away by the harsh Montreal winds, I like to whip up a big pot of vegetarian chili. It warms the soul and tummy, and makes enough to indulge in for weeks (so you can spend your grocery money on new fall sweaters). This recipe is quick, easy, inexpensive and absolutely delicious when topped off with some grated cheddar cheese, a dollop of light sour cream and a handful of blue corn tortilla chips. 

Ingredients:

- 1 green bell pepper

- 1 red bell pepper

- 1/2 red onion

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 can refried beans

- 1 can of red beans (drained and rinsed)

- 1 can diced tomatoes

- 1 package of St. Ives Meatless Ground Meat (can substitute this for real ground meat, or not use at all I just like the texture it brings to the chili)

- 1/2 tablespoon cumin 

- 1 tsp chili powder

- chili pepper flakes to taste

- 1 teaspoon cilantro (optional)

Directions:

Finely dice the peppers and red onion. Fry them in the olive oil in a large cooking pot on the stove top under medium heat until they begin to turn slightly brown. Add the refried beans, red beans and diced tomatoes and mix well on medium heat (no higher or your chili will burn). Add the meatless ground meat, breaking it apart with a spoon in the pot. Stir well. Sprinkle in the cumin, chili powder, peppers and cilantro, testing the flavoring as you add them. With the lid off the pot, bring the heat down to low and allow the chili to simmer for 30 to 45 minutes. This will allow all the access liquid to evaporate, giving your chili a good and thick consistency. Serve with a spoonful of light sour cream, some grated cheese and either a warm tortilla or crispy tortilla chips.

I like to freeze about half the chili in a seal-tight tupperware where it can be stored for up to a month (it makes a LOT). Make sure you give the chili a day to unthaw in the fridge before eating it again. Yum yum!

Roasted Root Vegetables

When I went home for thanksgiving, my mom served up these root vegetables along side delicious maple salmon. Their juicy, flavorful taste and soft texture were melt-in-your mouth delicious and I thought I would never be able to taste vegetables so delicious until my next visit home. Little did I know, the vegetables are extremely easy to make and only use a few ingredients which I coincidentally have always had in my kitchen at school.

Ingredients:
- 1 Potato peeled
- 1 Sweet Potato peeled
- 1/2 a bag of baby carrots
- 1 handful of green beans
- olive oil
- rosemary
- oregano
- kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut your vegetables into wedges or rectangle cubes all of equal size (for the green beans I just cut them into thirds or halves). The bigger you cut them, the longer they will take to cook so it is important to cut them all approximately the same size. In a large bowl, combine the vegetables with about a 1/4 cup of olive oil (drizzle it on until all the vegetables are soaked) and shake on your spices. You can use whatever spices you have... I once tried cilantro, oregano and chili flakes and they were delicious. Stir the vegetables so that they are all evenly covered with oil and spice.

Spray a baking sheet with Pam and spread your vegetables evenly along it. Make sure none of the vegetables are overlapping - this will allow for equal cooking time. Gently sprinkle the vegetables with kosher salt. Pop the baking sheet in the oven (top rack) and let cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until you can smoothly insert a fork into the vegetables and the edges are slightly browning. *if you want a crispier vegetable, live them in for an extra 7 to 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes. These vegetables are great on their own or can be served along side a fillet of salmon or any chicken! You can also add brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, onions or really any other vegetable you like! Bon Appetit! 

Stuffed Pasta Shells

I live with ten roommates, each with different taste buds and specialties, which means there is an overwhelming amount of foodfomo going on in the house. When you've thrown together a dull salad made with two week old vegetables that you are too cheap to throw away, and your roommate comes up with a bowl of creamy, cheesy, piping hot pasta, it takes anything not to throw that salad on their head and grab the pasta before they have time to clean themselves off. This delectable pasta dish was brought to me by one of my roommates and it is a great dish to serve when you want to appear like an experience chef but in reality, all you know is how to boil pasta and saute vegetables. Easy peasy.

Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- half a red pepper
- handful of cherry tomatoes
- one large portobello mushroom
- a few branches of kale
- large shell pasta
- 1 1/2 cups of tomato sauce
- 1/2 parmesan cheese

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fill a medium sized pot with water and place it on the stove. Once the water is boiled add the pasta shells and cook them until they are el dante. While waiting for the water to boil, dice portobello mushrooms, red pepper and cherry tomatoes. Put a small sauce pan on the stove over medium heat, then add some olive oil and chopped garlic to the pan. Next, add the chopped vegetables to the pan and cook until they look almost complete before adding the kale to the mixture (kale needs less time to cook so it's good to add it later to prevent it from getting soggy). Salt and pepper should be added while sauteing the vegetables.
Remove the vegetables from the heat and drain the pasta shells in a strainer. Line a casserole dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce and then place the shells in the dish. Lightly stuff each shell with the sautéed vegetables.

Once the shells are stuffed, top them with a thicker layer of tomato sauce, followed by a layer of parmesan cheese. Place the dish in the oven and cook for 15 - 20 minutes, or until the cheese is completely melted and the tomato sauce is slightly bubbling. Serve hot with a garnish of fresh oregano. Delicious!

D

Caesar Saturday!

Everyone knows that once Saturday night roles around, you are so tuckered out from your consecutive two day hangover (repercussion of starting your weekend on a Thursday night) that the thought of sucking down another gin and tonic makes you gag. Caesars are the perfect fix to this dilemma, with their rich, potent vegetable taste and spicy tobacco kick that masks any hint of vodka hidden away at the bottom of the glass. They are the perfect cure to that Saturday-night downer and prevent any weekend from ending too early.
 Ingredients:
- Vodka
- Mott's Clamato Juice (I prefer original over the pre-caesar mix but they are pretty similar)
- Tabasco sauce
- Worcestershire Sauce
- celery sticks
- lime (or lemon)
- salt and pepper
- ice cubes


Directions:
In a shallow bowl combine a fair amount of salt and pepper. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and then twist the rim in the bowl of salt and pepper until it is totally coated.

Throw in a roommate watching TV

Pour in the Worcestershire sauce till it fills about 1 to 2 cm of the glass. Shake in a few drops of tabasco (all depends on how you like in your caesar... I tend to do 5 drops and then add in some more at the end cause I like the spice)

Drop in a few cubes of ice and and a couple leaves of celery (this adds a nice garnish to the glass). Pour in about 1 to 2 shots of Vodka (the amount will vary depending on how big your glass is and how strong you want it). 

Fill the remains of your cup with Clamato juice. Fasten a lemon wedge to the side of your glass and top it of with a nice and long piece of celery.

Ready to drink! The celery stick is the best part. Also great on a summer afternoon.