Inventive with Leftovers

Kansas weather has been quite tricky lately. It has almost decided to skip fall altogether and skip right to winter. Mother Nature's games have forced me to move to warm food to combat the bone chilling coldness. The epitome of winter weather is soup, but where I'm from it is more like chili. I decided to make vegan chili and cornbread (you CANNOT have chili without cornbread). I went to the store and bought all organic beans and vegetables and everything. This chili (and cornbread) was low in fat (just the oil to saute the veggies), cholesterol-free, vegan and organic! Here was the recipe:

Vegan Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 can organic black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can organic pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 bag organic prepared yellow, green, and red bell peppers
• 1 can organic fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 can organic tomato sauce
• 1 box organic mushroom stock
• 1 organic sweet potato, diced
• 1 organic red onion, diced
• 1 organic carrot, diced
• 1 organic jalapeno, minced
• 1 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 bunch organic scallions, chopped (for garnish)
• olive oil for sauteing 
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1/2 tbsp grilling seasoning
• 1 tbsp paprika 
• salt and pepper, to taste

Method:

1. In a hot dutch oven (or large pot), heat the oil until shimmering. Add sweet potato, carrot, and garlic. Saute until browned and starting to slightly soften.
2. Add red onion. Cook until translucent.
3. Add peppers mix. Cook until soft. 
4. Add seasonings.
5. Add jalapeno, beans, fire roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce and entire box of mushroom stock.
6. Cook until thickened and potatoes are tender. 
7. Garnish with scallions and serve over cornbread.

It was definitely my kind of chili. Spicy, thick, hearty and super healthy. So, this is where the inventive side starts to creep its way through. I needed to eat all of this chili before I go out of town for 5 days. I already had it for dinner for two nights. This morning I used it in a tofu scramble. So, instead of eating another bowl tonight, I made....wait for it....a veggie burger. I added garbonzo bean flour and vital wheat gluten. Pan seared it and baked it to dry it out. I topped it with organic ketchup. So sweet and a perfect addition. I put it between two pieces of toasted 8 grain bread with a side of carrots! Today was a day for inventiveness! 

Oh, as a post scriptum, here is a picture that was on my camera. Don't know when I made this dish, but it was smoked tofu with sweet and sour veggies atop rice. Enjoy!