Hearty Vegetarian Chili

Cold winter days are not match for this warming dish. This chili is flavorful and very filling boosts your daily veggie and fiber intake. Everyone in my family loved the dish when my sister followed this recipe (from Epicurious.com) for dinner. We used 3 tablespoons of chili powder instead of the 6 in the recipe to make a mild chili instead of a spicy one.

Over the weekend my parents hosted a New Year’s brunch with the usual spread of bagels, lox, fruit salad, sweets, and kugel. Wanting to add something to the meal, I flipped through my copy of Vegan Brunch, which is full of so many mouth-watering recipes (and photos to go with them) of all vegan brunch foods. One of the reasons I don’t care much for breakfast or brunch foods when eating out is because they usually always contain eggs, cream cheese, butter, milk, or bacon. I can’t stand paying money for a bagel with jelly when I could make something better at home. This cookbook proves that vegan brunch is as good – if not better – than the usual options, and Isa Chandra Moskowitz will knock your oven mitts off with her creative ideas.

I flipped to the page with Tomato Rosemary Scones and the photo had me sold on them in no time. I’ve never been a scone fan – Funk either – as they’re always so dry and dense and insanely high in fat. But the butter-free recipe looked too good to be true so I gave it a go, substituting fresh basil for the rosemary since that’s what I’m growing in my AeroGrow.

I won’t duplicate the recipe here for copyright reasons but it was a super simple mix of flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, olive oil, tomato sauce, and basil/rosemary. And scones are supposed to look all lumpy and asymmetrical, so I didn’t have to fuss over their appearance either. If you’d like to take a stab at another one of Isa’s scone recipes, I found this one online for Marionberry Lavender Scones.

I love how easy Isa’s recipes are. I didn’t see any funky vegan ingredients throughout the book, and most of the ingredients for many of the recipes I already have on hand. She writes in an easy-to-understand format, and I love how she suggested mixing all of the wet ingredients in a large measuring cup – no need to dirty another dish (right on!).

They were a huge hit over brunch, and we have a few leftover to snack on throughout the week. The Vegan Brunch recipes may have me lovin’ brunch after all.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to promote Vegan Brunch. It’s just that awesome.

P.S. Don’t forget about my #kitchentool twitter party on Sunday, January 9th! Join us and you could win a Cuisinart hand held immersion blender!

P.P.S. There is an awesome Boston Food Bloggers giveaway up for grabs! Win a $50 gift certificate to Audubon Circle, part of the Tigers and Bears restaurant group! I went here once for drinks and have yet to go back – a shame since it’s right down the street from me. Check out the post to enter to win!

We had a blast ringing in the New Year with our friends this year, complete with food, cocktails, games, dogs, and an awkward Dick Clark on TV. We decided instead of battling restaurant crowds on the holiday, we’d make dinner at home and decided on DIY sushi! Armed with the following ingredients, we got rolling:

• 10 sheets of nori
• some soy wraps
• canned shrimp and crab (usually we use lox but the grocery store was all out!)
• Starkist tuna creations
• shredded carrots
• sliced cucumbers
• sliced avocados
• short grain white rice
• sugar + salt
• rice wine vinegar
• soy sauce for dipping
• wasabi powder, made into a paste

We prepped the sticky rice using Alton Brown’s easy method, then everyone took a turn rolling some sushi. We had lots of different varieties, from seafood to vegetarian. Rolling sushi is actually pretty easy – even if you don’t have the nifty rolling mats! You can find them at Asian grocery stores, Whole Foods, and I’ve seen them at some kitchen/home dec style stores too.

We enjoyed the sushi along-side some vegetarian wontons and party-staples like chips and salsa, veggies and dip, and dark chocolate brownies – yum! They were fun to make and the perfect finger foods.

Happy New Year, readers! So I’m a day late in doing my recap of 2010 before the clock struck midnight, but better late than never! I’d like to share with you some photos of the past year for a look waaaaaay back to 2010. It has been quite a year, and I have to say I’ve truly had a love hate relationship with 2010. There were many ups (winning a trip to ITALY!!!) and downs (hip surgery and all of the complications that came with it) and I’m glad the year is behind us. Thanks for joining us, 2011!

I’ve never quite been as enthusiastic about a new year as I am for ‘11 – I have big personal and professional goals, a wedding in the works, some conferences to attend (and speak at!), and a business to build. And while I’m not big on resolutions (except for the one I made in ‘08 to floss my teeth, which is the only resolution I’ve ever kept), I have decided I want to work on my salt intake. My recipes aren’t so high in sodium, but what I dash on from the salt shaker after I plate my food is! Now that I’ve put it out there, I hope to stick with it! This dietitian knows way too much about the harmful effects of too much sodium, so I need to put a halt on that. Already today I seasoned my veggies with garlic powder instead of salt. Looks like 2011 is already off to a great start.

But before I get ahead of myself, here’s a look back on 2010. Wishing you and yours an amazing, exciting, healthy, happy, fulfilling, and inspiring 2011.

We kicked off 2010 with friends in New Hampshire

Bringing in my 28th birthday with friends at American Craft Bar, just days after it opened, was pretty delicious. Their veggie burger is, in my opinion, one of the best in Boston! Funk and I also celebrated at Elephant Walk, which has a stellar French-Cambodian menu with a large vegan and gluten free menu section.

We won a trip to Italy!!!…need I say more?

Fitbloggin’ in Baltimore

I joined Jessica, Corinne, Elizabeth, and Lindsay as part of the blog media for the first Food For your Whole Life Symposium in NYC.

And then went right to the American Dietetic Association’s Leadership Institute in Scottsdale, AZ.

The wine in Italy…

The cappuccino in Italy…

The gelato in Italy…

Ok ok everything about Italy (but especially the food!)

Fast forward to fall and apple picking in New England

The American Dietetic Association’s FNCE conference in Boston

Wrapped up 2010 and celebrated the first hours of 2011 with some of my bestest and oldest friends, and DIY sushi!

I cannot wait to see what 2011 brings. Happy New Year!!!

I’m a vanilla girl, through and through.

I prefer white cake over chocolate cake.

White chocolate over milk chocolate.

Vanilla ice cream over chocolate ice cream.

Sensing a pattern here?

I like blondies over brownies any day, and adding pumpkin to the batch just seals the deal.

These blondies are so moist, like that gooey brownie in the center of the pan, but better. They’re also vegan (hooray!) but because the sugar and oil content is a bit high, I cut them into small slices to exhibit some control.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vanilla soy milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Preheat oven to 375F. Combine wet ingredients in one bowl. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl. Then mix the dry ingredients into the wet ones and give it a few stirs until the batter is smooth, but not over-mixed.

Pour batter into a 9×5 greased loaf pan. I used my Pampered Chef stoneware loaf pan, which requires no greasing and I loooove it!

Bake for 25 minutes, cool, slice and enjoy!

Most baking recipes will say to “insert a toothpick in the center and if it comes out clean, it’s done.” But does this apply to vegan baking? I mean, there’s no harm done if the center of the blondie pan is still a little gooey since there are no raw eggs in there. In fact, if I stuck a toothpick in the center of mine, it would not have come out clean. I like ‘em a little underbaked and gooey, but you could bake them a few minutes more if you don’t.

They’re simple and delicious and I just had one for breakfast.

Working out with a friend can make exercise a fun, social event to look forward to and can help keep you accountable for days when you feel tempted to skip it. Find a friend who you think will be motivating and make a plan together with an exact day (or days) and time that you can schedule workout dates. Whether its a group exercise class, time in the gym, or a brisk walk around campus, putting your workout on your schedule and a having a friend to keep you accountable will help you achieve your workout goals this year.

A message from Tufts Student Resources (TSR) Fitness:

NEW YEAR’S Special:
Buddy Up for Better Fitness
Sale starts now and ends January 3rd at noon (on Boston time.)

Order your TSR Fitness Pass today and get a free gift pass for your friend! Offer valid for the Unlimited Class Pass and individual class passes. (Not valid on 5-Class Pass). How to get in on the deal: Order your pass today through January 3rd at noon and email the name and email of your friend you are gifting a pass to at tsrfitness@gmail.com. You must email the name and email of your friend to us by noon on January 3rd for them to receive the free pass.

Limited quantities of each individual class pass available, order today! Your friend will be given the same unlimited pass that you purchased (EXCLUDES 5 class passes- if your individual class unlimited pass comes with a 5-class pass you will receive the 5-class pass but your friend will ONLY receive the unlimited pass to the class you purchased) and will be sent an email informing them of your gift on January 5th.

Order your TSR Fitness pass today at www.tuftsstudentresources.com

Aguacate relleno de atun: This is a simplified version of a favorite Mexican dish with one scooped out fresh avocado half, and chunk light canned tuna mixed with pineapple salsa.

This recipe uses a homemade low-sodium, low-fat version of tuna salad from this delicious Mexican dish by mixing canned light tuna (in water) with salsa without adding any mayo, salt, or cheese. The creamy avocado flavor with the savory taste of the tuna and salsa makes for an incredibly satisfying flavor. Nutrition bonus: this dish is a good source of potassium, vitamin E, vitamin K and folate.

Try it at Home: Aguacate Relleno de Atún

1. Slice and remove skin from one ripe but firm avocado. remove the pit and use the hollowed out center as a bowl for tuna/salsa mix.

2.Brush avocado with a splash of lemon or lime juice  (to keep avocado fresh longer- you just need a few drops)

3. Combine 1-2 tbsp chunk light tuna with 1 tbsp salsa of your choice. (I used Newman’s Own All Natural Chunky Pineapple Salsa).

4. Top with a spring of fresh cilantro.

Dish works well as a snack or appetizer or pairs nicely with a salad or tortilla soup for a delicious meal. You can use both avocado halves to make 2 servings or save the other half of the avocado to use the next day in the fridge or for later use in the freezer.

Serving Size: 1 stuffed avocado half. Nutrition Info (approximate values will vary with exact portions used) Calories per serving: 220 kcal. Fat: 15 g (2g saturated, 13g unsaturated). Sodium: 187 mg. Potassium: 587 mg.

While clean-up and harvest in the garden continued, some of us got started on building the cold frames. The idea behind cold frames is the same as that behind greenhouses. Using a translucent, airtight material, one can capture ground heat and sunlight to warm a space for growing plants. For the modern greenhouse, the material of choice is almost always 6 mil plastic,

but for small spaces, home gardeners and hobby farmers will often make use of old windows and build cold frames.In our case, we found a large set of free old windows being given away by a fellow who lives in Billerica. They are all of different sizes, but with cold frames, you can custom-build the frame to suit your recycled material. Typically, a cold frame is built as a wooden rectangle, with one long side being higher than the other, creating a slope. The window is then placed on top, secured with hinges, and the slope is angled towards the sun, which follow a low southern path in northern winter months. This allows for maximum “solar gain”.

Senior cold frame engineer Becca Weaver treats the wood with linseed oil before construction.

Michelle Sisson gives the cold frame sidewall the business.

We then placed our cold frames over some remaining greens for which we wanted to extend the season. We also transplanted one of our rosemary plants (which performed spectacularly in our garden this season) into the cold frame and mounded it with hay to see if we can overwinter what is normally a tender perennial.

Jeff Hake transplants rosemary to the cold frames.

Our end product was two beautiful, double-lighted (windows on cold frames are referred to as “lights”) cold frames that we hope will last for many more years in our garden. Not only have our greens remained growing and harvestable, but we will also plant into them earlier in the spring than the rest of the garden, taking advantage of cold-hardy crops like various greens, carrots, peas, and onions.

Towards the end of our time at the garden we had a wonderful visit from a father and son who were out on a walk. Though the father spoke almost no English and his son could not have been much more than a year old, they stuck around for awhile, the boy dawdling around us while the harvest and construction continued. He was hesitant to try a carrot that Becca handed to him but was nevertheless fascinated by what we were doing, mouth hanging open at the sight of our activity.

The garden is now closed for the winter, buried under next spring’s first flush of moisture. However, it was an excellent year for our little plot, and Becca and I would like to thank our wonderful volunteers, Michelle, Kyle, Laura, and Amelia, the Friedman Student Council, the Friedman School administration, Jen Obadia, and the grounds and maintenance folks at the school for helping and supporting us through another year with our hands in the soil.

While clean-up and harvest in the garden continued, some of us got started on building the cold frames. The idea behind cold frames is the same as that behind greenhouses. Using a translucent, airtight material, one can capture ground heat and sunlight to warm a space for growing plants. For the modern greenhouse, the material of choice is almost always 6 mil plastic,

but for small spaces, home gardeners and hobby farmers will often make use of old windows and build cold frames.In our case, we found a large set of free old windows being given away by a fellow who lives in Billerica. They are all of different sizes, but with cold frames, you can custom-build the frame to suit your recycled material. Typically, a cold frame is built as a wooden rectangle, with one long side being higher than the other, creating a slope. The window is then placed on top, secured with hinges, and the slope is angled towards the sun, which follow a low southern path in northern winter months. This allows for maximum “solar gain”.

Senior cold frame engineer Becca Weaver treats the wood with linseed oil before construction.

Michelle Sisson gives the cold frame sidewall the business.

We then placed our cold frames over some remaining greens for which we wanted to extend the season. We also transplanted one of our rosemary plants (which performed spectacularly in our garden this season) into the cold frame and mounded it with hay to see if we can overwinter what is normally a tender perennial.

Jeff Hake transplants rosemary to the cold frames.

Our end product was two beautiful, double-lighted (windows on cold frames are referred to as “lights”) cold frames that we hope will last for many more years in our garden. Not only have our greens remained growing and harvestable, but we will also plant into them earlier in the spring than the rest of the garden, taking advantage of cold-hardy crops like various greens, carrots, peas, and onions.

Towards the end of our time at the garden we had a wonderful visit from a father and son who were out on a walk. Though the father spoke almost no English and his son could not have been much more than a year old, they stuck around for awhile, the boy dawdling around us while the harvest and construction continued. He was hesitant to try a carrot that Becca handed to him but was nevertheless fascinated by what we were doing, mouth hanging open at the sight of our activity.

The garden is now closed for the winter, buried under next spring’s first flush of moisture. However, it was an excellent year for our little plot, and Becca and I would like to thank our wonderful volunteers, Michelle, Kyle, Laura, and Amelia, the Friedman Student Council, the Friedman School administration, Jen Obadia, and the grounds and maintenance folks at the school for helping and supporting us through another year with our hands in the soil.