Teen's 1st Public School Year

Is not going very well.
Don't get me wrong.  She has A's and B's and is one of the top 10 students in her class, but she has been sick twice within the first 100 days of school!  I don't know about you but I really don't like sick kids.  They are whiny and demanding.  They are not functional.  Today we are going to our friendly neighborhood family doctor to see what's wrong.
So today, for the second day in a row, dinner is in the slow cooker.

Three-Bean Chili with Chive-Flecked Cornmeal Dumplings
from the Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker

Chili:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large sweet yellow onion, chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsps tomato paste
1 tbsp chili powder
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 15.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5 oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1/4 black pepper

Dumplings
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp minced fresh chives
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup soy milk
2 tbsps olive oil

to make the chili, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic, cover and cook until softened about 5 minutes.
stir in the tomato paste and chili powder and cook about 30 seconds longer.
transfer the mixture to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
add the tomatoes, beans and water, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
to make the dumplings, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, chives and salt in a medium size bowl about 45 minutes before serving time.
stir in the corn, milk, and oil until just combines.
do not over mix.
turn the slow cooker to high and drop the batter by the spoonful onto the hot chili.
cover and cook on high until the dumplings are cooked through 30-40 minutes.
serve immediately and
ENJOY!

P.S. notice the absence of meat?  not needed with all the protein the beans carry and not an overwhelming amount of veggies that carnivores won't turn their nose.

Not so Spicy Black Bean Chili

Publishing this again since it is "what's for dinner".  
You can make this chili stretch by having it with steamed brown rice.
It's not 80 degrees today (right now in the mid 60s) so we still have autumn feel although it's winter. 





GO GIANTS!!


I remember growing up in New York, autumn was a time for new clothes, excitement of school, leaves on the ground, cool weather and lots of hot meals like chili.

Here in California, autumn is still a time of new clothes, excitement of school, leaves on the ground.  Very hard to be excited about the weather since it hardly changes.  For example, this morning when walked up the road to Smart and Final (a little bit like Costco except no membership fees and only items for the kitchen) it was 80 degrees.  Definitely not sweater weather or a hot meal for some.  I had on my attire for a quick trip to the store. NY Yankee shirt, yoga pants and flip flops.  Last year I was able to wear flip flops until November when it started getting 'nippy'.  

But chili.

Chili I can have all year round.  Yummy with a side of cornbread.  I found at my local Big Lots a package of Marie Calender's Southwestern Cornbread.  

Today's meal cost me under $15 for a family of 4.

Nutritious and delicious and totally vegan.

(Not So) Spicy Black Bean Chili

from the Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker by Robin Robertson

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 medium-size red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons chili powder (more or less for taste)

1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes

2 15-oz cans black beans

1 cup water

1 4-oz can diced green chiles, drained

salt and pepper 

Heat the oil in a large skilled over medium heat.

Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.

Stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds more.

Transfer the mixture to the crock pot (4 quart is good but if you want to double it make it a 6 quart).  

Add the tomatoes, beans, water and chiles.

Season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Serves 4.

You can definitely double this and save in the freezer for a weekend meal.  Yummy with brown rice, cornbread or whatever you fancy.

A great meal for Meatless Monday.  Honestly, you won't miss the meat and great to serve to those who think meat makes a meal.

Spicy Black Bean Chili

This is the coldest summer since living here in the valley. We have been waking up in the 50s and 60s. I think we have dipped in the pool a handful of times (besides the kids' swimming lessons). In fact, I still have the 2 bottle of sunscreen I bought in June. Usually I have gone through them by July. One is still unopen. We haven't visited our favorite beaches. School days will be here again before we know it. Husband will be back to school. We are winding down with all our activities in the libraries. I am still cooking with my crockpot through the rest of this season and autumn.



This is another recipe pulled from the Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker...

1 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsps chili powder
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
3 cups slow-cooked or 2 15 oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup water
1 4oz can diced green chiles, drained
salt and freshly ground black pepper

heat the oil in a large skilled over medium heat.
add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cover and cook until just softened, about 5 minutes.
stir in the chili powder and cook about 30 seconds longer.
transfer the mixture to a 4-6 quart slow cooker.
add the tomatoes, beans, water and chiles, season with salt and pepper, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
or if you are like me, on high for 3-4 hours because I took my sweet time getting it together.