DDD #143 – Cirque Du Macabre Vegan Chili for a Chili Cook-Off – for the Instant Pot or Slow Cooker

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2019

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So – this weekend, I entered a Chili Cook-off!  There were only two vegan entries of the 14 adults competing & it was meat chilis that won the chili titles but I won for best presentation.  Check it out!

Click the image below to watch this on my Youtube channel.

It was a lot of fun & it raised money for the Downtown Women’s Shelter.   Kids competed, too!

Homemade Chili Powder

2 TBS smoked paprika

2 tsp oregano

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix & store in a jar.

Cirque Du Macabre Vegan Chili 

Serves a fuckton!

INGREDIENTS

1 TBS olive oil

2 each – Anaheim, Pasilla & Jalapeno peppers (I used 3 large jalapeno peppers)

2 small sweet potatoes – peeled & cubed

3 ears of unshucked corn or 2 (15 oz) cans of corn kernels

2 celery stalks – chopped

1 large onion (I used 1/2 white & 1/2 sweet onions) – diced

2 red bell peppers

1 TBS chili powder (recipe for homemade is above)

28oz can crushed or diced tomatoes (I used San Marzano)

2 TBS hoisin or BBQ sauce

2 TBS chipotle in adobo – minced

2 TBS vegan bouillon (I used vegan beef bouillon)

1 (4oz) can hot diced jalapenos (optional)

1 (4oz) can mild diced chilis

5 (15oz) cans of beans (I used a mixture of chili beans, light red kidney beans & black beans)

3 lbs vegan ground beef

8-10 large vegan sausages (Beyond Meat are the best)

2 (12oz) tubes vegan chorizo (soyrizo)

4 cups of water

GARNISHES: chopped cilantro, shredded vegan cheese, diced onion, chopped scallions, crushed corn chips, rice, corn bread, hot sauce

DIRECTIONS

I charred all the peppers (Anaheim, Pasilla, red bell & jalapeno) on a grill until the skins were black.  I did the same with the corn.  I put the peppers in a closed container to cool & then peeled & seeded them under cold water.  I shucked the corn.  You need not roast the peppers & corn but it adds a lovely smokiness.  Cool & chop.  Cut the grilled corn from the cobs.

I cooked the sausages on an outdoor grill.  Cook yours as you please.  Cool & chop.

Heat the olive oil in an Instant Pot or on the stove.  Saute the onions & celery until soft.  Add the chili powder & saute a minute.  Add the ground beef & brown it.

If using a slow cooker, transfer the meat from the stove to it.

Now – add everything else or as much as fits in your slow cooker of Instant pot (minding the maximum capacity line).  If it all cannot fit – leave out a few cans of beans.

Slow cooker – cook on high for 4 hours.  Add remaining beans – if they fit – & heat through.

Instant Pot – pressure cook for 45 minutes.  Add any beans you have left & stir to heat them through.

Serve!

 

Vegan 15 Bean Soup with Arugula and White Truffle Oil for the Slow Cooker

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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First – two cool things about LA: the vintage cars that lined Wilcox the other day – evidently there for a period scene in a film and the gorgeous sunrise in that un-retouched or enhanced image above.

Now for yet another insanely easy vegan recipe for a slow cooker.  Even a child could pull this off.  I added arugula because I had it & it was beginning to wilt but it was no match for 5 hours in a slow cooker and basically disintegrated so – if you want to add arugula, stir it into your soup just before serving.

Vegan 15 Bean Soup with Arugula and White Truffle Oil for the Slow Cooker

INGREDIENTS

20 ounces of mixed beans (throw out the gross ham flavor packet)

10 cups vegetable stock

juice of 1 lemon

1 onion – diced

5 carrots – sliced

5 celery stalks – chopped

2 red potatoes – cubed

3 garlic cloves – minced

Arugula (optional) – as a last minute add in (CHOP IT – or else you will have long strands of red hot wilted arugula hitting you in the chin)

Parsley – chopped as garnish

White truffle oil to drizzle (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Put all that shit (except the arugula, parsley & truffle oil) into a 6 QT slow cooker & set on high for 5 hours.

Garnish as you like.

See?  EASY!

Potato and Cauliflower Tikka Masala – Vegetarian or Vegan or Not – for the Slow Cooker!

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

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I have really been on a slow cooker kick lately.  I just fucking love the idea of dumping shit in there & walking away & coming home to a house that smells delicious & feels like someone has been thinking of and cooking for you.  Even those of us that live alone.

I used real cream in mine but you can sub that out with a vegan alternative, coconut cream likely being the simplest option.  I used cauliflower & potatoes but any veggies will do – or chick peas or a vegan meat – like the awesome Beyond Meat’s vegan chicken.  Or add seafood or real chicken.  Whatever floats your boat.

There are a lot of ingredients but none are very exotic – and all you gotta do is dump them into the crock pot & leave.  So come on now!   Why not try it?

I like a lot of gravy in my Indian dishes & there is a boatload here.  I initially tried to use coconut milk creamer in place of heavy cream but it just wasn’t dense enough – so – I resorted to real heavy cream.  Again – coconut cream (thicker even that full fat coconut milk) – would be a great vegan substitution.

Potato and Cauliflower Tikka Masala – Vegetarian or Vegan or Not

This fills a 6 quart slow cooker so it makes a lot.

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower – cut into small florets

4 red potatoes – cut into bite-sized pieces

(other veggies work, too like: peas, broccoli, zucchini, green beans or even white or red beans)

1 onion – diced

2 jalapenos – seeded & minced (optional)

6 garlic cloves – chopped

1-3 TBS fresh ginger (I used 3 but my ginger was jarred & maybe not as pungent as fresh)

26 oz (or so) tomato puree

1/2 cup yogurt (or vegan yogurt)

3 TBS garam masala (you can make it yourself if you cannot find it at your grocery store)

1 TBS turmeric

1 TBS ground cumin

1 TBS paprika

2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 TBS cayenne pepper

1 (14 oz) can coconut milk (I used lite but full fat is even better)

1 cup water

—–

1 cup heavy cream or vegan alternative (including coconut cream or more full fat coconut milk) – plus a bit more just in case your tikka masala needs tweaking

2 TSP cornstarch (more or less)

Cilantro as garnish

Cooked rice (I used brown Basmati)

DIRECTIONS

Put everything from the cauliflower through to the water into a large slow cooker.  Stir it all up & set on high for 5 hours.  Longer than this is perfectly fine – but just know your cauliflower might begin to disintegrate a bit.  If you go away longer – like a lot longer – maybe set it on low so it doesn’t scorch.  Not all slow cookers are created equal & the heat each of our machines generate can vary widely.

After 5 hours or once your vegetables are tender, take about 1/4 cup of your heavy cream (or vegan alternative) and whisk the cornstarch in.  Once there are no lumps – put this in the slow cooker with the other 3/4 cup of cream.  Stir it up.  Let this heat through & thicken a bit.  Taste for seasoning.  If it is too thick, add more coconut cream or cream or water.   If it is too thin, add more of the cornstarch mixture.

Serve with cilantro over rice.

8 Ingredient Spicy Chili – Vegetarian or Vegan (Slow Cooker or Crock Pot or Stove Top)

 

All Photos © Christine Elise McCarthy 2015

Follow @celisemccarthy

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To see images of my past posts & get links to the recipes – look on my Pinterest board – HERE.

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All my posts now have a VERY customizable PRINT & PDF option.  Create a PDF & save the recipe to your computer or print it out.  It offers a “remove images” option & you can delete any part of the post you do not need before printing.  The button is below by the Twitter & Facebook links.

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There are still a few left! PERFECT book for your anti-Valentine’s Day book club meeting!

Buy a signed and LETTERED (hence – limited to 26 copies) copy of my book FROM THE LINK BELOW, and get copy of the short on DVD & 3 signed bookplates so you can give three people signed copies as gifts. The cost will be $25 which will include DOMESTIC shipping.

First come – first serve. When the 26 are gone – that is it. Buy ASAP if you want to be sure to get the templates for your gift giving this season!

http://www.bathingandthesinglegirlbook.com/store/p6/Christmas_LIMITED_Special%21.html

I post that inspiration above because it has special resonance for me lately.  2014 (and this will be short – don’t worry) was a transformative year for me & the reasons are thus:

Someone unexpected saw things (good things) in me that I did not see in myself & gave me a life-changing opportunity.  It was a huge challenge for me but one I needed in more ways than one and my gratitude is profound.  The lesson here for me (and, possibly, you) is to trust when others try to elevate you (or support you – in any of the forms support can come in).  Don’t let fear of change or doubt in yourself sabotage you.  Accept opportunity.

Yet another unexpected person saw things (bad things) in me that simply do not exist.  Like a castrating parent, this person cut me down at every opportunity & relentlessly tried to cast me in a role that has nothing to do with who I really am.  Unlike my previous example, where I had to trust I could live up to the lofty expectations of the supportive person, in this case, I had to trust myself and know I could not & would not ever live down to the gutted expectations of the unsupportive person.   The lesson here for me (and, possibly, you) is to trust yourself when others try to drag you down.  Don’t let fear of change or doubt in yourself sabotage you.  Reject negativity.

It might sound trite or over-simplified and maybe – in this case (because I am being deliberately vague) – it is.  But the details of my experiences might just confuse how the inspiration could be applied to your own lives.  Sometimes, people we trust betray us.  Sometimes strangers step in and save our lives.  Stay open.  Absorb the good whenever it comes your way – even if it comes in a way you find awkward or embarrassing or undeserved.   Reject the negative when it inevitably comes your way – even if it comes from someone you trust completely and especially if the negativity becomes familiar and RUN – really fucking run – if the negativity starts feeling comfortable and deserved.

Surround yourself with what you WANT.  If that can’t be the best job or kindest people – then use pets & books & movies & art & nature & fitness & good food.

I will end my rant with this one bit of advice that can be applied to everything from your sock drawer to your social life.  Usefulness & beauty are infinitely interpretable.  So simple.  So easy.  Apply the advice above & below & make 2015 a great year.

Happy new year!

On Christmas Eve, the badass Miles Miller & I were guests at a friend’s house.  We brought lots of goodies, including my Seven Layer Dip – seen just above.  We called Uber & loaded several bags of food & wine into the trunk & headed to South Pasadena.  When we arrived, we unloaded our groceries, thanked the driver & headed inside but not before both Miles & I noticed him inspecting his trunk.  Seems he wanted to be sure nothing had rolled out of the bags that would require him driving back to give us back our lost bag of chips or something.

Thirty minutes later, our hosts kept handing one of us a Food 4 Less bag & saying, “Here are your groceries.”   Since it did not belong to me or Miles, I finally inspected the bag’s contents.  There was a small bottle of shampoo, three small bottles of Arrowhead water & two cans of corn.  “This is your corn & shit, Rose,” I said.  Rose informed me that, in fact, the bag was not hers, either.

So, yeah.  Seems we stole our Uber driver’s little sack of bits & ends right out of his trunk.  He hadn’t been looking in his trunk to be sure we left nothing behind.  He was looking for his Goddamn corn & shampoo!  I texted Uber to explain but nothing ever came of it.   I just hope that driver didn’t have the worst Xmas eve ever when he returned home to an irate & thirsty wife with dirty hair and craving canned corn kernels — or needing them for a Christmas dinner favorite.  Oh, well.

Life gave me corn.  I made chili.  Chili, clean hair and motherfuck if I am not hydrated by those Arrowhead babies.  See how I accept the positive now – no matter the form in which it comes?

So – anyway – to this recipe.  Yeah.  I cheated & used this chili fixin’ thing.

In fairness, I am not 100% certain it is vegan.  Ingredients are:

Gluten Free Ingredients

Cooking Sauce: Water, Diced Tomatoes (Water, Distilled Vinegar, Chipotle, Tomato Paste, Salt, Red Chile Flakes, Spices, Onion, Garlic), Natural Flavors, Chili Pepper, Salt, Garlic, Distilled Vinegar, Apple Cider Vinegar, non-GMO Corn Starch, Less than 0.5% of: Pepper Paste (Distilled Vinegar, Red Pepper Salt), Onion

Spice Pack: Chili Pepper, Salt, Brown Sugar, Spices, Jalapeno

“Natural flavors” could be anything so if you are staunchly vegan/vegetarian, maybe use a packet of taco or other seasoning that you are comfortable with.  If you do this, maybe add a 14 oz can or Rotel or other chopped tomatoes as well and be prepared to maybe add salt & cumin and/or oregano & chili powder – to taste.  Maybe even a half cup or so of your favrite BBQ sauce.  I used this bagged stuff in an odd moment of laziness – even though I know what spices to use & I know these things have WAY too much sodium etc.  Sorry – but I am not above just going for the cheat once in a while.

I left this in my slow cooker for ten hours.  That proved to be too long & sorta turned this soupy nothingness below – into a dried out & nearly scorched mess.  I saved it by adding the 30 oz can of beans I list in the ingredients but do not let this shit sit for 10 hours.

8 Ingredient Spicy Chili – Vegetarian or Vegan (Slow Cooker or Crock Pot or Stove Top)

Feeds 4 very heartily

INGREDIENTS

12 oz Stubb’s Chili Fixins (or other brand that you like & whose ingredients suit your diet) OR use a TBS or two of taco or other seasoning that you are comfortable with and add a 14 oz can or Rotel or other chopped tomatoes and be prepared to maybe add salt & cumin and/or oregano & chili powder – to taste – and a 1/2 cup of some BBQ sauce you like.

12 oz beer (or veggie stock)

1/2 onion – diced

1/2 cup tomato sauce (I used some homemade I had around but your favorite brand is fine) – optional

9 oz vegan chicken or beef (I used chicken) – I always opt for Beyond Meat brand as it is THE BEST

2 cups cooked or canned chick peas (or other beans you might prefer in chili)

2 (15 oz) cans of corn – preferably stolen from an Uber or Lyft driver

1 (30 0z) can of chili beans or other kind of beans you think might suit chili – but not baked beans or anything is a sweet sauce

Olive oil (skillet stove top only)

Garnish ideas – cooked rice, grated cheese, diced onion, cilantro, hot sauce, avocado, chopped tomato, jalapenos – whatever!

DIRECTIONS

I put everything into my slow cooker & set it on low for ten hours (which was about 5 hours too long).  I did not drain the corn or beans.

If you use a slow cooker – set it on high for about 3-4 hours & check for moisture levels – adjusting the heat & length of cooking time to suit your taste.  If it gets too dry – add water.  If it is too wet, raise the heat and/or take the lid off the cooker while cooking.

Stove top – I would saute the onion in a TBS olive oil or butter (or vegan alternative) in the skillet until soft & then just add the rest of the stuff & simmer until the moisture level suits your taste – likely 30-45 minutes.  To get there faster – drain any canned items first before adding them.

Eat it like a chili or over rice & garnish at will.  Mmmmm!

Happy new year!