Loaded raw chilly chili

No time to chat, peeps; I’ve got a lot to show you today. As I’ve been saying lately, I’m working off a 1-2 month blogging backlog, so you haven’t seen much of what I’ve been eating more recently. I’ve actually been experimenting a lot with raw foods, and my Memorial Day weekend trip to Dallas (which you’ll see more about soon) funneled the last of my interest into true excitement. I’m not going all-raw or anything, don’t worry, but I do expect to be featuring more raw-ness on this blog than ever before. I want to get the raw food posts going as soon as possible so you can take full advantage of them in this summer’s heat.

The magnificent Ani Phyo gets credit for this dish. The chili recipe is from her new book, Ani’s Raw Food Essentials, while the taco nut meat, squash "rice," cashew cheeze, and red pepper-corn salsa are variations on recipes from Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen. I won’t kid you; this meal is a ton of work. I did it all in one night (two and a half hours!), but feel free to prep one or two components at a time over the course of a day or two (or just leave a couple of them out) to make it more manageable. Put the work in, though, and you’ll be richly rewarded in the end.

For the taco nut meat:
1/2 cup raw almonds, dry
1/2 cup raw walnuts, dry
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, Nama Shoyu, or soy sauce



In a food processor, pulse the almonds and walnuts into a powder.



Transfer the ground nuts to a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients.



Mix well and set aside. The nut meat alone will keep for 4 days in the fridge.



Yield: 8 servings. Per serving (2 Tbsp): 147 calories, 14.8g fat (2g sat), 2.5g carbs, 2g fiber, 2.6g protein.

For the Mexican squash "rice":
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt
Splash of fresh lime juice



Place the squash cubes in the bowl of a food processor.



Pulse into small, rice-sized pieces and transfer to a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients.



Mix well and set aside. The "rice" alone will keep for 3-4 days in the fridge.



Yield: 6 servings. Per serving (1/4 cup): 25 calories, .1g fat (trace sat), 6.2g carbs, 1g fiber, .7g protein.

For the cashew cheeze:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 clove garlic
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup water, as needed

In a food processor, blend all ingredients. Add only enough water to process into a thick cream texture. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside. The cheeze alone will keep for a week in the fridge.



Yield: 8 servings. Per serving (2 Tbsp): 100 calories, 7.8g fat (1g sat), 5.9g carbs, 1g fiber, 3.3g protein.

For the red pepper-corn salsa:
2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/3 cup fresh corn kernels
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 small jalapeño, minced
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and set aside. The salsa alone will keep for a week in the fridge.



Yield: 6 servings. Per serving (1/4 cup): 18 calories, .2g fat (trace sat), 4g carbs, 1g fiber, .7g protein.

For the raw chili:
3 cups chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup fresh corn kernels
1/3 cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 small jalapeño, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.



Mix well. Transfer half the mixture to a food processor or blender.



Purée until smooth.



Transfer the purée back into the bowl with the veggie mixture and mix well.



Yield: 4 servings. Per serving (1 cup): 63 calories, .8g fat (trace sat), 13.2g carbs, 4g fiber, 2.7g protein.

WHEW! Serve the chili topped with spoonfuls of taco nut meat, "rice," and salsa and a dollop of the cheeze and you’ve not only earned a helluva pat on the back , but you’ve made the ultimate warm-weather meal—loaded raw chilly chili! Throw on some sliced green onions, diced avocado, or guacamole if you have any on hand. If you like gazpacho, you'll love this soup. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy, very filling, and wonderfully refreshing. Summer in a bowl!



Per serving (1 cup chili, 2 Tbsp nut meat, 1/4 cup squash "rice," 2 Tbsp cashew cheeze, and 1/4 cup red pepper-corn salsa):
352 calories, 23.7g fat (3g sat), 31.8g carbs, 8g fiber, 10g protein.

If you like this, you might also like...
Kidney bean–brown rice chili
Watermelon agua fresca
Three-bean vegan chili

* * * UPDATE * * *
Saturday, 6/26... :]

Kidney bean–brown rice chili

I will admit that most of the time, when a recipe calls for dry beans, I substitute canned. (So far on this blog there has only been one exception.) Despite the fact that 99% of the prep is hands-off, cooking beans from scratch still requires me to remember to soak them the night before. Even the quick-soak method means I need to start the recipe over an hour ahead of time. My point is, I understand if you choose to use canned beans in this recipe (which is, like the skinny bitchtastic brownies, from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch), BUT I do highly recommend going the dry bean route. The firm bite and chewy texture of freshly cooked beans is just so different, and so much better, than canned. That said, I’d estimate you could replace the dry beans with three 15-oz. cans of rinsed and drained kidney beans if you’d prefer.

2 cups dry red kidney beans
1 Tbsp coconut oil (or canola oil)
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried sage
Pinch cayenne pepper
15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup medium-grain brown rice
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
4-6 corn tortillas, cut into strips (optional)

In a large stockpot, combine beans and enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let sit for 8 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, bring to a boil over high heat, cover, remove from heat, and let sit for 1 hour.)



Drain the beans, return them to the stockpot, and cover with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, sage, and cayenne and sauté for 1 more minute.



(Sorry for the blurry pic!) Add the onion mixture to the beans...



...along with the tomatoes and rice.



Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper and cook for 15 more minutes. Add the carrot and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the beans and rice are tender.



Serve with homemade tortilla strips, if you wish: while the chili is cooking, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray, and arrange the cut-up tortillas in a single layer. Mist the top with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 3-5 minutes, or until just beginning to brown. Set aside to cool until the chili’s done.



I LOVED this chili; in fact, I think it gave my three-bean chili a run for its money! I’m convinced that using dry beans made all the difference, since the chewy texture they lend (along with the rice) is the highlight of the dish. It’s quite mildly spiced, but feel free to add a minced jalapeño or more cayenne to kick up the heat if you wish. The crispy baked tortilla strips added a fun crunch and pulled the whole thing together nicely. If I’d had any cilantro, I would have stirred some in at the end. This would also be great served with guacamole or vegan sour cream. It’s low-fat, super-filling, and even better leftover!



Yield: 6-8 servings. Per serving (6): 338 calories, 4.2g fat (2g sat), 61g carbs, 20g fiber, 17.6g protein.
Per serving (8): 253 calories, 3.1g fat (1.5g sat), 45.8g carbs, 15g fiber, 13.2g protein.

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Chickpea lentil slow-cooker stew
Dal makhani: a refresher
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Rainbow Mexi-quinoa medley

I made a produce-packed trip to the grocery store a couple Thursdays ago, so when I got home after work on Friday, I decided to kick off the weekend with something fresh, light, and healthy. I pretty much improvised this as I went along, and it turned out great. The amounts listed below, especially the dressing ingredients, are low-balled estimates, so feel free to add an extra drizzle of oil or dash of cumin if you feel it needs it.

1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1/2 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
1/4 cup chunky salsa
15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 ripe avocado, pitted and diced
1T olive oil
1T lime juice
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

Immediately after you cut the avocado, transfer it to a large bowl and toss with 1T lime juice to prevent it from browning. Mix well, but gently; you want the avocado pieces to stay distinct (rather than turning it into guacamole). Add the beans and tomatoes to the avocado.



Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add a pinch of salt, stir in the quinoa, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 12 minutes. Stir in the corn and salsa, re-cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes more.



While the quinoa is simmering, whisk the olive oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, and cayenne with 2T warm water in a small bowl. When the quinoa is done, fluff it up with a fork and add to the bean and veggie mixture. Add the dressing mixture and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt, fold in the cilantro, and serve.

It was delicious! I love the snappy consistency of quinoa, but I’m glad that I included little enough that the veggies were the star. The sweet, juicy tomatoes played well off the cilantro and spices. Black beans and corn are a match made in heaven, if you ask me, and the lush and creamy avocado rounded out the dish beautifully. It’s an explosion of textures and flavors, not to mention a nutritional powerhouse. And how great are those colors? Hello, summer!



Yield: 3 servings. Per serving: 343 calories, 10.9g fat (2g sat), 51.8g carbs, 12g fiber, 13.5g protein.

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Roasted potato wraps w/black bean hummus
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Roasted potato wraps w/black bean hummus

I'd had this recipe from the Whole Foods site, for black bean "hummus," bookmarked for quite awhile. When I came across this other recipe in Vegetarian Times, for potato tacos, the hummus immediately came to mind. I put my own spin on the "tacos," but the hummus recipe was excellent already. I knew those two would marry perfectly, and they did! Without further ado, I present to you the happy couple.

For the wraps:
2 large potatoes, scrubbed, peeled if desired
1T olive oil
1 tsp salt
1T canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2T chopped cilantro
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
4 whole wheat flour tortillas, warmed
Salsa, for serving

For the hummus:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
2T olive oil
2T warm water
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp soy sauce
1/2 cup cilantro
Salt to taste

First, you’ll want to get your potatoes going. Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Chop the potatoes into 1/2-inch pieces and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle on the olive oil, sprinkle on the salt, and toss to combine. (I lined my baking sheet with foil, but I actually don’t recommend it; there was a lot of “stickage,” despite the oil.)



Roast for 20-25 minutes. Take them out every 6-8 minutes and stir them around so that they brown on all sides. Set aside when done.

While those are cooking, make the hummus. Combine all ingredients except cilantro and salt in a food processor. I threw in a couple slices of pickled jalapeño too; you can improvise however you want.



Pulse a few times to combine, then process until smooth. Scrape down the sides and add the cilantro.



Pulse 10-15 times to combine. Scrape down the sides again and give it a taste. Season with salt to taste, and process one more time, for about 10 seconds. Transfer the hummus to a bowl. Have some tortilla chips handy so you can snack on it as you’re preparing the wraps.



Heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and green pepper and cook and stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, and cayenne and cook and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.



Add the potatoes and toss to coat and heat through. Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.



Now for the assembly: place a tortilla on a plate and spread on a big glop of the hummus.



Pile 1/4 of the potato mixture on top. (You can also add any taco-type fillings you like, be it lettuce, [soy] cheese, chopped tomatoes, etc.)



Fold in the sides of the tortilla, roll it up, and place seam side-down on the plate. Spoon salsa generously on top.



If you've never had potatoes in Mexican food, you are missing out! These wraps are irresistible, and they made a great lunch the rest of the week.



Yield: 4 wraps. Per wrap (without hummus): 219 calories, 9g fat (1g sat), 36g carbs, 11g fiber, 8g protein.
Per 1/4 cup hummus: 127 calories, 7.5g fat (.5g sat), 10.5g carbs, 3.8g fiber, 5.3g protein.

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Watermelon agua fresca

I’m jumping on the Cinco de Mayo bandwagon here. Sure, it’s about as meaningful a holiday in America as St. Patrick’s Day, but I am categorically in favor of any celebration where Mexican food is involved. Agua fresca is a simple and refreshing drink made with liquefied fruit combined with an acid and sometimes seeds, flowers, or other additives. It’s commonly sold at roadside stands in Mexico and Central America, and it's a great way to cool off on a hot day. I bet if you throw in some vodka, it could also make a killer cocktail.

2 1/2 lbs. seedless watermelon, cubed
1/4 cup superfine sugar, sugar, agave nectar, Splenda, etc.
Juice of 1 lime
1 cup ice cubes



Put everything in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Complicated, I know.



Strain the mixture over a pitcher or carafe. If your strainer is like mine, it might take a few minutes to strain it all, but it’s worth it.



Serve in tall, frosty glasses, garnished with a slice of the lime if you like. It's sweet and summery, and makes the perfect foil for spicy Mexican food.



Yield: about 6 servings. Per serving: 91 calories, trace fat, 23g carbs, 1g fiber, 1g protein.

P.S.—If you're looking for something fast and festive to fix tonight, try what I did last night. In a large skillet or saucepan, combine 1 can chili beans (with sauce), 2 cans rinsed and drained black beans, 1 can rinsed and drained sweet corn (Mexi-corn would be great here), and 1 undrained can of diced tomatoes with green chiles. Add about a tsp of ground cumin, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp chili powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper if you want it hot. If you'd like to include some fresh veggies, sauté up a chopped onion and green pepper before adding everything else to the skillet. Heat and serve with tortilla chips or warmed corn or flour tortillas, plus any other accompaniments you want, like salsa, soy sour cream, chopped avocado, etc. ¡Olé!

Black bean-avocado enchiladas

This is my take on Deena Kastor’s avocado enchiladas recipe that I found in Fitness magazine. Who is Deena Kastor, you ask? Well, she happens to be the fastest female marathon runner in America – ten minutes faster than anyone else – and the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist. However, since we mortals don’t run 100 miles a week, we don’t need the massive amounts of (good) fats present in her original recipe. The version in Fitness was already lightened up, but I took it further (and made it much more wallet-friendly) by reducing the amount of avocado and replacing it with beans and bell pepper, and of course omitting the cheese. One thing I couldn’t feasibly do is halve the recipe—with so many canned goods and whole vegetables, it would have wasted far too much food. So no matter how long it takes me, I will be eating every last one of these babies. I’ve got no complaints, and you won’t either.

1T canola oil
1 small (or 1/2 large) yellow onion, diced
2+ garlic cloves, minced
1T sugar
4T ground cumin
3T dried oregano
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 can or bottle of beer
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1T balsamic vinegar
3 ripe avocados, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Juice of 1 lime
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 small (or 1/2 large) red onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
3/4 tsp salt
20 corn tortillas



Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sugar, cumin, and oregano and sauté for 2 minutes.



Add the tomatoes, beer, and water or broth, turn the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.



Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Scoop out and chop the avocado flesh...



...toss right away with the lime juice, and then add in the beans, cilantro, red onion, green pepper, jalapeño, and salt.



Gently (you’re not making guacamole here) mix everything together with a large spoon. This filling would also be amazing mixed with cooled cooked brown rice, or eaten plain as a dip for tortilla chips.



Add the balsamic vinegar to the simmered sauce and remove from the heat. Spread 1/2 cup sauce on the bottom of a greased baking dish. (I ended up using two dishes, a 9x13 and an 11x7, and they fit exactly 20 enchiladas.) Dip the tortillas in the remaining sauce to soften—I found the best way to do this is to submerge about four tortillas at a time in the warm sauce, and then fish each one out as needed with a pair of tongs. Spoon about 3T of the filling onto each tortilla, one at a time, and roll them up gently.



Arrange them in rows, seam sides down, in the baking dish(es). Spoon some extra sauce over the top, but be sure to save some sauce for serving.



Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.



Spoon the reserved sauce on top, and serve plain or garnished with additional chopped cilantro. The tortillas drink up the sauce and become meltingly soft. The tender filling, though warmed throughout, retains the cool freshness of the cilantro and avocado. Thanks to all the luscious monounsaturated fat, these enchiladas are extra-satiating and -satisfying. Who even needs cheese?!



Yield: 20 enchiladas. Per serving (2 enchiladas): 308 calories, 12.6g fat (1.7g sat), 43g carbs, 12g fiber, 8g protein.

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Chilaquiles casserole