I first met Andrea via our Meet & Greet series. Her blog is full of great content! Posts are organized into four categories: The “Re” Words, The Green Garden, Green Choices, and Simple Gifts. I headed straight for the garden section and was rewarded with posts about wildflowers, pollinators, and an interesting article about plants going to seed. Each post includes stunning photos.
The Simple Gifts section has terrific ideas for meaningful, earth-friendly gifts. And the "Re" Words section offers tips for recycling, repurposing, reducing, reusing, repairing, and restoring just about anything (ever thought of repurposing a top sheet into a nightgown?). Green Choices addresses all of the day-to-day decisions that we make, everything from what to cook for dinner to shopping to purging our extra stuff.
In chatting with Andrea, I learned that she is converting to a vegan diet. To that end, she has been busy in the kitchen, experimenting with ingredients. She recently created a dish which both she and her husband enjoyed ... and she very graciously offered to let me post it here, for you. Please enjoy!
Soy Chorizo Chili with Rosemary Polenta
Serves 6–8 (freezes well)
Soy Chorizo Chili
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium yellow onions, peeled & chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
- 24 oz. Soyrizo (non-GMO soy chorizo), without casing (if you don’t use this product, be sure to look for non-GMO varieties)
- 4 cups cooked black beans
- Two 12-oz. cans of diced tomatoes
- Two 8-oz. cans of diced, mild green chilis
- ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 cups frozen white organic corn
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Method
- Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat, add onions and garlic and cook till transparent.
- Add soyrizo, stirring well, and cook until heated through and soyrizo begins to brown.
- Add remaining ingredients (except for salt & pepper) and bring to a bubbling, boil, stirring while it cooks. Reduce heat to low, mix well, and cover—preferably with a lid that vents steam. Simmer for an hour or more. I cook on a gas stove, and use a diffuser to dissipate the heat so I don’t have to worry about the chili sticking to the pot while it simmers. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spoon into bowls over the polenta, garnish with avocado and/or vegan yogurt and cheese.
Rosemary Polenta
Ingredients
- ½ cup polenta
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon finely ground, dried rosemary (I use a mortar & pestle)
- Dash of salt
Method
- Place polenta, water and spices in a deep, microwave-safe bowl. Stir with a fork to mix well. Cook in microwave on high for 10 minutes. Let set for an additional 10 minutes. (see note below for stove top method)
- Slice and portion into chili bowls before adding chili.
Note (suggested by Small Footprints)
For those who would rather not use a microwave, polenta can be made on the stove top. Traditional polenta takes up to 45 minutes of cooking (with constant stirring) so I suggest buying quick cook varieties which typically take 3-5 minutes.
Stove Top Method
- Bring water and rosemary to a boil. Add the salt.
- Slowly pour in polenta, stirring constantly.
- Reduce heat and continue to simmer, stirring constantly, until polenta reaches a thick consistency (it should come away from sides of the pan, and be able to support a spoon).
- Turn polenta out into an oiled bowl, pie plate, or even a wooden cutting board and let cool for 10-15 minutes or until it sets (remains firm).
- Once the polenta has set, it's ready to be sliced and served.
The original recipe, along with Andrea's reasons for going vegan, can be found HERE.
If you have a vegan recipe which you'd like to share, please contact me HERE. And for all the recipes we've shared so far, be sure to visit our recipe page using the tabs at the top of this blog ... or by clicking HERE.
Image courtesy of Andrea at The Green Queen of Moderation
This post is shared at Plant-Based Potluck Party Link Up and Share Your Stuff