hearty vegetarian chili

What's better on a chilly day than chili?  I mean sure, you can have soups, stews, stoups, and honestly a plethora of other things, but there is something that is just so hearty and satisfying about chili.  Fall is finally here in Washington and all I want to do is curl up on the couch with a big bowl of chili and binge watch my favorite shows - which I am not ashamed to admit is exactly what I have been doing, like how are there so many good shows on Netflix?!

Even though this chili recipe is sans meat, you won't even notice it's missing!  Each bite is jam-packed with ingredients, flavors, and that little hint of cinnamon makes it something special and different.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 1 large green pepper, diced (1 cup)
• 1 medium zucchini, diced (1 cup)
• 1 cup of cremini mushrooms, diced
• 1 medium jalapeno, seeded, diced
• 1 can of kidney beans (15.5 ounces)
• 1 can of pinto beans (15.5 ounces)
• 1 can of corn (15.25 ounces)
• 1 can of petite diced tomatoes (14.5 ounces) *my favorite is Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted with Roasted Garlic
• 3 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 cup of low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. To a pot heated over medium heat, add extra-virgin olive oil and saute the garlic and onion until they start to become slightly translucent, about 5 minutes.  
2. Add mushroom, zucchini, green pepper, and jalapeno and cook for another 5-7 minutes until all ingredients are softened.  Seasonal with a pinch of salt and pepper.
3. Pour in the oregano, chili powder, ground cumin, and ground cinnamon.  Combine the dry ingredients with the sauteed vegetables and tomato paste, let it cook together for a minute watching carefully to not let it burn.  
4. Stir in vegetable broth, canned tomatoes, kidney beans, pinto beans, and corn.  
5. Add cinnamon and stir.
6. Simmer the chili on low, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until the chili is thickened. 
7. Serve with your favorite toppings!  

Happy eating!

fish sauce noodle salad

Okay, I'm coming at you all with another salad.  The thing about salads is that they never get old for me.  I'm constantly switching up the ingredients and flavor profiles of my salads, and sometimes pretty dramatically.  This salad recipe is an example of dramatic and is definitely not for the faint of heart.  The base of the dressing is fish sauce, and you really really have to like fish sauce for this salad, but feel free to tone it down and switch it up as your taste buds please.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED for the fish sauce

• 1/4 cup of fish sauce
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

WHAT YOU'LL NEED for the salad
(makes one heaping serving, or two "normal" size servings)

• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1/2 green apple, sliced
• Cilantro, as much much or as little as you like, I personally like a lot
• 1 cup of shrimp, lightly sauteed in lemon juice, pepper, and garlic
• 2 ounces of rice noodles (I like pancit bijon),

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Make the sauce by combining all the ingredients and letting it sit - the longer the better to infuse all the ingredients.
2. Prep the noodles according to the package, rinse under cold water and drain.
3. Toss all your salad ingredients in a bowl and cover with the sauce!
   

So simple, yet so delicious, and the best part is that it won't take very long to enjoy your meal!