Racy Recipes

Tonight's post, and the dinner I have slapped together, were both inspired by a couple of ISB moms who are hosting some vegan musicians. The questions and queries that they sent my way got me thinking about K before K's bean burritos and my killer** pot of chili.

First - the burritos. These bad boys and their various incarnations were regular features on the good old shore of Lake Ontario. They would stick to the glass stove-top like mofos, but the combination of root veg, and refried (President's Choice was always the best) beans was well worth the into-the-night scrubbing.

Never Mind the Bullocks, here are the Burritos

Ingredients:

Black Beans (actual refried beans, like: President's Choice, or Amy's Kitchen Organic Refried Beans with Green Chilies, or you can use a can of black beans - cooking them up in the fry pan before starting with the rest of the dish)
1 onion
1 pack of tofu or tvp
1 sweet potato - diced (and, if you have the chance giving them pre boil/broil is always a good idea - speeds it all up)
1 handful of raisins - secret ingredient!!!
2 cloves of garlic
1 red pepper
2 tablespoons of chili powder (now...this is the CHILI powder that you can buy in Canada....the Mexican, smokey, chipolte type spice that is a very deep red. I found out tonight that if you use Chili powder bought in the U.K. or Europe that is labeled Chili powder, you will be throwing out the first batch of onions. It was pure fire-up-your-nose chilies. Oh my god).
Salsa
Whole Wheat Wraps (anything grainy of your choice would work)

Add oil to a warmed pan/wok and let the onions cook through for about 5 minutes, add your spices and your super finely diced tofu - let it brown (but don't let it get too crispy, as it doesn't work for this recipe so much). Add your spices, a little bit of salsa to keep it from sticking and throw in everything except for the beans. Add as much salsa (or chopped tomatoes) as needed to prevent the dish from sticking to the pan. When the potatoes are cooked through and you can go for it with the beans. Let it simmer for about 20 minutes and serve with diced lettuce, salsa, home made guacamole, pita, wraps, rice....whatever your heart desires. But don't eat it in the company of a golden spaniel. Just don't.

Last night's meal, which I had originally hoped would be a burrito reincarnation, went down the chili path quite quickly (mostly because it being market night we didn't really feel like stepping converse-covered-feet into a grocery shop (why go to GB when you have a huge market spread out before you? Why?

So, with Mexican on the mind, a chili was invented - my first in Brussels AND my first without proper (see above note) chili powder.

Killer First Date Chili
(seriously, I used the wrong spice the first time I made this dish, and it had the potentional of shutting down a windpipe or two. But who wants to tell the cute vegan she has lite your insides on fire?)

Ingredients (super duper similar to burritos):

1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 sweet potato
2 cans of red kidney beans
1/2 a block of tofu
1 jar of bio tomato puree
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 tablespoon of paprika (smoked)
1 tablespoon of chipolte sauce (I used Trees Can't Dance sauce)
1 tablespoon of cocoa
1 tablespoon of Cinnamon
a touch of olive oil
Fresh Cilantro

I know the ingredient list seems simple, and the prep is pretty much: chuck it all in, simmer and wait for it to taste good. - but, I think that is what makes it so amazingly good - simple.

I served it with some lemon stuffed olives and some really, really good rye bread.

YUMMMY.