Vegan Bean and Summer Squash Chili

We have meatless Friday's in our house. It can be challenging to find things that my family would enjoy that were different from week to week. My husband loves chili and we had a ton of squash one year so I came up with this variation on my chili recipe.

Diced up peppers (you can use any combination from this weeks share, though if you throw in the Anaheim peppers cut back on the chili powder), onion, and celery (I threw in some scallions to this batch). 

Time to add in the spices and the tomatoes. I used canned here because that's what I had on hand but fresh work just as well as long as you use equivalent weights.

Add the squash and simmer 15 minutes, then add in the beans.

Once it comes back to a simmer it's done :-) Serve over some brown rice if you like or just by itself. 

Vegan Bean and Summer Squash Chili

Ingredients

• 2 onions, about 2 c., chopped fine
• 3 peppers any color, chopped
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 2 cans, 28 oz., crushed tomatoes or fresh roma tomatoes pureed to the same weight
• 1 small can tomato paste, optional
• 3 tbsp - 1/3 c. chili powder (I like the 1/3 c.)
• 2 tbsp. cumin
• 2 tbsp. paprika
• 1 tsp. dried leaf oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander, optional
• 2 vegan boullion cubes (mine prepare 4 c. of liquid) such as Not Chicken Broth
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 lb. dry kidney beans, cooked (or 2 cans of kidney beans)
• 1 lb. summer squash, diced (seeded is good too)

Directions

In a large pot, or dutch oven, saute the onions, pepper, and celery until the onions are translucent.
Add the tomato products, bouillon and spices and bring to a simmer (do not over salt at this point most vegetable broths are VERY salty you can always add more salt at the end if you need it).
Cover and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the diced squash and simmer another 15 minutes. You can add a little water or the liquid from cooking the beans if the chili begins to look too thick at any point.
Add the beans. Bring this back to a simmer and serve over rice or by itself.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

This one is for our fellow blogger who asked me how I make my Stuffed Pepper Soup this morning. We have a plethora of peppers from this week's share and it's my husband's favorite use for them :-)

I started by dicing up 2 of the bell peppers. Added 1/2 of a red onion that I had from last weeks share, a handful of baby carrots sitting in the fridge and some celery tops (LOADS of celery flavor there). 

I sauteed all of this in olive oil for a few minutes until everything gets softened and the onions are translucent.

I had a little over 1/2 a pound of cooked hamburger leftover from Monday night's hamburgers. I just broke those into pieces and added them to the pot.

Now I got a super deal on some canned tomato soup so I'm using it here but you can add virtually any type of tomato, cooked or canned to this recipe to equal out to the weight. You're looking for 28 oz. total. Also add in 2 cups of your favorite beef broth or bouillon equivalent.


Simmer and stir for about 30 minutes until everything has cooked through and the flavors have melded. Add 2 cups of cooked rice (I like brown but any type will work) and serve. Delicious and filling you'll be coming back for seconds.

Steffanie's Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients:

2 Green Bell Peppers, chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 c. onion, minced
1 c. carrot, diced
1/2 c. celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 lb ground beef
2 cans condensed tomato soup
1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 c. beef broth
2 c. cooked rice
salt and pepper 

Directions:

If the ground beef is raw, brown in a large pot and set aside. In the same pot add the olive oil and the first 4 ingredients. Saute over med-high heat until softened and the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, ground beef and Italian seasoning. Once you can smell the garlic add the tomato and broth. Bring to a simmer and reduce the soup to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the cooked rice, bring back to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Note: If you would like to make this soup in advance DO NOT add the rice - it gets all mushy. The soup can be portioned out and stored in the freezer. To reheat, thaw and add the rice once hot.

Teriyaki Pork Cabbage Wraps

Squash has been the name of the game this week.  Squash for lunch, squash for snacks, squash for dinner, squash for breakfast - yep, I tried it ;).

The Squash Tots I made on Sunday from The Curious Country cook were really good.  I used Parmesan cheese and Italian breadcrumbs.  They taste just like veggie meatballs - yum!!!

And the squash for breakfast . . .  If I could only recreate my husband's exasperated face!  I'm just using my resources honey! I made Naturally Ella's "Zucchini Bread Pancakes" (with the squash we had).  They weren't bad.  I would definitely use the fine shredder side next time we try these.  Then there would be less to chew!

The BIGGEST winner, however, has been the Cabbage Wraps.  (Which don't have squash in the title at all - maybe that's the win ;).

These babies are phenomenal!!

I've been making the pork for a few years now - it's a fabulous marinade.  1 part soy sauce, 1 part Maple syrup to 1/2 part lime juice and throw in some garlic, salt and pepper.  This is awesome on pork chops and chicken.  The first time I made it was for camping.  We went shopping a few days before and I stuck the pork in the marinade in the freezer.  By the time we wanted to cook it, it had thawed beautifully in the cooler and grilled up in a yummy way.  Last time we went on a meat hall to Sam's, Frank and I packaged some cubed pork in a Food Saver bag so it'd be good to go.  I defrosted it and thought . . . hmmm . . . this would be good with some squash!

I sauteed up the squash with some onion, salt and pepper, then added the marinated pork.  We steamed up some rice, washed some cabbage leaves and got out the hoisin sauce.  Don't pass it up - this stuff is awesome!!

When your meat is fully cooked and your rice is steamed, assemble your goodness:

• Spread Hoisin sauce on your cabbage leaf
• Add a bit of rice
• Finish off with the pork/squash mix
• Enjoy!

Grandma's Stewed Zucchini

My sister has talked about making my Grandma's Stewed Zucchini for a few years now.  I think it was the word "stewed" that turned me off.  Boy was I wrong!  How could I believe that any recipe from my Italian grandmother could NOT be good?  And this, my friends, is good!

I called my grandmother up and asked her what she does with zucchini.  "You don't want to make zucchini bread," she says, "It's way too much work.  Make some Stewed Zucchini."

When I let her give me the recipe and it started with bacon, I figured it went well this week.  Saute up bacon and onion in a pot.

 While the bacon is crisping, slice up zucchini.  "Don't cut it in chunks," Grandma said, "you want thin slices."  I used up the zucchini and squash we got in our pick up last week.  I wish I hadn't chopped the big old pieces in half!  Then add just enough water to cover the zucchini and simmer it until the zucchini is tender and the water is gone.

I didn't get a picture of the water gone.  I used WAY too much water and then I didn't have enough tomato sauce so I put in some tomato paste with the broth that was left in the pot.  Once the water is gone, add 3 cans of tomato sauce.  Season with parsley and a bay leaf as well as salt and pepper.

Once the pot returns to a simmer, beat up 2 eggs, temper (add a little bit of the hot mixture with the eggs at a time, whisking constantly until you have about 1/2 cup of liquid + egg) and add the eggs to the stewed zucchini.  Let warm again.  Then you are ready to eat!

Frank and I had our Stewed Zucchini last night with meatballs (on the side - we didn't have time to let them cook in the sauce).  I just ate it plain for lunch yesterday!

Kale Potato Short Ribs & Zucchini Squash Spaghetti

Kale, Potato Short Ribs

One bunch Kale }
5-6 new potatoes }  From our Fiat Farms CSA
2 small onions   }
1 qt broth, garlic, cumin, aji panca (peruvian red pepper paste), salt, pepper

Cooked in crock pot for 10 hrs on low.

 

Zucchini Squash Spaghetti

Original recipe found here

 

How we did it...

 

We started by grating two yellow squash and our one zucchini.  At the same time we were boiling and pot of water and cooking a 13oz package of whole wheat spaghetti.

 

Next we prepped the 2tbs lime juice, zest of one lime chopped, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, and 1/2 cup thinly sliced basil.

 

 

Heat 2 tbs oil in a large skillet and sautee 2 minced cloves of garlic until fregrant(~30sec).  Add zucchini and squash until wilted (~1min), stir in lime juice for 1 min.  Lastly, take everything off the heat, mix together, and serve with a little extra parmesan and olive oil sprinkled on top.

 

 



13oz whole wheat spaghetti
2 tbs olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1-2 zucchini juilenned
1-2 yellow squash juilenned
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs lime zest chopped
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup sliced basil

1) boil water and cook paste until al dente
2) Heat oil in large skillet and sautee garlic until fregrant (30sec).  Add zucchini and squash until wilted (1min).  Pour in lime juice and cook 1 min longer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Take off heat.
3) Stir all ingredients together.  Top with parmesan and olive oil.

Swiss Chard Pie

This is a family recipe from Peru and my husband just couldn't wait to try it out.  Even our 14m old liked it.

	Crust Make a crown with the flour and pour oil and butter in the middle.  Add 1tbs water at a time and knead until a soft dough forms.  Set aside while making pie filling.   1 cup flour (we used ½ all purpose & ½ whole wheat), 1 tsp butter, 1 tsp oil, ½ cup salted warm water.
Filling De-stem and finely chop swiss chard. Heat 2tbs oil in a large skillet.  Sautee one medium chopped onion until soft, add 2 cloves garlic til fragrant, then swiss chard.  Season with 1tsp oregano, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.  Cook well.
	In a medium bowl mix 3 eggs, 1 cup ricotta cheese, ½ cup parmesan cheese.  Mix in swiss chard
Split pie dough in half and roll out two thin crusts.  Lay down the bottom crust in your greased pie tin and pour in filling.  Make holes in the filling and add as many full eggs as you would like without allowing them to break. (I used the smallest round cookie cutter, pushing the filling aside I placed it in the pie and cracked an egg inside.)
	Cover with second crust and bake at 350 for 45mins

Ingredients:

Crust
1tsp oil
1tsp butter
1 cup flour
1/2 cup warm salted water, more or less

Filling

1 bunch spinach (swiss chard) finely chopped
3 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
salt, pepper, and italian seasoning to taste
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1 cup ricotta
eggs, as many as desired unbroken.

Preheat oven to 350.

On a clean counter form a crown with the flour, in the center place butter, oil, and tbs water. Knead ingredients and add more water as needed until a soft dough forms.

Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sautee til soft, add garlic til fragrant, then add swiss chard. Cook well and add salt, pepper, italian seasoning, and oregano.

In a medium bowl mix together eggs, parmesan, and ricotta. Then add swiss chard mixture.

Divide the dough in two. Toll out thinly then place 1/2 in greased pie tin. Add filling. Then crack whole eggs into dug out spots in filling. Cover with remaining dough and bake for 45mins.

Zucchini Bread

I may as well get this out of the way - Zucchini Bread. By far this is my family's favorite treat. The versatility of this recipe is awesome because you can substitute a wide variety of squashes for the zucchini including pumpkin puree. The spices are warm and inviting. Yes, their is sugar involved but, this treat is loaded with natural vitamins and minerals that you will never get out of something from the store in a box. So here we go:

First step: weigh your squash. This is super important. \While 2 small zucchini are about a pound the amount of zucchini significantly affects the recipe.

 As you can see, I have about 1 1/2 pounds here, so my recipe will be multiplied by 1.5. Next cut off the stem end and split in half. This is only so that it goes into the food processor... if you use a box grater you may just leave the squash whole. 

Next the food processor goes to work. Oh, how I love how quickly it gets the job done!

Next get the dry ingredients together. I use white whole wheat flour. You can use any combination of AP (all purpose) and whole wheat you desire. My family is used to the texture and flavor that the white whole wheat flour provides baked goods now. 

The dry ingredients get set aside as we prep the wet. The butter needs to be melted and then cooled. Mix together with the sugar and molasses as seen here.

One by one mix in the eggs until mixture is fully incorporated and light in color. Add vanilla if you so desire.

Take the wet mix and slowly fold into the dry. Do not fully mix this... there will still be a lot of the dry mixture visable when it's time to add the zucchini.

See here comes the zucchini. Gently fold this together until it's homogeneous. 

Like this. Now this can either be baked as a loaf or as muffins, which is what I chose this time.

1/3 c. of batter in each of the cups and then into a 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes (45-55 if in a loaf). BTW - yes that is a broken pizza stone in the bottom of my oven. I like even heat :-)

Once a toothpick in the center of the muffin/loaf comes out clean, let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to finish cooling (if they last that long). 

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

16 oz. zucchini

10 oz. (about 2 c.) of white whole wheat flour

2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. clove)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

4 tbsp. butter

7 oz. (about 1 c.) white sugar

1 tbsp molasses (optional)

2 eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

3/4 c. of chopped nuts, rasins or dried cranberries

Directions

1. Heat an over to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan. Shred the zucchini. Set aside
2. In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients.
3. In medium bowl melt and cool the butter. Blend with the sugar and molasses (if using) then add the eggs one by one and mix until smooth and light in color.
4. Add the wet mixture into the dry and slowly fold until the mixture is shaggy, with dry flour still present. Add the zucchini and any add in that desire. Fold until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour into a loaf pan and place in the middle of the oven for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with only a few dry crumbs. 
6. Cool in the pan 10 minutes and then on a cooling rack until room temperature.