Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

  1 large onion, chopped

2-3 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 quarts canned tomatoes

4 cups cooked kidney beans

4 cups cooked pinto or black beans

(or 2 cups of each)

4 cups corn

2 cups brown rice

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot with a lid saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for a few minutes. Add everything else along with enough water to cover everything plus a couple of inches. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer until the rice is thoroughly cooked. Usually about an hour. You may need to add more water, check your pot at least every 15 minutes. 

This chili is GREAT topped with shredded cheddar cheese! We sometimes make it thicker so we can scoop it up with tortilla chips.
Leftovers the next day are even better :)

ggg

Vegetarian Lasagna

Quick Vegetarian Lasagna

2 boxes no cook lasagna noodles

2 jars spaghetti sauce

1 pound mozzarella cheese

2- 10 ounce containers ricotta or cottage cheese

fresh or frozen spinach, broccoli, zucchini (any combo you like)

Italian seasoning

fresh or powdered garlic

Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom 2 casserole dishes, then a layer of noodles. Then spread on some ricotta or cottage cheese. Add a layer of veggies. Continue adding in that order till the dish is full. Pour remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with garlic and Italian seasoning. Pour about 2 cups of water in the side of the dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for an hour. 

Remove from the oven and poke the noodles to be sure they are done. If they aren't, bake a bit longer. If they are sprinkle with 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese per dish  and return to the oven for a few minutes until the cheese is melted. Do not re-cover with the foil. Sprinkle more Italian seasoning if you wish.

Let cool for at least 15 minutes before you cut it, trust me it makes it so much easier!

If you do not need 2 pans of lasagna freeze one to use later or cut this recipe in half. This is a favorite at church potlucks.

Impossible Coconut Pie

Impossible Coconut Pie

2 cups milk

1 cup sucanat (or sugar)

4 eggs

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

4 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Combine everything but the coconut in a blender and blend for a few seconds. Scrape the sides if necessary then add the coconut and blend another few seconds. Pour in a greased deep dish pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes to an hour. Its done when a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Serve warm or refrigerate and serve it cold later.

This recipe makes one pie. Don't try to make two at a time, it doesn't get mixed well enough in the blender. I make one pie's worth at a time in the blender and bake them together. It forms its own crust while baking. Easy peasy right?

Whole Grain Griddle Mix

I use this for my pancakes.  I mix up a triple batch and put it in a empty red plastic Folger's coffee can.  I write the recipe with permanent marker on one side and instructions for what to add to the mix on the other. That way I always have the instructions and don't have to hunt for them.

Basic Mix:
3 1/2 cups flour (can mix unbleached flour and whole wheat flour or make it with all whole wheat flour)
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 envelope nonfat dry milk (makes one quart - 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup oat bran (uncooked hot cereal)

     Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Stir in the dry milk and oat bran until well blended.  Store in refrigerator.

To Make 8 to 12 Griddle Cakes:
 Heat skillet until a drop of water dances on it.  Lightly coat with oil.
Beat until well blended:  1 egg
                                     1 tablespoon melted butter or oil
                                      3/4 cup water
Stir mix before measuring and measure out 1 1/4 cups mix into bowl.  Pour liquid ingredients into mix and stir until smooth.  Add up to 1/4 cup water if batter seems too thick.  Batter should pour readily from a spoon.  Add berries if you want (blueberries).  Bake the cakes until bubbles form on top. Turn them and brown on the second side.  Serve with your favorite topping.

These waffles have a little more "body" to them, thicker texture, and one will probably be enough.

To Make 4 Waffles:
3/4 cup water
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 cups mix
2 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Mix water, egg yolks and melted butter.  Add the mix and stir until smooth.  Fold in the beaten egg whites.

Heat the waffle iron and spray or coat with oil.  Spoon about 1/2 cup batter over the bottom grid, bake until it stops steaming.  To them all warm until ready to serve, arrange them on a cookie sheet in a warm oven in a single layer.  Stacking the waffles makes them soggy.

Whole Wheat Waffles (they literally melt in your mouth)

These take a little more preparation, but I think they're worth it.  They are extremely light and one will not do it.  You can't eat just one.  ((((((Smile))))))

1 cup sifted whole wheat flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. sugar of choice
     I sift this three times onto a paper towel or piece of waxed paper and the last time into the bowl.

2 eggs, separated
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup oil
     Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
     Mix the egg yolks, milk and oil and add to the flour gradually,  Batter will be very thin.  Beat hard for two minutes.
     Fold in beaten egg whites tenderly, just until they are well incorporated.
     Bake in preheated waffle iron until steam stops coming out.  These are very light and you may need to spray the waffle iron or oil it between each waffle.  I use a pastry brush to brush oil on mine.

Homemade Syrup for Pancakes or Waffles

Ever wonder how hard it could be to make syrup? I did after realizing all the awful ingredients that commercial syrups contain, plus the price is outrageous! I searched old cookbooks and tweaked a little and came up with this one, hope you love it as much as we do!

Homemade Syrup

2 cups sucanat (or sugar)

3/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring (vanilla works too)

Combine everything in a saucepan and heat on low until the sugar is all melted. At this point the syrup will be thin but tastes good. If you like your syrup thicker and un-warmed, make it in advance and store it in the fridge in a canning jar or other glass jar with a lid. I usually make a double batch and it fits nicely in a quart jar.

Wasn't that easy? Now you never need to buy syrup and wonder whats in it again :)

Try our recipe for Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles to go with your syrup!

Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles

This is a make ahead mix you can keep handy in the freezer for a quicker morning breakfast or a camping trip. Believe it or not we have to make the whole 6 batches to feed our family on one morning. There may or may not be any leftovers depending on how hungry they are that day. One batch makes about 10 pancakes, and they are pretty light and fluffy for being whole wheat. We have had guests not know the difference!

Whole Wheat Pancakes or Waffles

6 cups whole wheat flour

5 tablespoons aluminum free baking powder

4 teaspoons salt

8 tablespoons sucanat (or sugar)

If you plan to use this recipe while camping and will not have fresh milk available, add enough powdered milk to the dry mix to equal 6 cups of milk and add water instead of milk when you prepare it.

Keep your mix stored in an airtight container or in the freezer if you use fresh ground flour to keep it from going rancid.

To make pancakes or waffles add...

1 cup of mix

1 cup milk (or water if you added powdered milk to the mix)

1 egg

1 tablespoon melted butter or coconut oil

Stir till moistened, the batter will puff up after a couple of minutes.

Keep in mind that if you used the powdered milk and water your mix will be runnier but it will still taste great!

Cook as usual on an iron skillet, griddle, or in a waffle iron.

We like to add blueberries or chocolate chips to the tops of the pancakes as they cook before they are flipped. Berries or bits of chopped fruit could be added to the batter if you like. 

Also try our homemade syrup recipe!

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