Winter Sunshine - Vegan Chickpea Stew

By Pam Hadder

Recently I had a fairly severe allergic reaction to a new "hypoallergenic" face cream. It has been several years since I've had this type of reaction, so it really caught me off guard.  My eyes almost swelled shut - so, not fun and a bit frightening. Aside from antihistamines, fresh cucumber masques and cool cloths, I tried to use nutritional supports to reduce inflammation and sensitivity. My Winter Sunshine - Vegan Chickpea Stew
resulted.

It is a vegan recipe, but you could easily adapt it to suit your food preferences - adding additional protein, for example, leftover chicken. However, it may surprise the carnivores and omnivores among us just how satisfying an all veg stew can be. I enjoyed this with a slice of fresh bread and veggie "butter" and it felt like a warm hug - not a good sick person, lol.  The magic ingredient is turmeric, known for its healing properties.  If you haven't cooked with turmeric, it is a yellow powdered spice common in Asian cooking that comes from the turmeric plant, and it is what gives curry powder blends their sunny yellow colour. The medicinal component of turmeric is called curcumin.  Some health sites note that fat and black pepper help our bodies to absorb the beneficial curcumin, so if you are adding a bit of turmeric to rice when cooking it, also add a bit of oil (I suggest olive or, my go-to, coconut oil), and serve it with fresh cracked black pepper.  Yummy and very healing for the body.  Also, turmeric needs heat to blend with foods, so you wouldn't add the dry powder to a cold salad dressing, but you could make a cooked vinaigrette that is served warm, or cooked to dissolve/blend then cooled to serve (and remember... fat, black pepper are your turmeric buddies!). 

I hope you will enjoy making and eating this soup recipe in good health - even if you don't have an allergic reaction, cold or other health ailment, turmeric is a wonderful additive, if only for it's subtle bitter flavour and sunny colour. This recipe is easily doubled or tripled for larger groups, or to make-ahead for easy meals - freezes very well. xo

Winter Sunshine - Vegan Chickpea Stew

INGREDIENTS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil (or coconut, canola, sunflower oil)
2 medium cooking onions,  chopped
1.5 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Sea salt to taste (depends on seasoning of your broth)
2 tsp. dry, crushed savory or sage
2 tsp. turmeric powder
4-6 cups vegetable soup stock
3-4 cloves fresh garlic, minced/crushed
4 large or 6 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1.5 cups peeled and chopped carrots
1.5 cups chopped fresh celery (I save the paler inside stalks and greens and use them for soup)
1 large can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 lemon, seeded and quartered
1.5 cups chopped fresh parsley

METHOD:
Heat the oil for 1-2 minutes in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add in the onions, sea salt and black pepper, stirring frequently. Once the onions begin to soften, cover and reduce heat and cook for another 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, celery, carrots, potatoes, turmeric, savory/sage, and four cups of broth. Add enough additional broth or water to cover all vegetables. Increase heat and bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add in the chick peas, squeeze the juice from the lemon pieces into the pot and throw the lemon pieces, rind and all into the pot. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Add in the parsley, stirring to combine - simmer an additional 15 minutes, scoop out the lemon pieces and discard, and serve. 

Other great add-ins: homemade dumplings, grated veggie cheese, or a dollop of yogurt.  I think some stewed diced tomatoes and zucchini would be great in this soup - also frozen peas or corn.  Have fun personalizing your delicious pot of soup :)

Note: If you like a thicker or thinner stew, adjust by adding a bit of water or additional stock - adjust seasonings accordingly, to your taste. 

Pam's Black Bean Chili

By Pam Hadder

As a kid, winter Saturdays were chili bowl days!  With a big family and everyone going their separate ways, Mom would make a big pot of chili accompanied by a large bag of fresh, crusty rolls from the local Coop bakery; and the chili would be simmering all afternoon for those who were hungry.  Sometimes Mom would also have plain, buttered noodles or grated cheese to add in.  Mom’s chili was more of a thick soup consistency, versus the porridge-like consistency that is more common with southern USA chili recipes.
  

Inspired by those memories, I have made a vegan, black bean chili, served with pasta and garnished with vegan sour cream and vegan smoked gouda cheese.  I found the smokiness of the gouda to be a nice addition – hope you will try this easy, bold-flavoured favourite of mine – it freezes well and is packed with veggie protein and spicy heat to satisfy and warm you through to your toes.  Enjoy in good health xox!

Pam’s Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces extra firm tofu, crumbled with hand to consistency of ground beef
1 large can black beans
(or 1-1/2 cups dry beans, soaked overnight, drained and par-cooked)
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
2-/12 tsp. ground cinnamon
½ tsp. sea salt
3 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 tsp. crushed red chilies
2 medium cooking onions, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large green bell peppers, chopped in ½” chunks
3 cups water, or more/less to desired thickness
Add-ins, Add-ons:
-Fresh cooked pasta of choice (I like rotini), lightly buttered with vegan butter or mix of olive oil and vegan butter
-Grated vegan gouda, or other favourite vegan cheese (garnish)
-Vegan sour cream (garnish)

-Other: mushrooms and corn are nice additions to the chili; other great toppers are diced black olives,  chopped chives, green onion or cilantro.

Method:
Heat ¼ cup olive oil over medium heat; add in tofu, stirring often to prevent sticking – cook 7-10 minutes until tofu is lightly golden.  Add in onions, garlic, sea salt, black pepper, cinnamon and crushed chilies, cooking  covered another 5-7 minutes, until onions are softened and translucent – you may need to reduce heat to medium-low or low, depending on your cookware and range.   When onions are soft and translucent, add in bell peppers, tomatoes, canned beans (including broth – no need to rinse), tomato paste, sugar, chili powder,  and water; bringing to a boil, stirring often to combine ingredients.  Reduce heat, loosely cover and simmer for 35 minutes.  Serve over a scoop of buttered pasta, garnishing with grated gouda and sour cream.

Note: if you wish to add other veg to the chili, such as corn, or mushrooms, they should be added with the tomato, bean,  and green peppers; etc., after the onions are soft and translucent. Other beans and legumes can be added or substituted for the black beans, depending on your preference and also what you have on hand in the pantry – some suggestions are pinto beans, kidney beans, or brown lentils. Fresh, raw corn is also a nice garnish, add-in. Other types of fresh peppers are also nice in addition or in place of green bell peppers; and depending on availability.