chunky vegan chili

here it is. my favorite chili. yes, buying the bulgur is worth it. recipe from epicurious with a bit of changes. make this recipe with some homemade mac-n-cheese-with-broccoli !

ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion diced
1 cup shredded carrots
jalapeno minced (optional)
3 garlic cloves
1/2 cup bulgur
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 cup diced fresh tomatoes
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 can kidney beans
2 cans black beans
salt and pepper to taste
few pinches of cayenne (optional, to your liking)
pinch of thyme
1 1/2 cups water
parsley chopped as garnish

how to:

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and jalapeño and sauté, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the bulgur, add the spices (chili powder, cumin, cayenne, thyme) and stir until well combined.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and beans. Add in the water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt to taste. Serve with a sprinkling of parsley, if desired.

homemade mac 'n' cheese with broccoli

here is thee only vegan mac 'n' cheese recipe i use and it is from Chef Chloe ! the only tweaks i personally make is using less milk so 2 cups instead of 3 cups. my sauce never turns out so thick that i need three cups of milk, two cups is plenty of liquid. i also only use 1 teaspoon of salt, 2 is too much for me and not needed.

right now the only picture i have is the mac mixed in with my chili recipe and it's super delicious that you almost must make the two together. wayy better than either of them apart : )

ingredients:

• 1 pound elbow macaroni (any kind you like is fine)
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup vegan margarine (earth balance)
• 1/3 cup all purpose flour (gluten free is good too)
• 2 cups vegan milk (soy, almond or rice)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of agave or maple syrup (maple preferred)

how to:

1. bring large pot of salted water to a boil. add macaroni and cook to package directions 
2. add broccoli to the last five minutes of boiling, cook until fork tender. drain and return to pot
3. to make the sauce: in medium saucepan make a paste by whisking the margarine and flour over medium heat for 3-5 minutes
4. add milk, yeast, tomato paste, salt and garlic powder to the saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking frequently
5. reduce heat to low and let simmer until sauce thickens 
6. adjust seasoning to your liking and add in the agave and lemon juice
7. toss the macaroni and broccoli with the sauce and immediately serve