Rice and Beans

This is another quick to assemble, nourishing dish: Caribbean Beans & Rice.
I typically use the following ingredients: 1 onion, 2-3 cloves minced garlic, 1 stalk celery (diced), 1 carrot (diced), 1 red pepper (diced), 1 large can stewed, diced tomatoes + an equal amount water, 1 large can beans (black or your choice) drained, 1 can corn drained, 1 cup rice, dried hot red peppers (a few pieces), Tabasco sauce, Turmeric 1 tsp, vegetarian chicken soup base powder 1 tbsp.
Fry the onion & garlic & celery & red pepper in a small amount of oil (until onion translucent). Add spices and veg'n chicken soup base powder. Add rice and keep frying a few minutes. Gradually add the remaining ingredients. Bring the pot up to almost a boil, then turn down to simmer for 30 minutes or so. The liquid should absorb nicely during this time, leaving a fluffy mixture of rice, beans and vegetables. (This is one dish I completely eye-ball as I have made it so many times, but just a reminder, when using rice....the equation is 2 (liquid) to 1 (rice)...hence 1 cup rice needs 2 cups fluid, in this case the fluid from the tomatoes + extra water.)

Of course, now I need to go downstairs and check my pot to see if my "eye" was accurate enough tonight?

(Rice & Beans was recommended, in times past, as a 'complete protein' for those choosing a vegetarian diet. However, current research now says it is not necessary to combine foods at a single meal to get all the amino acids . As long as you are eating a balanced, varied food diet, you should obtain ample amounts of protein.
You will also notice I have used Turmeric; this is one of those spices that has great health benefits (anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory), hence I look for opportunities to add it to my daily intake. More about Turmeric on future posts.)

Chili....the variations are endless

Chili is one of my favourite dishes to prepare - it takes very little time, is nourishing, and there is always enough left-over for lunches or another dinner.
As the title says, they are numerous recipes for chili, but here is how I put together a big pot. Each chili tastes slightly different as I do not measure and the ingredients vary from one week to another. I would recommend this method to awaken your culinary soul!

Ingredients (usually!):
2 (19 oz) cans of beans (red kidney, chickpea, black-eyed, etc.), vegetarian ground round (optional), 1 can corn, 1/2 large green or red pepper diced, 1 onion diced, 2 stalks celery diced, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp chill powder, pinch dried hot chili, 1 can tomato soup + 1 cup water, 1 can (or less depending on your taste) tomato paste, Tabasco or similar - a few drops to taste, salt & pepper taste. << As mentioned, feel free to add whatever you have on board in your kitchen in the vegetable department. Keep in mind that you want some resiliency in your vegetables, meaning, not to mushy when cooked.>>

Assembly: in large pan, heat up 1 tablespoon oil. Brown onion, garlic, celery and spices. Add pepper. Drain your beans and add to pot. Add soup, water and tomato paste. Mix well. Add your "ground round" if using and corn. Temperature should be in the med-high range, but once you notice mixture bubbling, you can cover the pot and turn down to a simmer for approximately 20-30 minutes.

Most important tip - keep tasting & smelling & looking at the chili. Is it hot enough (meaning spicy)? What does it smell like? Is the consistency what I want? I like a thick soupy consistency.

When I was learning to cook as a teenager (at school and home), following a recipe was stressed (and results were assumed if you followed your recipe correctly). Generally, this has not failed me, however, I am always inspired by cooks who use their senses to cook (my husband is great at this). This is what I would like to encourage in my own hands on cooking.

Best of luck with YOUR version of chili!

(Serve with rice or crusty bread or corn bread. My husband tops it with shredded cheese, and I sprinkled some nutritional yeast on my bowl. Nutritional yeast was suggested to me just yesterday as an alternative to cheese (such as Parmesan) - I was quite impressed. It did taste cheesy much to my surprise.)