Plant Based Allison

  Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park     This is a super exciting new section I am adding to Plant Based Allison. It is going to veer away from food blogging and focus on environmental issues that are relevant and provide awesome go-to information everyone should know about the big blue planet we live on. I figured that my plant-based lifestyle shouldn’t just reflect my diet but also my roots…

Here comes another cold weather recipe to warm you up! If you grew up with a family that was always on the go like mine, I am sure that your parents had chicken pot pie in their culinary arsenal. Whether it was frozen or homemade, chicken pot pie was and still is a crowd pleaser and a breeze to prepare. Plus there is the added bonus of leftovers. I wanted to re-create this classic dish just in…

While I am usually tempted to retreat to the coziness of my bed at the first sign of chilly weather this year I am trying something new. Every winter my dad begins his soup-making expedition. I swear he makes a new one every week and this year he is passing the reins to ME!

Soup is one of the easiest and tastiest cold weather meals to make. First of all, you only need one pot to cook all of your ingredients in so clean up is a breeze. Secondly, soup is simple to incorporate into a meal prep plan and very cost effective because when you make soup (at least when I make soup) there is enough to feed a small army. And finally, you can make soup out of almost ANYTHING! It’s a great way to use up extra veggies from the week and incorporate cheaper ingredients like rice, beans or lentils into the mix, keeping your food budget low while still taking in enough calories and macronutrients.

For the first soup of the season, I went straight for the heartiest of them all… CHILI!

            Chili is one of my favorite soups. You can pair chili with anything such as cornbread, rice, stuffed peppers and if you are feeling a little crazy scoop a spoonful over rigatoni pasta. Even if you eat a small portion you feel satisfied from your meal. Chili is packed with plant protein goodness from a variety of different beans and vegetables and seasoned with (in my opinion) the best spices cumin and chili powder. The best part about chili is that it is SOOO easy to make vegan without compromising any of the flavor or nutrition. In fact, vegan chili is a whole heck of a lot healthier than traditional chili.

There are many varieties of chili out there. My favorite version is my homemade classic vegan chili. My girlfriend likes to add in meatless crumbles which look and taste exactly like ground beef (it’s a little scary how accurate the texture is). This recipe does not use crumbles but feel free to add in what you like! My homemade vegan chili is super simple and take 30 minutes tops for prep and cook time.

I made easy no oil baked tortilla chips to scoop up my bomb chili with. They are a breeze to make and if your tortillas have seen better days it is a great way to utilize them instead of throwing them out. I will add in the directions after the chili recipe if you guys want to try them out as well!

SERVES: 8 (big portions)

Chili Ingredients:

2x 10 oz cans of Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies (you don’t have to use a brand name I just found a good deal on Rotel this week)

 1x 25 oz can of Diced Tomatoes

2x 15.5 oz cans of Black Beans

1x 15.5 oz can of Kidney Beans

1 15.5 oz can of Black Eye Peas

1 Medium Onion

1 Green Bell Pepper

3 tbsp chili powder

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

3 tbsp cumin

2 tsp salt

Chili Instructions:

Coarsely chop the onion and bell pepper and place them in a large stockpot.

Add in the rest of the ingredients and spices to the stockpot and stir together

Heat on medium until chili boils then turn heat to low and let simmer for 25 minutes.

  Oil-Free Baked Tortillas Chips Instructions:

Heat oven to 350°

Stack up the tortillas you are going to use and cut into triangle-like shapes

Place on parchment paper on a baking sheet and bake for around 9 minutes or until crispy

  Final NOTE:

I have a couple of non-stick baking mats that I use instead of parchment paper. They are great because literally, nothing sticks to them and on my quest towards less waste I don’t have to buy/use single-use parchment paper. They are cheap and usually come in a pack of a few different sizes to fit any size-baking sheet. I highly suggest checking them out!!!

Final Final NOTE:

I usually pair my chili with Jiffy cornbread. I know it is not homemade from scratch, however, I remember my grandma making cornbread from the little blue Jiffy box when I was a kid so it brings back the warm and fuzzies. Also, I think if this box of mix is grandma approved it has to be pretty good! Plus, Jiffy is not only a traditional favorite but also super contemporary. They now have alternative vegan instructions! How cool is that!

She’s Back!

PBA is finally back. I know it’s been a few months (closer to several months) however I am happy to announce PBA is back up and running. After reflecting on my intentions for what I wanted PBA to be and envisioning what I want it to be in the future, I think I have finally come to a concrete conclusion. I want to actively share more of my life, my interests, and adventures with you. This means…