Saturday, May 11, 2013

Best ever vegan Cincinnati chili recipe

1 large sweet onion diced
1 tbs oil of your choice (I use olive oil)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Mexican chili powder (if you can't locate this use chili powder)
1 tsp all spice
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
4 oz vegan bakers chocolate 
3 cups vegetable bouillon 
12 oz tomato purée 
1 bag Boca crumbles

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large stockpot. Place the diced onion in the heated oil and cook until onion is soft. Next, add all your spices (this is my favorite part because it smells soooo good!!) and mix with cooked onion for a few minutes. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil. Once boiling point has been reached, simmer uncovered for at least an hour. The sauce should thicken considerably. Cook up a box of your favorite spaghetti noodles and top with your Cincinnati chili!! If you are not vegan, this is delicious topped with your favorite sharp cheddar, BUT trust me, we don't miss the cheese at all in our vegan household. 


Thursday, May 2, 2013

Girl Gone Vegan

I'd entertained the idea of being vegan for nearly as many years as I'd been vegetarian (20 years!). I could never commit to the change in fashion (goodbye purses and shoes), giving up sweet treats and what is life like without my beloved cheese?!? Everything changed over the course of last year. My son was born with a terrible milk allergy. I had two options, I could give up dairy or stop nursing him. Goodbye dairy. I had no idea what to eat or how to plan meals. Thankfully during my many sleepless nights I came across . Vegucated is a wonderful documentary about three New Yorkers and a vegan challenge. The creator of this documentary has a fabulous website full of recipes, resources and support YumUniverse.com . I loved Vegucated so much, I searched and found a bounty of recipes to try out on my husband and toddler. What once was a temporary change has become much more permanent. We are all feeling more energized, losing weight without trying and enjoying every bite along the way. Check back for reviews of recipes we've tried and new ones we've created.