Author Archives: Cherylanne Skolnicki

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes

It finally feels like winter (again) around here. After weeks of spring-like weather, we’re back to the right season. No snow falling gently from the sky to make it worth it either – just cold and wet and dreary conditions. Crock pot weather, if you ask me. Nothing like a big pot of something warm and cozy to make you feel better about the icky view out the window and the bad hair day that ensues. Unfortunately, while extremely convenient, most crock pot concoctions start with high-fat cuts of meat and too many cans of cream-of-something soup. Not this one! This vegetarian chili is hearty and delicious and healthy.

In your quest to save a few minutes in the morning, you may be tempted to skip the sautéing step but promise me you won’t give in to the temptation! Set the alarm for a few minutes earlier and get out that nonstick skillet! Taking the time to sauté the vegetables before adding them to the slow-cooker intensifies their flavor and is key to this recipe’s success. This is a pretty mild chili, not a fire-breathing-dragon variety, so it’s broadly appealing, even to vegetable-eating children (wink).

Stay warm!

 

Slow-Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Sweet Potatoes

adapted from realsimple.com

 

serves 4-6

 

Ingredients:

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

salt and pepper

1  28-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1  15.5-ounce can black beans, rinsed

1  15.5-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed

2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

low-fat sour cream or Greek yogurt, sliced scallions, sliced radishes, and tortilla chips for serving

 

Directions:

1. In a large nonstick skillet saute onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, cocoa, and cinnamon, in 2 teaspoons of olive oil.

2. In a 4-to-6 quart slow cooker combine sauteed vegetables with the tomatoes (and their juices), beans, sweet potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 cup of water.

3. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours, until sweet potatoes are tender and the chili has thickened.

4. Serve the chili with sour cream or Greek yogurt, scallions, radishes, and tortilla chips.

Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

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Oh yes you can…

I’ll let you in on a secret. Sometimes, the things you think aren’t possible, actually are. Sometimes, suspending your disbelief so that you can focus yourself on doing instead of on disbelieving is what it takes to achieve a breakthrough. Sometimes, you need to believe in magic, or luck, or miracles, to live really really big.

I’ve been reminded of this twice since the first of the year. (Perhaps God is trying to tell me something.)

The first was in my New Year’s Day yoga class. I was there, doing my personal best (or so I thought) when I noticed something amazing happening on the mat behind me. The woman there appeared to be floating from pose to pose effortlessly. It was as if her feet didn’t even need to touch the floor. This was not a cupcake class. It was challenging, and long (2 hours) and hot (95 degrees). Yet this woman was unaffected, possibly even uplifted by it all. I later learned that her name is Tonya Butler, and she is an experienced yogi as well as a yoga instructor. As such, she has some videos on YouTube. I was so glad to learn this so I could show my husband the feats of strength and grace I’d witnessed. The odd thing is that I was not envious of her. I didn’t feel worse about myself. I was simply inspired that not only was this level of yoga possible, but also that it was transpiring right next to me! Here is one of the videos. I mean, really. Just amazing.

The second reminder? You’d better sit down for this one. You are probably familiar with a marathon – a 26.2 mile running race. This can take anywhere from 2 hours to 5 or more depending on your speed and is quite a feat of endurance.

An Ironman is a marathon PLUS a 2.4 mile swim and a 112 mile bike ride – all back to back in one event. The winners finish these races in 8 to 9 hours and all competitors must finish within 17. SEVENTEEN HOURS. Of EXERCISE. In a ROW.

But get this. This year, a new event emerged. Epicman. Epicman is THREE TIMES THAT DISTANCE. (7.2 mile swim – 336 mile bike – 78.6 mile run.) It sounds impossible, right? Yet, apparently it’s not. The winner (on January 1st, coincidentally the same day I was watching Tonya Butler on her yoga mat) finished in 48 hours and 30 minutes. It was a woman. Her name is Kellie Smirnoff. And…wait for it…I used to run with her in the late ’90s when I lived in Atlanta! You cannot make this stuff up. Kellie and I have a mutual friend who brought us together and I can tell you she was a great runner back then, too. But in the years since, she’s become a competitive ultra-marathoner, and now THIS. Go back and re-read those distances. Does it sound possible? Not to me! But it IS.

These two glimpses of the impossible being made possible have me wondering. Where am I holding back? What could I do – physically or otherwise – if I suspended my disbelief and just gave it my all? What could YOU do? Maybe, just maybe, this is the year to find out.

 

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Pear-Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Are you craving something a little lighter after the season’s festivities? Have you resolved to eat healthier? To try more whole grains? To have more fruits and vegetables? We’ve got you covered.

This delicious salad is a great introduction to quinoa for the uninitiated, or a new way to enjoy it for those of you who are already fans.

Quinoa (that’s it, uncooked, pictured in this post) is a a recently rediscovered ancient grain native to South America. According to the World’s Healthiest Foods website, which I visited to do a little fact checking for this post, it is high in protein, and it supplies  complete protein, meaning that it includes all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a good choice for vegans concerned about getting enough protein. Quinoa also has a significant amount of the amino acid lysine, which is essential for tissue growth and repair, meaning it will help you recover from all those hours you’re planning to log at the gym this January. In addition to protein, quinoa features a host of other health-building nutrients. The WHF website says that because quinoa is a very good source of manganese as well as a good source of magnesium, folate, and phosphorus, this “grain” may be especially valuable for persons with migraine headaches, diabetes and atherosclerosis. It’s also gluten-free!

You’ll cook quinoa as a substitute for rice or pasta in many dishes. It cooks quickly on the stovetop (similar to white rice – takes about 15 minutes), and is really quite delicious.

You’ll find it in the organic section of most grocery stores  near the rice and pasta, or you can buy it in the bulk bins at places like Whole Foods. Costco also sells a BIG bag of it at a really good value if you find that you’re cooking quinoa frequently.

Okay, enough about the star ingredient and on to the recipe! Give this one a whirl and let me know what you think in comments…

 

Pear-Quinoa Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

 

makes 6-side dish  or 4-main dish servings

 

Ingredients:

Salad:

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup quinoa (rinsed if necessary)

2 ripe but firm pears, diced

2 handfuls baby spinach, washed and drained

handful dried cranberries

2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Dressing:

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (the real thing, please!)

 

Directions:

1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Stir in quinoa and reduce heat to low. Cover and cook unit the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes.Fluff with a fork.

2. Whisk olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup together. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl combine diced pears, spinach, and parsley. Pour dressing over and toss to combine. Add quinoa, dried cranberries, walnuts, salt & pepper, and gently combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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