VEGGIE CHILI

The internet is a hottttt place right now, so I’ll just pretend we’re catching up on the porch, sharing a glass of wine and updating you on the bits and bobs of our little life. Like a Christmas letter in October?
Curran is back at school and albeit strange and distanced, he’s so happy. He loves wearing his face shield with the mask as well so he looks extra cautious and also like a stormtrooper and I just love how he marches to his own drum. He’s been in skateboard class, still obsessed with the ocean and his Dad and food in general. Cleo has been tough lately. Lots of big feelings and big reactions and if I don’t get some break from her drama before she is a teenager? Lord help us. She learned the word “shit” from The Chicks new album, which she requests every time we get in the car. I told her it was a really bad word for poop which unfortunately makes it more intriguing for that 4-6 age range. My bad. When she is happy, she has tons of personality, affectionate, a great sense of humor and pays attention to detail and is therefore quite thoughtful. She LOVES Curran, and that bond may be my favorite thing about being a parent.

Work is steady-ish. A few speed bumps (actually a really big one) which I’ll tell you more about when I know more. I’m pretty creatively toasted, but I feel grateful to have a job and the schedule we do in the current state of things. We’re trying to turn over a holiday ebook in a few weeks so if we can pull it off, that will be exciting. I love love my new nephew! New babies are so clean and cuddly and seeing my sister and brother-in-law adjust into parenting is both nostalgic and beautiful. I do think it’s a stunning metamorphosis of a person, and tender to watch of people you care for so deeply. I’m reading Small Great Things by Jodi Piccoult. Looking for an easy, local-ish place to go for our 10-year wedding anniversary next month. That’s the short of it for now.

Lots of things and feelings going on for so many right now. Always in pursuit of good company and real conversation. I hope you are finding slivers of that.

This recipe has been popular over on SKCC, so I thought it should live here too. We use a mix of legumes, some bulgur for texture. Your favorite broth or stock, homemade if you’re fancy. I do stir kale in at the end because I like my veggie chili to indeed, be full of vegetables, and I’m sure some real chili conisseurs would consider that a disgrace. It’s 2020! Live your life.

Our favorite way to serve this is over extra crispy roasted sweet potato tots. The brand Alexia makes our favorites, speaking from tot fans over here. Or over a baked and split potato in general, makes this meal so filling and easy to prep ahead. As it goes with chili and stews, the toppings are crucial. Don’t skip those!

We’re on the tail end of outdoor dinner season in CA and I swear by stews and chilis being an excellent meal to feed to friends. This soup is a favorite. Because I will forever encourage feeding others, pandemic or not, maybe you can pull off a drive-way pumpkin carving next week? Chili for all? That’s on our calendar.

Wishing you wellness and warm bowls of something delicious.

VEGGIE CHILI

Serves 6

I wrote this recipe for SKCC, and it’s been popular. Even the omnivorous folks say they don’t miss the meat because there is enough flavor and texture going on.

I’ve been refilling my spice jars with dry spices from Thrive Market (if you use that link, you get a discount on your first order!). They are affordable and fresh. While you’re there and filling up your cart for free shipping, you can buy beans, grains, tomato products etc. and you’ll have pantry staples on hand for this chili at all times.

Speaking of omnivores, there has been reported success in adding a pound of ground chicken/turkey/beef to this recipe. Add it to the pot to brown and cook through after the vegetables, and add 2 more cups broth to keep everything hydrated. This will increase the serving yield to 6-8, and if that’s too much, this gifts and freezes well.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. of avocado oil or other neutral oil
1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
1 jalapeño - seeded & minced
2 large portobello mushrooms - wiped clean & chopped super small
sea salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 red bell pepper - finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper - finely diced
1 small sweet potato - peeled & diced small
4 cloves of garlic - grated
1 1/2 Tbsp. of chili powder
1 Tbsp. of cumin
2 tsp. of cocoa powder
1 tsp. of smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo - minced small or blended
1/3 cup of brown or green lentils
1/3 cup of bulgur
14 oz. tomato sauce
28 oz. crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
3 cups of vegetable broth
1 cup of beer or brewed coffee
2 tsp. of coconut aminos or soy sauce
1 can of black beans - drained
1 cup of frozen corn kernels
2 cups of chopped kale (optional)

Directions

Heat a large pot or Dutch-oven over medium heat. Heat the avocado oil. Get chopping, my friend!

To the pot, add the onions, jalapeño, mushrooms and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté those down for about 10-15 minutes until water is released and the mushrooms begin to brown. We really want to cook the water off here. Add the bell peppers, sweet potato, garlic and sauté about 5 minutes until the just begin to soften.

Add the chili powder, cumin, cocoa, smoked paprika, and chipotle to the pot and sauté them for another minute. Add the lentils, bulgur, tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, broth, beer or coffee and coconut aminos. Bring everything to a gentle simmer, uncovered, and let it all cook for about 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and bulgur are cooked through. Add the black beans, corn, and kale if using, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. More salt? Maybe more coconut aminos. Spicier? Add more chipotle or chili powder. Let it all simmer another 10 minutes to warm through and wilt the greens.

Serve your bowls with a generous amount of toppings. Chili will keep for a week in the fridge.

Sara Forte 2020-10-22

Veggie Chili

6

Our favorite veggie chili.

• 2 Tbsp. of avocado oil or other neutral oil
• 1 medium yellow onion - finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño - seeded & minced
• 2 large portobello mushrooms - wiped clean & chopped super small
• sea salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1 red bell pepper - finely diced
• 1 yellow bell pepper - finely diced
• 1 small sweet potato - peeled & diced small
• 4 cloves of garlic - grated
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. of chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. of cumin
• 2 tsp. of cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. of smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. of chipotle peppers in adobo - minced small or blended
• 1/3 cup of brown or green lentils
• 1/3 cup of bulgur
• 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 28 oz. crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
• 3 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 cup of beer or brewed coffee
• 2 tsp. of coconut aminos or soy sauce
• 1 can of black beans - drained
• 1 cup of frozen corn kernels
• 2 cups of chopped kale (optional)

324 calories7 grams fat 54 grams carbohydrate 14 grams protein

     

american

Entrée

vegetarian, fall, entertaining, soup

TAHINI GLAZED CAULIFLOWER

We’re obsessed with this cauliflower. I’ve made it three times in the last week for different people and it reports back as the favorite dish. Every brand of tahini varies in texture. I find the 365 Whole Foods brand to work well here because it’s naturally quite runny. If you need a visual, albeit on super speed, I made a Reel over on Instagram so you can see how easy this is!

TAHINI GLAZED ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Serves 4

I’ve served this as a side with some lamb meatballs and quinoa salad, but is is a great side for just about anything. Veg friends, it is filling and textured and honestly if you just want a bowl of this on top of some greens as a meal, that works too. It is best eaten fresh out of the oven, but can be reheated as needed, it will just absorb most of the tahini coat. Fresh herbs forever. Don’t skip the parsley and mint.

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne or aleppo, to taste
fresh ground pepper
2 shallots, peeled and cut in wedges

4 dates, pitted and chopped small

TAHINI GLAZE

1/4 cup tahini
1 Tbsp. olive oil or sesame oil
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. water
salt and pepper

3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
1 bundle of mint, leaves removed and roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425’. Pull out a large rimmed baking sheet. Cut the florets away from the core, and break them into smallish, 2x2” florets. Drizzle the olive oil, vinegar, coriander, sea salt, cayenne/aleppo and toss everything with your hands to coat. Spread it in an even layer on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes. Pull it out, turn the heat down to 400’, add the shallots, toss everything around again so the shallots get some oil and seasoning on them, and pop the tray back in to roast for another 20 minutes.

While you’re waiting, chop up your dates into small pieces. Stir together the tahini glaze ingredients. It should look pretty thin, like a thicker salad dressing. Adjust with water, oil or lemon to get that consistency. Thickness of tahini varies by brand.

Pull the tray out of the oven, and while still hot, add the dates and toss them in. Add the tahini glaze and parsley to the warm pan and toss everything until all the tahini has coated the cauli. Transfer to your serving bowl and sprinkle with the sesame seeds and mint. Look at you go!

Sara Forte 2020-09-29

Tahini Glazed Cauliflower

4

A super flavorful roasted cauliflower dish.

• 1 large head of cauliflower
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne or aleppo, to taste
• fresh ground pepper
• 2 shallots, peeled and cut in wedges
• 4 dates, pitted and chopped small
• 2 Tbsp. tahini
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil or sesame oil
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. water
• salt and pepper
• 3 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
• 1 bundle of mint, leaves removed and roughly chopped

324 calories20 grams fat37 grams carbohydrate7 grams protein

PT0H10M

PT20M

PT30M

middle eastern

Side

middle eastern, vegetarian, vegan

FOOD FOR NEW PARENTS : CRUNCHY LUNCHY LENTILS

For my sister (and maybe my 6-years-ago self, too…)

I know you guys are so ready for this. You’ve been ready, the road to get here has been a little twisty and I CANNOT wait to be moms together. Just giddy about it. Let’s start there.

We were a few days home from the hospital with Curran, and it had set in that maybe this was going to be harder than I thought. A big transition. My body torn up and my nipples chapped and the gut-wrenching worry that this teensy thing may just stop breathing or any number of tragic things that now feel like cold possibilities.

A thoughtful friend mailed a note and I’ll never forget the perfect timing from an experienced mother. I still keep it in Curran’s keepsake journal. The note reminded me that I was capable - that I was made to be this child’s mother amidst the overwhelming exhaustion and newness of it all.

Motherhood is such a wild cocktail of elation and… grief maybe? I don’t intend to be dramatic, but your life is never the same. You think about and prepare for this transition for months, sometimes years, and there is no accurate description that will touch on how you feel the second you look at that baby. You rebirth yourself in that moment as well. You’ve known great love, but nothing like this. It fills a corner of your heart you didn’t even know was there. That smell! His skin! Those itsy bitsy toes! Seeing your husband hold his tiny body to his chest. It’s out of body, really. So out of body, that sometimes you feel untethered. The emotions, the physical healing, being responsible for that small life, getting through the day… it’s a lot! You feel so many things in the course of a day. In the course of a moment. It is both the best, most tender job AND so effing hard. All day. Every day. You will second guess your own intuition and also find how to truly trust yourself outside of google and other opinions.

There is a lot of chatter about diapers and organic sheets and the best baby wash but there is a quieter murmur about the metamorphosis that occurs as a woman becomes a mother. That metamorphosis seems to be life- long, far as I can tell, as the caring for these little people grows and changes. My experience may be nothing like yours. What worked for me or what I struggled with or when my babies slept or what bottle they liked may not matter at all come your turn. I find that all that unknowing and problem solving and figuring and filtering through noise, is what builds your own confidence as a parent. Pilfering through the shoulds and suggestions, to make choices that work for you and your family. You are his mom and the best person for the job. Believe that this very moment! You have support all around you.

I want to pass on to you, just like that well timed note did for me, the affirmation that this role is yours, and you are absolutely capable. You are everything he needs. This mom business is immeasurably valuable work.

Let people help. Drink lots of water. Find your pockets of relief. Your body will heal. It will pass. Tomorrow is a new day. Sleep does return. And it’s just like every old lady tells you at the market on your most frustrating of days… it goes so fast. xo

Love you so dearly, my sister. Happy to be on this wild ride with you. xo

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I heard from many of you looking for a list of recipes to stock up on, or gift, to those in the new baby season. Here are the condensed, top suggestions, in order of most repeated via my instagram question. I will start a series here “Food for New Parents,” per request, so these sorts of recipes are easy to find on the site. I’ll post more recipes in the next few weeks, but visit the bundle page on SKCC for recipes that are easy to reheat or freeze! This is the deliver-friendly bundle.

• burritos (include frozen ones for easy reheat)

• fresh cut fruit

• fresh cut vegetables and dips

• healthy muffins (see the ones i just posted on ig reels! or these )

• fritatta/ frittata muffins (fresh or frozen - notes here or my fave is from our first SK cookbook)

• lactation cookies (these from How Sweet Eats were mentioned)

• granola bars (Robyn’s!)

• date/ energy balls

• casseroles (Ashley’s Baked Risotto! so good)

• salad kits and fixings for quick salads and bowls (greens, dressings, grilled/chopped chicken, quinoa, toasted nuts)

• healthy, light things - “pizza and take out are easy”

• soups and stews (this lentil soup, this tomato soup or Anna’s Dhal)

• vegetable enchiladas (duh these goat cheese guys)

• chili - veg or turkey (this veggie chili, or this beef one)

• pasta sauces (this bolognese is perfection and I’m intrigued by this cauli version)

• legume/grain/lunch type salads (the Marakkesh carrots from Bowl + Spoon! Online here)

• cookies/cookie dough (always Tara’s! add oats and down to 9 minute bake time for a little goo)

• wine/coconut water

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CRUNCHY LUNCHY LENTILS

Serves 4

This is a salad that can hold its integrity for a few days. I keep it stored in the fridge, and spoon it on top of lettuce with a little more vinaigrette when ready to eat. I’ve also packed it in a tortilla or stirred in some cooked brown rice to make it more filling. It will dry as it sits, so add a drizzle of oil and vinegar if it needs a refresh.

Ingredients

¾ cup French/De Puy Lentils
2 Persian cucumbers, seeded
1 apple
1 medium fennel bulb, fronds reserved
1 large shallot
1 small bundle of mint
1 small bundle fresh basil
½ cup walnut pieces

For the vinaigrette
1 large clove garlic, grated
Juice of one lemon
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. dried dill
½ tsp. coriander
Flaky salt
Fresh ground pepper

Goat, parmesan or feta cheese, for garnish, optional

Directions

Rinse your lentils. Put them in a pot with 1 ½ cups of salted water or broth. Bring the liquid up to a simmer, put the cover on ajar and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Fluff the lentils, and set them aside to cool completely. 

While the lentils cook, get chopping! We want a fine dice on the cucumbers. Core and finely dice both the apple and fennel and mince the shallot. Super small bits! Chop the herbs. 

In the bottom of your mixing bowl, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and stir to mix. Add the cooled lentils, all your chopped vegetables, walnuts and herbs. Toss to coat. Chill in the fridge for an hour if possible for flavors to marry. Not imperative if you don’t have the time. 

Serve the lentils over some tender greens with a sprinkle of goat, parm or feta cheese. 

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Sara Forte 2020-09-14

Crunchy Lunchy Lentils

4

A crunchy and fresh, make-ahead vegetarian lunch.

• ¾ cup French/De Puy Lentils
• 2 Persian cucumbers, seeded
• 1 apple
• 1 medium fennel bulb, fronds reserved
• 1 large shallot
• 1 small bundle of mint
• 1 small bundle fresh basil
• ½ cup walnut pieces
• 1 large clove garlic, grated
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. dried dill
• ½ tsp. coriander
• Flaky salt
• Fresh ground pepper

 

Rinse your lentils. Put them in a pot with 1 ½ cups of salted water or broth. Bring the liquid up to a simmer, put the cover on ajar and cook for 20 minutes until tender. Fluff the lentils, and set them aside to cool completely.

While the lentils cook, get chopping! We want a fine dice on the cucumbers. Core and finely dice both the apple and fennel and mince the shallot. Chop the herbs.

In the bottom of your mixing bowl, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients and stir to mix. Add the cooled lentils, all your chopped vegetables, walnuts and herbs. Toss to coat. Chill in the fridge for an hour if possible for flavors to marry. Not imperative if you don’t have the time.

Serve the lentils over some tender greens with a sprinkle of goat, parm or feta cheese.

PT20M

PT20M

PT25M

mediterranean

Entrée

vegetarian, make ahead, quick, salad