Vegan Veggie Chili (#FeelingVeggieGoodFriday -- Recipe #2)

I've only made this recipe twice, but I absolutely love it. The recipe makes enough to yield yummy leftovers the next day. It's simple, easy, healthy, and delicious!

This is a recipe that you can easily customize to fit your tastes and preferences. I'll show you what I used, but you can use any vegetables or beans that you like.

I started by chopping up...

• Two peeled zucchini
• Half a red bell pepper
• One whole, peeled carrot
• About half of a sweet onion, maybe a little more 
• A few cloves of fresh garlic (3-4)

I then drained and rinsed...

• A can of chickpeas, also known as garbanzo beans
• A can of black beans 
• A can of tri-blend beans (kidney beans, black beans, & pinto beans)
• A cup of frozen corn
  

Rest of the ingredients...

• Two cans of V8 juice (I used low-sodium)
• Water, as needed
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper (1 teaspoon)
• Cumin (1 1/2 teaspoon, or to taste)
• Chili powder mix or regular chili powder (1 1/2 -2 teaspoons, or to taste)

The recipe is super easy to prepare!

• Just start by sauteing the onion and garlic until their softened on medium-low heat.
• Next, add a cup of frozen corn and let cook for a few minutes.
• Following that, add the rest of the vegetables and water as needed. Let the vegetables cook for a few minutes.
• Lastly add the beans, two cans of V8 juice, and spices. Add water if needed.

That's it! Just let the chili simmer on reduced heat for 20 - 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Prep Suggestions:  You could easily meal prep this meal by chopping up the veggies the night before and placing them in a container in the fridge to just throw into a pot. You could also drain and rinse the beans, throw them in a container, put them in the fridge, and just throw them straight into the pot the next day.

Serving Suggestions:  Bake some potatoes and load them up with the chili.  Serve with a side salad and whole wheat bread.  Be creative and have fun!

If you recreate this, post a photo and tag us so we can see!

Happy and healthy eating,

                           Joy






Copyright 2016-2017 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Veganism for the Business Traveler

Those who embrace the vegan lifestyle think it is perhaps the greatest thing in the world. As a new vegan I am inclined to agree. It certainly has been a positive experience for me.  What's not to love about dropping 20 pounds, improving my cholesterol numbers, and seeing an overall improvement in my health and energy without feeling deprived or making choices that cause harm to animals and the environment?

Maybe you have considered trying a vegan diet but think it impractical or difficult because you travel a lot.  If you are a business traveler, you probably wonder, What's the point of having an expense account and meal allowance if I don't take full advantage of it and eat the things I wouldn't normally eat at home? Right? The problem with that mentality, particularly for those who are not disciplined, is that before long you pack on unwanted pounds. The convenience and allure of that expense account begins to take its toll on your health, leaving you with guilt and less energy to meet the busy demands of family life once you return home.

If you are enjoying the benefits of eating a plant-based diet at home, then perhaps with a little creative planning and discipline you can find it possible to eat vegan on the road. The possibilities truly are endless but here are a few suggestions off the top of my head to keep you healthy and energized while you are away from home.

• If staying in a hotel that furnishes a fridge and microwave, use your expense account to do a little grocery shopping.
  
• Stock the fridge with fresh fruit and veggies from the produce section or salad bar.
  
• Purchase (or pack in your luggage) non-perishable nutritious snacks such as granola bars or nuts. Just read the labels carefully and stay away from added sugars or refined flours.
  
• Vegan freezer meals prepared in the microwave could be a healthier alternative to a heavy restaurant meal. With the time you would save dining out, you could even hit the hotel workout facility and energize yourself with some cardio or weight training exercises.  What a bonus!
  
• Worried about how to save unused portions?  Pack some Ziploc bags in your luggage to store leftovers in the fridge, especially if you will be staying the week.  If you have to throw away a little food before you check out, don't sweat it.  You probably saved the company quite a bit of money by shopping and eating in. If you shop wisely, there won't be much waste anyway.
  
• Make sandwich wraps using whole wheat tortillas instead of bread. A package of tortillas and plant-based deli slices, topped with veggies from the store or salad bar, could keep you deliciously and nutritiously fed all week.  Don't forget to pack brown bags or a soft-sided lunchbox, too, so you can take your lunch to the office.
  
• If you must dine out with a client or co-worker, choose restaurants that offer vegan options (no meat, dairy, eggs) for business dinners and lunches.
  
• Most restaurants these days have vegetarian or vegan options, and those that don't will generally accommodate any reasonable request for altering a menu item to satisfy you, the customer.
  
• Search online for restaurants that have vegan or vegetarian menus, or visit the website for the restaurant where you will be dining to see what they offer.  You may just be surprised!

Happy, healthy trails to you!

Dee Dee

Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Comfort in a Cup: Easy Microwavable Cake for One

Recently Joy happened upon a couple of quick and easy dessert recipes that we're still ooh-ing and aah-ing about.  One is a microwavable cobbler (coming soon in another post) and the other is the mug cake below.  Imagine our delight in finding an easy microwavable dessert that satisfied our sweet tooth without great expense or guilt! We hope you will enjoy this dessert as much as we do!

Easy Vegan Peanut Butter Mug Cake (Click HERE for the official recipe)

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 tablespoons peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

In a ceramic mug or glass bowl, mix dry ingredients together, then stir in the almond milk, syrup, vanilla, peanut butter and mix with fork until cake batter consistency. Microwave on high for one minute (more or less, depending on wattage). One minute was perfect in our microwave.

Step 1:  The batter

Step 2:  Hot and delicious, straight from the microwave!

Step 3:  Chocolate chips make this dessert even better!

Chocolate-Lovers Variation
Using the same ingredients above, Joy added 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa to make a chocolate cake, adding chocolate chips after pulling the dessert out of the microwave.  It was SOOOO good!  Although we didn't have any on hand, this would be delicious topped with non-dairy vanilla ice cream.  Steve topped his with marshmallow creme (non-vegan) and said it was to die for!

Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Fiesta Veggie Wraps

After an exceptionally busy day at the office I felt a little wilted and wondered what I would feed my family for dinner.  Three months ago I would have placed on online order with Domino's and stopped by to pick up a barbecue chicken pizza.  But things have changed.  Thankfully my daughter had a better plan -- Fiesta Veggie Wraps!

There's nothing magic about these tasty and nutritious wraps.  Just gather together some of your favorite ingredients and get creative!  Remember, it's all about whole foods, variety, and flavor.  We've provided a few photos to get you started.

SUGGESTED INGREDIENTS:

Whole wheat tortillas
Avocado (mashed) or Hummus
Black beans
Whole kernel corn
Lettuce (we used spinach we had on hand)
Tomatoes
Sweet peppers (Joy didn't have them, but I did)
Salsa (on the tortilla and/or with chips)
Banana pepper slices, onions (not pictured)

STEPS:
1.  Chop / dice / shred ingredients as desired
2.  Load up a tortilla with ingredients of your choice
3.  Enjoy!

 



Copyright 2016 by Dee Dee Wike and Joy Wike. All rights reserved. www.feelingveggiegood.com

Thinking Outside the Box

One of the things we love about our vegan adventure is the chance to try new foods and think outside the box when it comes to meals. Recently, as I was headed out the door to work, Joy asked me what my thoughts were for dinner.  I replied, "I don't know." But before I completed the short drive to the office I already had a plan working and by the end of the day we had created our first vegan recipe!

Remembering that we had some leftover basmati rice from the night before, I began concocting a recipe that turned out to be a hit, not only with Joy but also with my skeptical husband.  It's a simple, one-skillet meal that we are calling "Twice as Nice Rice."  It's easy, economical, hearty, and flavorful!

INGREDIENTS:
Boca Veggie Ground Crumbles
Black beans (1 can, rinsed and drained)
Rotel tomatoes (1 can, undrained)
Sliced mushrooms
Sweet peppers (or bell peppers, sliced)
Onions (sliced)
Cooked brown rice (we used basmati rice)
Salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, other spices, to taste

STEPS:
1.   In large non-stick skillet, prepare Boca Veggie Ground Crumbles as directed on package.

2.  Add black beans, rotel tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, sliced onions, reduce heat and simmer until onions, peppers, and mushrooms are tender.

3.  Stir in cooked rice and season to taste using salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin or other spices of your choice, to taste.

4.  If needed to prevent sticking, or if you like a little liquid in a dish like this, add some water while cooking.

SERVE with a garden salad or fresh fruit and enjoy!  Leftovers heat up beautifully!

Of course, you can customize a dish like this easily. All you need to do is "think outside the box" to create a little magic with your leftovers!