Vegetarian Tex-Mex Chili ~ Meatless Monday

The day I came up with this recipe, I was craving chili.  So, I started throwing things into my big soup pot ~ a little of this and a bit of that...and came up with this satisfying, easy vegetarian version.  Just because it's meatless doesn't mean it's missing any of the full-bodied flavor that I like in my chili.  It was great the first day, and was just as good the next day (maybe even better)...just a little thicker.  Yum!  Either way, it's a tasty bowlful of chili pleasure.   I'm really happy with how this recipe turned out.  Hope you like it, too! ~ Enjoy!

Vegetarian Tex-Mex Chili
makes a big pot full

Chili Ingredients

• 6 cups canned chopped tomatoes, with juice
• 2 cups, ready-to-eat/rehydrated TVP crumbles, 'chicken' or 'beef' (or you favorite meat crumble substitute)
• 1 cup salsa (your favorite kind - optional)
• 1 can chili beans, in sauce
• 1 can kidney beans, with juice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, packed
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 2 Tbsp taco seasoning mix
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt/pepper, to taste

Garnish with ~

• crushed tortilla chips
• fat free Greek yogurt/sour cream
• shredded low fat cheese
• cilantro for garnish

Directions

Add all chili ingredients (tomatoes to garlic) to a large soup pot.  Bring ingredients to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer for about one hour, stirring every so often.  Add a little water, if desired, to get the chili to the thickness you like.  Taste, add salt/pepper as desired.   Serve the chili garnished with ~ a handful of crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro & a dollop of Greek yogurt/sour cream.

One can of Mixed Beans & a pound of hamburger ~ two easy, different meals...

A can of ~ Mixed Beans ~ a pound of hamburger and some of your favorite ethnic ingredients (probably already in your pantry or fridge) and you've got a quick, easy and tasty dinner on the table in no time flat. ~  I like it like that!  How about you?

Sometimes for a quick dinner I'll turn to a can of beans and a pound of ground sirloin.  We have a wonderful local, family-run, village market in our little town and they have an old-fashioned meat counter.  The butchers will cut your meat right when you order it, or you can buy from the well-stocked meat case.  I buy the best quality, tastiest ground beef and it is no more expense than a big-box store (you know I'm talking 'bout you Walmart).  They have a loyal clientele and you can always look forward to a little chit-chat about what's going on around town.  Ahh, life like it used to be...  It's nice to be able to find such a place in this day and age, as well as being able to help out a local business.

I love the convenience and taste of canned beans.  If you're looking for a way to get creative with plain ol' hamburger and beans, this might hit the spot for your family like it does for mine. Enjoy ~ Toot-toot!  : )

I make the hamburger patty round or oval, depending on my mood.  To the ground beef I'll ~ add a handful of bread crumbs, sprinkle in some other seasonings/herb/spices, mix it, shape it and then fry it up.  Once it is cooked, I'll set aside the meat, clean out the pan, then add the beans.  I go to town doctoring them up, re-add the cooked hamburger patty and then let it all simmer for a few minutes so it is heated through before plating it up.  Depending on how you doctor-up the beans, you can get different cuisines.  For this pair of dinners, I used a can of Pinto & Great Northern Mixed Beans.
 

For this meal, I went the Tex-Mex route with the beans ~ doctoring them up with a blend of Mexican herbs and spices, bell peppers and salsa.  When I plated it up, I topped the glorious mess with more salsa, some sour cream and crushed tortilla chips. 

For the other meal I went the Italian route ~ I doctored up the mixed beans with a blend of Italian herbs/spices and sauteed mushrooms. Then ladled the beans over the the hamburger steak when I  plated it up and added fried onions to top it off.

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ high protein & low carb

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ Looking for a high protein / low carb way to start your day?  Give this really quick & easy meal a try!

My stepson, William, is an up & coming actor in Hollywood.  Recently he told me about one of the meals he had while on set & I just had to share it on the blog. This originally started out as a breakfast burrito, but by ordering it without the tomato-basil tortilla, it was turned into the perfect high protein / low carb meal.  I'm calling my version a ~ Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito.  

As soon as William told me about it, I was reminded of how I used to get a 'Naked Burrito' over at the restaurant ~ Chipotle's.  When they first opened up in Colorado, that's how you asked for a burrito minus the tortilla. (this was before they actually sold salads)  The name 'naked burrito' always cracked me up & this is the same method, just for a different meal of the day.  Why didn't I think of this for a breakfast burrito before?  Thanks for sharing your meal idea, William!

Chipotle Scrambled Egg Naked Burrito ~ high protein & low carb

serves one

Layer all ingredients on a plate, starting with...

• sliced tomatoes
• cooked bacon or sliced ham
• scrambled eggs
• grated cheese (optional) 
• shredded lettuce
• sliced avocado (optional ~ I happened to have one in the fridge)

...and ending with ~

• chipotle salsa (or your favorite salsa/hot sauce)

Enjoy your high protein & low carb meal for ~ breakfast, brunch, lunch or a light supper or dinner.

William's original version with maple bacon & La Victoria Chipotle Taco Sauce

Easy Vegetarian Black Bean Tortilla Soup ~ perfect for Meatless Monday

Easy Vegetarian Black Bean Tortilla Soup  ~  Meatless Monday ~  The recipe for this soup uses canned beans & veggies, so it's super quick to throw together for an easy meal for a busy day.  The flavors are great together & there is just enough of a kick if you use the Mild RO*TEL Tomatoes & Chilies, but if you like it even hotter, go for their spicier versions.  (I used Green Jalapeno Tabasco to make mine a little hotter, that way Roy & J could still enjoy it, too)   I'm a fan of using lime juice with Mexican food, so I like to stir in a tablespoon of lime juice, right before I dish it up. 

I top my soup with plain fat free yogurt, fresh cilantro (I also throw some into the soup while it's cooking, I really like cilantro), crumbled tortilla chips & serve it with whole chips on the side.  If you find you have a bunch of tortilla chip shards in the bottom of your chip bag, this is the perfect way to use them up.  Waste not, want not.  :)  

JR's Tex-Mex RO*TEL Salsa

JR's Tex-Mex RO*TEL Salsa   ~  This Tex-Mex salsa is zesty & full of the flavors that make a fresh salsa so great.  It's easy to make & it's perfect with chips, tacos, tostadas, burritos, eggs, chicken, steak, pork ~ just about anything that you want to add some bold,  Mexican flavor/flair to.

My friend, Rick, told me about this really great salsa that his wife, Jeannette, makes.  Since I'm a salsa lover from waaaaaay back, I told him I needed her recipe ~ ASAP.   He promptly gave me the recipe & I made it soon after...and proceeded to eat the whole batch that day...by myself.  (have I ever mentioned that I LOVE fresh salsa??) 

Jeannette's recipe calls for RO*TEL Diced Tomatoes & Chilies & I just so happen to always keep a few cans in my pantry ~ so I knew this was gonna be my kind of salsa.  I think her salsa would be a perfect addition to any party, celebration, buffet, get-together, breakfast, potluck or just because you feel like making some amazing, homemade fresh salsa.  So, if you're looking for a salsa recipe for your 4th of July party ~ look no further...this is the salsa you should be serving.  Be sure to make a lot, because it will be hard to share...  I know, from firsthand knowledge.    :)

Thanks for sharing the recipe, Jeannette & Rick!

JR's Tex-Mex RO*TEL Salsa

makes a big ol' bowl of salsa

• 1   10oz.  can RO*TEL Mild Diced Tomatoes & Chilies  (not everyone in my house can handle the heat of the 'Original' RO*TEL, but you can use your favorite variety/heat level instead)
• 1 small,  7oz.  can chopped/diced green chiles
• 1 really large bunch cilantro, chopped ~ about 1 1/2 cups chopped (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion or green onion, rinsed/drained  (more or less, to taste)
• 3 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice, or to taste  ~ optional  (I added this to her original recipe because I always like the flavor of fresh lime in my salsa)
• 1 tsp avocado oil or olive oil, or to taste  ~ optional  (I added this to her original recipe because I think a little oil helps the flavors to blend together better)
• salt, to taste

• your favorite tortilla chips ~ (Rick & Jeannette like Tostitos Hint of Jalapeño Tortilla Chips) 

 

Add first 6 ingredients together in a big bowl & toss together until completely mixed & then add salt, to taste.

Let salsa sit in the fridge for about 1/2 hour for the flavors to blend.  As it sits, it will create a really flavorful juice in the bottom of the bowl.  Stir well & serve with your favorite chips.    Enjoy!