Winning Chili Recipe

Here's the recipe for the chili that won the 'Best Overall Chili' award at Saturday's cook-off. Thanks to Valerie for sharing it!

Valerie's Sweet ‘n Smoky 3-Bean Chili

4 large onions, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped

3 Tbls coconut oil

1 Tbls each mustard powder and chili powder

¼ tsp each cumin and cocoa powder

½ cup tvp granules

1- 15 oz can diced tomatoes

1 4 oz can diced green chiles

1 baked yam, flesh scooped out, mashed

3- 15 oz cans beans(kidney, white, and black), undrained, and ½ cup water

1 cup of your favorite sweet BBQ sauce

1 6 oz. can tomato paste

2 Tbls Agave Nectar

2 Tbls Braggs Liquid Aminos(or soy sauce)

1 tsp liquid smoke

Tabasco sauce(optional)

salt(optional)

In a 5 or 6 quart kettle, cook onions, garlic, and green pepper in oil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until the onions and garlic are golden and the green pepper is soft. Add tvp granules and stir until coated.

Add mustard powder and cook, stirring for one minute. Add chili powder, cumin, cocoa, cinnamon, tomatoes with their liquid, chilies, mashed yam,beans and their liquid,tomato paste and BBQ sauce. Stir until well blended, then add agave, Braggs, and liquid smoke.

Reduce the heat and simmer rapidly, uncovered for about 40 minutes or until most of the liquid has cooked away and the chili has thickened. Stir often to keep it from scorching.**

Season with salt to taste and enjoy with your favorite chili toppings.

Variation:

After simmering the chili for 15-20 minutes, pour entire mixture into a crock pot and cook 4-6 hours or overnight on a low to medium setting. This allows the flavors to "marry" even more and really breaks down the onions to a very soft, almost creamy consistency.

**Feel free to taste throughout the cooking process, adding more of any of the seasonings to your liking. Make it your own!

Fun Times at the HVS Chili Cook-Off

We had a great time at our first Humboldt Vegetarian Society Chili Cook-Off yesterday. Thanks so much to everyone who attended, and especially to those who entered the cook-off. Here are the talented winners of the event -

(left-right) Valerie McGowan, Suzanne Crothers, & Holly Young,
winners of the 2010 Vegan Chili Cook-Off

Valerie won in the 'Best Overall Chili' category with her delicious three bean chili (recipe coming soon). Suzanne's white bean chili took the 'Best Mild Chili' category, and Holly took the award for both the 'Best Spicy Chili' and 'Most Unique' with a delicious sweet potato chili. Congratulations ladies, and enjoy your prizes!

The Tart Recipe

Here's a link to the recipe for the fruit tart I brought to the cook-off yesterday, for those of you who requested it. ~Tamara

February 20th - Chili Cook-Off!!!

On Saturday, February 20th at noon, the Humboldt Vegetarian Society will host a vegan chili cook-off and potluck at the Humboldt Area Foundation Community Center, 373 Indianola Road in Bayside.

This event is open to the public and is free of charge. Attendees should bring one or two vegan dishes to share (either a pot of chili to enter in the contest, or a side dish or dessert), as well as their own plates, cups, and utensils. (Vegan means no animal products, including meat, fish, dairy, eggs, honey, etc.) Prizes will be awarded to the best chili chefs.

The Humboldt Vegetarian Society is a group of vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores who meet monthly to share delicious vegan food, recpies, and good company. For more information, please visit their website at www.HumboldtVeg.blogspot.com.

2010 Event Schedule

This is our schedule of events for the rest of this year:

Sunday, September 19th at 3:00
2nd Annual Vegan Ice Cream Party at Tamara's house in Bayside

Friday, October 1st at 6:00
Adults' dinner out at Chapala Cafe in Eureka (corner of 2nd and C Streets)

October (exact date, time, & location TBA)
Potluck and film hosted by Valerie in Eureka

We're also hoping to do a cooking class with Jennifer Raymond at the HAF Community Center sometime in October

November (exact date & time TBA, probably the 20th or 21st)
2nd Annual Vegan Thanksgiving
HAF Community Center

December (exact date, time, & location TBA)
Holiday cookie exchange hosted by Heather in Eureka

SHS Humane Gourmet

For the last couple of years, the Sequoia Humane Society has been hosting a fundraiser called the 'Humane Gourmet'. I haven't attended personally in the past, but I've heard that it's an upscale vegetarian meal, plus entertainment (live music, I think?) and some kind of auction event. In the past, the vegan offerings have been somewhat scarce, but things are set to change this year. (Yay!)

The event will take place on Saturday, January 30th at the Eureka Women's Club, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

This year's chef will be the wonderful and talented Jennifer Raymond, who runs the Humboldt Spay/Neuter Network and has authored various vegan cookbooks including The Peaceful Palate. (I also give Jennifer full credit for my own conversion to veganism some eight or so years ago.)

Thank in large part to Jennifer's involvement, this year's menu will be almost completely vegan. I'll post ticket sales information here as soon as I have it, but in the meantime I want to help get the word out that Jennifer is looking for volunteers to help with food preparation, food serving, clean-up, etc. If you would like to volunteer your services for this exciting fundraiser, or if you have any questions, please contact Jennifer directly.

Upcoming Classes & Film Screenings at the Eureka Co-op

I got my copy of the Co-op News the other day, and it looks like there are some veg-friendly cooking classes,workshops, and interesting film screenings coming up...

Cooking Classes

Saturday, January 16 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Ayurvedic Cooking for Health
Traci Webb; $40/$30 Co-op Members

Tuesday, February 23 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Vegan Southern Influence
Chef Elizabeth Nester; $30/$20 Co-op Members

Tuesday, March 16 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Eastern Cuisine: Vegan Style
Chef Elizabeth Nester; $30/$20 Co-op Members

Workshops

Wednesday, January 6 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Cooking with Whole Grains - Long Grain Brown Rice & Rye Berries
Co-op Staff Instruction; $10/Free Co-op Members

Saturday, January 9 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Smart Shopping Workshop - The Good Food Buzz on Citrus
Jonna Kitchen, RD & Chef Alex Bergovic; $10/Free Co-op Members

Saturday, February 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Smart Shopping Workshop - The Good Food Buzz on Heart Health
Jonna Kitchen, RD & Chef Alex Bergovic; $10/Free Co-op Members

Saturday, March 13 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Smart Shopping Workshop - Beans & Lentils
Jonna Kitchen, RD & Chef Alex Bergovic; $10/Free Co-op Members

Movies & Munchies
Register online at www.northcoastco-op.com or by calling 707-443-6027. Movies & Munchies is FREE to Co-op Members.

Friday, January 8 at 6:00 p.m.
Fresh
A call to action from farmers, philosophers, and business people who are reinventing our food systems.

Friday, January 29 at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Fast Food Nation
A satirical commentary on popular fast food chains and their impact on meat production and working conditions.

Friday, February 12 at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
The World According to Monsanto
A thorough documentary about how Monsanto is taking over the food chain.

Friday, February 26 at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
The Price of Sugar
Examines the human costs associated with producing cheap sugar.

Friday, March 12 at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Meat the Truth
Exposes the negative effect livestock farming has on climate change.

Friday, March 26 at 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Eating Alaska
A serious and humorous film about a vegetarian from the city who moves to Alaska to eat locally and reconnect to the wilderness.