Once Upon A Time There Was a Chili-Cook-Off...

This past winter, the amazingly creative Anika, of the fabulous "Seattle Vegan Score" blog, (and maybe others, I'm not sure who all), came up with the concept of a Great Seattle Vegan Chili Cook-Off competition and fund-raiser!

And what an AWESOME idea it turned out to be!!

The event was sponsored by groups like Northwest Animal Rights Network (NARN), Seattle Animal Defense League, Action for Animals, and more. The idea behind the cook-off was for all the profits to be used towards putting on Seattle's first Vegan Iron Chef competition, planned for sometime in late 2012. (Similar to the super-cool Vegan Portland Iron Chef event! Woo!)

Turns out Seattle was pretty stoked for the chili cook-off too!! By the day of the event, Sunday, May 15th, the great Seattle Vegan Chili Cook-Off was completely sold out. They sold over 200+ tickets and had to turn 40 people away at the door. A day before the event Anika had so many people begging for tickets, she couldn’t keep up with the emails and tweets. That’s not to mention all the people who discovered the sold out news on the web site and wept silently while ticket holders enjoyed their chili.
So, other than it being an amazing, vegan event, why am I telling you about it?
Well dear readers, I decided, (quite foolishly I thought for a while) to ENTER the Great Vegan Chili Cook-Off.

(See the little red arrow in this photo? Yes, that's me! Caarrrazy!)
Why? Well. Many reasons, the main ones being:

1.) I DO NOT LIKE chili! I had previously made it, what, twice?

2.) I do not like big, loud, noisy, public events (in all seriousness, they make me quite panicky!)

3.) I do not like driving to Seattle.

4.) I don't care for cornbread or beer (also served in abundance at the cookoff).
5.) I don't like talking to people I don't know. Yes, true story.

So, what possessed me? I really have NO idea except I very much wanted to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone - **whew** - a GIANT step out.
I really was scared to DEATH, but in the end, enjoyed myself, and met so many great people!

Yes, after much gnashing of teeth, anxiety riddled tweets to poor Anika, Jess Scone and whoever would listen, and twenty versions of experimental chili tried out on my poor kids... I packed up my crock-pot, my lucky apron, my courage and away I went to the wilds of Seattle.

Annnnnd, after serving bowlful upon bowlful of my chili to a bunch of really cool people, I managed to make it through the event AND.... came home with SECOND PLACE!!!!!

Yes, second! I know! I was absolutely blown away. There were a whole lot of amazing chili cooks there, I think more than 20? And by all reports they were ALL very tasty! SO shocked!

Voting was done by people attending the event. Each had five tickets to distribute as they chose. I want to say a HUGE, HUGE thank-you once again, to those who donated, organised, planned, attended, tasted, voted, pulled-off and conceptualized such a GREAT event!!

In addition to our chilis, the crowd feasted on cornbread, beer and tons of beautiful vegan baked goodies donated just for the event, and grooved to some fun music! Such an incredible idea for a fund-raiser.

You can read much better accounts of everything here: Chili Cook-Off, Vegan Score, and the Cook-Off on Flickr, - please check them out!!

Last but not least; People have asked for my recipe, and while most of you know chili cook-off competitors don't traditionally share their winning secrets, I don't mind sharing the basics, (without a few of my personal "tweaks"). Yes, finally, two weeks later, HERE YOU GO!!

Marti's (2nd) Prize-Winning

New Mexico Green and White 'Chickn' Chili

• 2 cans small white (Great Northern?) beans
• 2 cans white kidney (cannellini) beans
  (OR cook your own beans from dry, this is what I did, but canned is easier for some people)
• 2 cups fresh or frozen white corn kernels
• 4 cups good vegetarian chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 13 oz. container BUENO® Autumn Roast Frozen Hatch New Mexico Green Chiles
  (OR equivalent amount fresh roasted, peeled and chopped poblano peppers OR canned, chopped green chiles)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp. dried, crushed oregano
• 2 7-oz. packages Gardein Chick'n Strips
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped small
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• ½ white onion, finely diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped fine
• 2 jalapeño peppers, minced finely
• 1 habanero pepper, minced VERY fine (ONLY if you want more heat!!)

Drain canned or home-cooked beans. Rinse canned ones. In crock pot or large soup pot, combine beans, chile, corn and broth. The secret here is to get a broth you REALLY like, it'll make or break the end resulting flavor of your chili.
Add bay leaf and oregano and bring to simmer. Let simmer while preparing Gardein "Chick'n".

To prepare Gardein Chick'n, coarsely chop (cut strips aprox. in thirds) the strips and sautee in a bit of oil just until cooked and firmed up. Set aside, let cool a bit and then "shred" randomly with your hands. Spread shredded-crumbled chick'n out on a cookie sheet and place in a low oven (250°F) for about ten - 15 min or until slightly "dried out" just a bit (NOT crispy dry!) and starting to get a bit of light toasty color. This step helps the chick'n hold it's texture in the chili and not disintegrate into mushiness.

Add chick'n to simmering beans. Add another cup of broth if too thick.

In a frying pan, add oil and then sautee bell pepper, garlic, onions, celery and jalapeño (and as much of the habanero you want, if using) over medium heat until soft.

When vegetables are soft, add to bean mixture and continue to simmer on medium-low for about an hour, checking often to make sure it doesn't stick.

Taste and adjust flavors with salt, pepper, lime juice, hot sauce or whatever you think it needs.

Remove bay leaf.

Serve now, or later.

My friend Shaun says chili tastes better if refrigerated overnight so flavors mellow and blend, and then re-heated. I tend to agree. What do I know, I don't like chili, right?

I served this garnished with bright-green Jalapeño-Cilantro Pesto that just MAY have been the actual "winning" factor:

Jalapeño-Cilantro Pesto

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed well
• 3 jalapeños as needed (taste, you want SOME "heat")
• juice from three limes
• 1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic

If you have time, soak the cashews and pumpkin seeds several hours or over night.

Then, blend everything in your food processor until smooth (though still slightly "grainy" is fine).
Drizzle/dollop a couple teaspoons on each bowl of Green-and-White Chili.

"Sanity Saving Tips for Family Mealtime" (Maybe?)

(This is a re-post - Blogger ate my previous post, I don't know WHAT's going on there.)

Anyway - I'm famous.

Or, not really; But I just had my name (and a recipe from my blog) recently mentioned in a published magazine. A small one, but published, nonetheless. Yes. I know. Toot my own horn. Wooooo.

Here's the deal: The lovely Amy Hatch of Seattle's Child recently contacted me on Twitter (yes, you canfollow my randomness too, if you really need to) and asked if I'd do an interview for an article she was doing on "quick, easy and frugal family friendly meals".

I'm sure she said it much more eloquently. At any rate, I agreed.

You can read the subsequent article here: Sanity Saving Tips for Family Mealtime. It's pretty awesome and included similar interviews with several other Seattle-area blogger-Mom-types. Blogs I hadn't read before. And while mine was the only vegan blog, I was honored to be included, the others were awesome, much more professional than mine, and had some GREAT recipe ideas I'm definitely going to try out!! (OK, the "Peeps" bikini probably wouldn't be real easy to vegan-ize - and I'm not sure I want to try, heehee, but some of the actual food recipes, oh heck yes!)

(<<-- Random Chowder picture inserted here because it's a "soup" sorta day here in Seattle).

Anyway, the interview was basically myself, and the other lovely bloggers, talking about frugal, healthy, family-friendly meals (and me; why I'm vegan) - it was fun and painless and hopefully I convinced just a few people that YES!!!!!! you can eat a healthy vegan diet and do it quickly, easily and without breaking the bank!! Of course they may not have had room to include ALL my enthusiastic "Yay! Go Vegan!!" comments, but I'm still happy with the end result.

I really do try to make almost all my posts frugal, budget-and-family-friendly, but I've also done a few other "extreme budgeting" posts that might be helpful, if you're interested, here and here....

Happy Wednesday. I've been cooking up a storm, stay tuned!

Crio Brü brewed chocolate - YUM!

Mmmmmmmmmm. Chocolate for breakfast.

I recently recieved some lovely samples of Crio Brü, an interesting new product that is simply ground cocoa beans that you brew JUST LIKE COFFEE!

I was SUPER-excited to try this stuff because I'm 1.) trying to cut back on coffee, 2.)crazy about all things chocolate, and 3.)lately have been reading about and interested in the antioxidant properties in cocoa beans (any excuse for MORE chocolate).

The fine folks at Crio Brü (check out their website) advertise their product as "...made from 100%, perfectly roasted cocoa beans. Nothing more, nothing less. No sugar, no chemicals, no dairy. Although Crio Brü roasts the cocoa beans, many of the health benefits found in its natural state are preserved, giving you a superior product with sky-high antioxidants, abundant minerals and healthy energy."

And while I'm not a nutritionist, I do know cocoa has good stuffs in it; I appreciate the fact that this probably IS a great way to get a good dose of all that good stuff, and I love that there's less of the crazy-making (for me) properties of coffee. And most important, CHOCOLATE yumminess.

After all, the ancient Mayans and Aztecs brewed chocolate based beverages much like this and called it the 'Drink of the Gods' so it HAD to be good, right?

So, what did I think?
Experiment #1:
Following the package directions, and using my French Press coffee maker, I brewed myself some Crio Brü.

I will say my first batch wasn't very strong or dark, almost tea-colored, but still had a heavenly chocolate-cocoa smell and a nice, though mild chocolate flavor. Remember this isn't "Americanized", mucked up, sweetened, artificially flavored or diluted with dairy products. Just plain, pure, mild cocoa flavor. (OK, I did add just a bit of raw sugar and almond milk to my second cup - think it brought out the cocoa flavor and I liked it just a bit better.)

I'm sure mixing it with your regular coffee would produce amazing results as well, though use a French Press or coffee maker with one of those permanent gold filter thingies. From reading other reviewds, this doesn't work especially well with your standard paper filter.

Experiment #2:
I decided to brew (make? press?) a second batch the next morning, adding just a tad bit more ground cocoa beans to make a stronger brew.
However, shortly after putting it into the French Press, all sorts of kitchen chaos ensued involving a dog, a garbage can and leftover spaghetti, so I completely forgot about my little pot of brewed cocoa beans...

I came back to it about three hours later and it was cold (sadly) BUT, the crushed beans had soaked in the bottom of the French Press and brewed into a dark, coffee colored beverage that I couldn't wait to try! I am not sure this is a "Crio Brü recommended" method, but after reheating, this time, the drink was AMAZING!!
Much more cocoa-chocolate-y flavored, dark and rich. More like what I had expected the first time. I added a splash of almond milk and was good to go. I think I'll do this from now on!
Remember, this is a brewed cocoa drink not the murky, muddy Americanized hot chocolate you may be used to. Enjoy the subtleties!!

Experiment #3:
Now that spring has sprung some warmer weather, I'm finishing up my samples over ice, still using the "leave it sit in the pot for an hour or so" method to steep as much flavor and chocolate from the beans as possible. Add some milk of your choice, sweetener if you need it, and pour over ice. DELICIOUS, refreshing and so VERY much better for you than coffee. I'm not entirely sure that iced brings out ALL the subtle under-notes, but it's still delicious in a mild, unsweet-but-not-bitter chocolate-y way. Yes, I realize I really suck at coming up with descriptive adjectives here.

Experiment #4:
I took some of my last precious Crio Brü stash to New Mexico when I visited my coffee-addicted guy, Shaun. Fortunately he has as much curiosity as I do, and was willing to forgo his usual morning coffee ritual to try this new product. We brewed it in a French Press as I had previously done - but Shaun scientifically determined an entirely NEW method to get maximum chocolate impact: If you only filled the French Press about 1/3 full of water and then let it sit a good hour or so - THEN added the rest of the hot water, and brewed ("pressed"?) as always, you got a hot beverage with all the chocolate flavor and subtle side notes, just as the package described, and no reheating needed. Hints of cinnamon, coconut, yes, even my unsophisticated palate picked up on those. We added a bit of So Delicious coconut creamer which, in the end, is the PERFECT touch. Shaun finished off the last of my stash, he LOVED it.

My final thoughts?
YUM! This makes a great, unique, new addition to the "hot beverage" line-up in anyone's pantry, it's low in calories, won't keep you buzzed all night, and it's GOOD for you!!
If you want to check out the antioxidant and other health benefits that chocolate has, want some chocolate IN your coffee, want an alternative to coffee, you just like chocolate, or for any reason whatsoever,..... GO!!
GET SOME OF THIS STUFF! NOW!!
RUN, order off line, google a search... but ABSOLUTELY try it as soon as you can. I'm not meaning to sound like some sort of Infommercial, I swear, but the stuff is really that good!! I'm seriously completely hooked (but not in a caffeinated, coffee sort of way) and can't WAIT for my next order to arrive.