Mexicali Chili, Cilantro-Lime Rice and Ranchero Sauce on FOX-17

Fresh, Organic Whole Food Ingredients
Carrots, kale and oregano still being harvested from our garden.

Want warm and cozy comfort food but also trying to stay on a healthy diet? You’ve come to the right place!

In fact, you can have all of the above plus it’s QUICK and EASY to make. Just dust off that slow cooker and consider investing in a rice cooker. Let the equipment do the work for you, even while you sleep.

Yesterday,Tim Doty and Michele DeSelms, news anchors at FOX-17, asked me a few questions about the challenges of maintaining a plant-based (vegetarian/vegan) diet in the fall and winter. Chili to the rescue!

Check out our segment, by clicking here.

The set smelled so good that I was ladling my chili and spooning my rice into all sorts of creative “To-Go” containers (or should I say “To-Stay”, since I was the one who was leaving) for the staff at the station! Michele wrapped up the 5PM news with her cup of chili down by her feet, out of camera shot.

News anchors, Tim Doty and Michele DeSelms, and I dish on
plant-based comfort food.

Mexicali Chili
Served over Cilantro-Lime Rice and garnished with Ranchero Sauce.

Mexicali Chili

(V/GF)

Makes 4 Quarts

Straight from the garden and into the chili-pot! Plant-based cuisine does not have to be cold, wet and soggy. Warm your cockles with this hearty, chunky chili. And, who doesn’t crave a little chocolate when the temperature starts to drop?

Ingredients:

1 C Black beans

1 C Kidney beans

1 C Pinto beans

1-2 Onions, white and medium sized

3 Garlic cloves

1 T EVOO

1 Jalapeño pepper (with seeds to taste)

2 Poblano peppers (seeded)

1 Red Pepper (seeded)

2 Carrots, large

3 Celery stalks

2 T Cumin

2 T Chili Powder

1 T Mexican Oregano, dried

1 t Cinnamon

1 T Cacao powder (chocolate)

2 C Roasted Tomatoes

4 C Vegetable stock

2-4 C Water

Sea Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Garnish:

Creamy Ranch Dressing

Serve:

On a bed of dark leafy greens and with cilantro lime rice.

Directions:

Beans:

• Wash thoroughly and check for pebbles.

• Place in slow cooker.

Vegetables & Spices:

• In a food processor, pulse onion/s and garlic with the s-blade into a diced consistency. Do not over-process.

• Heat EVOO in a sauté pan.

• Add chopped onions and garlic to pan.

• While above is cooking, in a food processor, pulse all peppers with the s-blade into a diced consistency. Do not over-process.

• Add peppers to pan and sauté until tender.

• Add all spices and sauté two minutes or until your kitchen smells fabulous!

Slow Cooker:

• Add contents of sauté pan to the slow cooker.

• Add vegetable stock to the slow cooker.

• Cover with water 1” above beans.

• Set on high for 6 hours.

• Check periodically and add water if necessary.

• Add spices, salt and pepper to taste

Mexicali Chili Salad
An easy way to eat dark, leafy greens but still get the
cozy warmth of chili and rice.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

(V/GF)

Makes 4 Cups

A simple way to make a side of rice more exciting! Plus, adding more fresh greens to a meal is always a good thing. Great for the taste buds and great for the body.

Ingredients:

2 C Jasmine Rice

Water

Sea salt

1 C Cilantro

1-2 Garlic cloves

2 T Lime juice

1 T EVOO

Directions:

Rice:

• Rinse rice and add it to a rice-cooker.

• Fill to the appropriate line with filtered water.

• Add a pinch of sea salt.

• Follow the manufacturers directions for your specific rice cooker.

Cilantro-Lime Dressing:

• While rice is cooking, add cilantro, garlic and lime juice to a food processor fitted with the s-blade and pulse.

• Slowly pour in EVOO to the blade.

Serving:

• When rice is done cooking, fold dressing into rice, fluff with a fork and serve.

Ranchero Sauce
More greens and even sprouts, raw and delicious!

Ranchero Sauce

(V/GF/R)

Makes 1 Cup

This is an extremely versatile recipe. It can be a plant-based yogurt sauce, sour cream, or even a great herbed dip depending on how the ingredients are adjusted. The base recipe is quite simple and the ingredients can always be on hand. It can be customized to your unique taste and created many different ways.

Ingredients:

3/4 C Raw cashews, soaked

1/3 C Lemon juice

2-4 Garlic cloves

1/8 C Sprouts

Celtic Sea Salt to taste

Purified water to desired consistency

**********************

3 Scallions

or 1/2 C Cilantro

or 1/2 C Dill

or 1 Jalapeno