We'll see about that!

WWHFDLN

So, I made some chili. Had a hankerin' for chili.

My latest favorite way to have chili is to use pineapple in it. And cocoa. And chocolate.

I had this can of jackfruit in syrup waaaaay in the back of my pantry and I thought I'd substitute the jackfruit for the pineapple. Some vegans have used it in BBQ as a sort of meat substitute.

Well, it turned out okay, except sort of strangely stringy. I think the jackfruit is a fibrous fruit and the stringy (like cat-hair thin, not like in those pictures) aspect was a little off putting. The taste was great, though. But next time, I'll probably just use pineapple again. At least I got the spice ratios worked out for a tasty chili supper.

Plus, I had it with Grandma's Cornbread Made Vegan, so who can complain? I make it just like the recipe, except without the egg replacer. Bah, egg replacer. If you have a cast iron skillet, I highly recommend you make this cornbread right away!

Jackfruit Chili

1 20 oz can jackfruit in syrup (the sweet kind)
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T oil
1/4 C TVP
2 C water
1 ancho chile, deseeded
1 T chocolate chips
1 1/2 t cocoa
1 t cumin
1 t salt
1/2 t cinnamon

Saute your onion, then garlic. Add cumin, cinnamon, chile, chocolate chips, cocoa and salt.
Cut up the jackfruit into smaller pieces.
Add the beans, tomatoes, jackfruit, TVP and water amd mix well.
Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer until thick.


Here is a Crusty Potato Galette. I used some of the suggestions from the comments and made a few changes...

I shredded the potato. I rolled it up in 2 teatowels and squeezed out as much liquid as I could (that was fun!). I tossed, in a large Ziplock, all the potatoes and some oil. I sauteed a red onion with some garlic and the rosemary and tossed that in the bag as well, with the potatoes. I should have tossed in some salt and a little pepper. As it turns out, I salted and peppered every layer and ended up over salting and over peppering it up.

But it was still pretty good.

Those yellow beans were blanched and frozen from this summer. Gotta remember how good it is to crack those puppies up when it's January! So yummy! Served naked, (no, not me! the BEANS) they were deliciously sweet.

I must admit I am having an affair on "Infinite Jest". I justified it to myself (oh, isnt' that always the way!) because I did not want to lug that behemoth to the gym. So I started reading "The Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" and it's pretty fun so far. A complete stranger at the gym confessed she has started it 3 times and has yet to finish it! Well, we'll see about that!