I’ve been in the mood to eat more veggies recently.   I think it’s my body’s way of telling me to get healthy and not let these dreary winter months weigh on me.  When I want to eat healthy(ish) there are a few cookbooks that I turn to including The Whole Foods Market [...]]]>

I’ve been in the mood to eat more veggies recently.   I think it’s my body’s way of telling me to get healthy and not let these dreary winter months weigh on me.  When I want to eat healthy(ish) there are a few cookbooks that I turn to including The Whole Foods Market Cookbook , Supernatural Foods, and more recently, Veganomicon.

I’d been wanting to make some Mexican food for the past couple of week so when I saw this Chili recipe I figured I’d give it a shot.  It sounded just bizarre enough that it had the potential to be delicious.  I mean tomatillos, green apples, white beans and cilantro? YUM!  Or maybe not?  I was willing to give this a try.

Now, if you’ve read my blog before you’ve noticed that I’m not vegan.  So when I make vegan recipes I make certain substitutions.  Not like substituting steak for carrots but I’ll use chicken broth instead of vegetable broth, which is what I did here.  Other than that I followed the recipe.

The results were good.  Not AMAZING but good.  My mom did NOT love it at all though.  She thought it was a joke – I’m not sure why.  I didn’t serve this with anything but next time (if there is a next time) I’d make some cornbread or serve with nacho chips.  The potatoes and beans make this a substantial dish but I could use a bit more of something.  Also, I didn’t garnish with avocado.  That could have been key and I missed it.

Rating: ***1/2 (out of 5)

Check out what others had to say about this recipe…
An Omnivore Cooks the Veganomicon
The Vegetable Diaries
We Heart Food

Manzana Chili Verde

1 lb baby Yukon golds, cut into 1/2? pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced small
3 jalapeños, seeded and sliced thinly
2 poblano peppers, seeded and chopped into 1? pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp salt
1 cup dry white wine
1 lb tomatillos, papery skin removed, washed, chopped into 1/2? to 3/4? pieces
2 Granny Smith apples, cored, quartered, and sliced thinly
2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/4 cup shopped scallions
1 15-oz can small white beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lime
Avocado slices for garnish

Place the chopped potatoes in a small saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Let boil, covered, for a little less than 20 minutes, until the potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute the onion, jalapeños, and poblanos in oil for about 10 minutes, until everything is softened and the onions are slightly browned.
Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and salt. Saute for 1 more minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the white wine and tomatillos, raise the heat a bit to let the wine reduce and the tomatillos release their juices, about 5 minutes.
Add the apples, vegetable broth, scallions, and 1/2 cup of the cilantro. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.
Use an immersion blender to partially puree everything, or transfer half the chili to a food processor and puree, then return to the pot.
Taste for tartness: if bitter, add a teaspoon or two of sugar to level things out. Add the cooked potatoes and the beans, simmer for a few more minutes, until everything is heated through.
Add the remaining cilantro and the lime juice. Ladle into bowls, garnish with the avocado and scallions, and serve.

(From Veganomicon)