healthy superbowl feast February 8, 2010
Posted by molly in : mexican, particularly random , trackbackbelieve it or not, the superbowl is realllllly not a big deal in england. i know. shocking! but i still wanted to enjoy the day as though it was a normal superbowl sunday by having some friends over and cooking up some classics. with a pretty healthy twist of course.
the main part of the meal was a vegan chili, based on the fitnessista’s sweet potato and black bean version. of course, i had to up the ingredients a bit to feed 9 hungry mouths, but the main southwestern flavours were there. i also whipped up some cornbread, based on the veganomicon recipe but with a few minor adjustments (the main one being that i used goat’s milk instead of soy milk, making it non-vegan…). and my friend suzanne whipped up her fantastic guacamole. she’ll tell you all about her recipe on another day!
phil and i also made some homemade hummus with crudites. i’d say this was the best hummus yet. i’m so glad i have leftovers for lunch today. i think the secret ingredient is paprika, and lots of it.
overall, i think this was a great meal – for any occasion, not just an american sporting event! congrats have to go to the saints, who i was totally rooting for. unfortunately, i fell asleep at 2am, missing the last hour (perhaps the most exciting hour too, by the looks of it)! and thanks to tom and lucy for staying over and powering through 
on with the recipes.
cornbread
based on the recipe from veganomicon
the particulars:
- 2 cups whole goat’s milk (can use soy milk instead)
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups cornmeal (i used white instead of yellow)
- 1 cup spelt flour (can use plain flour)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup oil (i used coconut oil)
- preheat the oven to 350F/ gas mark 4. either use a cast-iron skillet or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. i used a 9-inch round foil pan for mine. but usually this would be square. i guess i’m just a cornbread maverick.
- combine the milk and vinegar in a jug and set aside to curdle.
- in a large mixing bowl, sift together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. make a well in the centre and add the milk mixture and oil. use a wooden spoon to mix together until just combined. some lumps are okay.
- pour the batter into the prepared skillet or pan. bake for 35-40 minutes, until a knife inserted through the middle comes out clean. remove from the oven and let cool before serving.
sweet potato & black bean chili
based on the recipe from the fitnessista, with adjustments. this serves about 8 people. i forgot to take a picture while it was cooking!!! fail!
the particulars:
- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 red chilis, roughly chopped (seeds included)
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, seeded and chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 cans black beans (with liquid)
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp cumin
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- salt and pepper
- juice of 1 lime
- heat some vegetable oil in a large pot. add the onions and garlic; cook until translucent. add the carrots, celery, chili, and peppers. sprinkle the chili powder, cumin, paprika, and cayenne on top. cook for about 5 minutes. throw in the sweet potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes.
- add the cans of beans and tomatoes, as well as some salt and pepper. bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, put a cover on top, and leave to cook for 20 minutes. stir occasionally.
- after 20 mins, take the cover off, continuing to simmer and stir every so often. after another 15 minutes, the chili will be done and ready to serve. OR
- leave to cook for up to 2 more hours. alternate with the cover off or on, depending on how liquidy you want the chili. the sweet potatoes will eventually start to disintegrate the longer you leave it, giving it a nice hearty texture.
- before serving, squeeze the lime juice in, adjust the seasoning and spices to your taste, and stir through.
- serve with rice and/or cornbread.
lesson learned: yumsville, usa. population: anyone who was in my living room last night.
Comments»
Glad to see you’re keeping up the good old American tradition….and how about them Saints? xo
I AM MAKING THAT CHILI
@naomi – yes you must! it is soooooo good
[...] more you cook it, the more it will resemble black bean chili, so it’s up to you depending on what consistency you’re going [...]