I finished this blog this morning spending two hours on it only for WordPress to fail and erase a huge chunk of data. So, I went for a ride.
Friday Morning Ride
I’ve been making kick-ass Chili for at least (well documented) five years now. It has only truly been documented a few times, but I mastered my style of chili probably ten years ago I just never knew it until around 5 years ago. I used to make this kick-ass DIP (for chips) using nothing but chicken and actual veggies working in a restaurant kitchen. You know, against the rules kitchen food, to feed the staff. And from there after plugging the concept in with chili type ideas, my style of Chili was born.
I cannot believe I had the mindset, at more than one points in the past, to keep my cheffing secrets, secrets until they made me millions. I have now forever retired from a kitchen that I do not own. Might as well share and help someone develop their own style.
October is kind of a HUGE month for me. The month includes or almost includes:
- Trek HulkRip 2nd Birthday (Sept 22nd)
- Trek Darth Vader 1st Birthday (Oct 30th)
- 1000 Vegetarian Day (Oct 26th)
- 100 Vegan Day (Oct 16th)
When your own personal well-being is healthy and you truly feel well, it makes life much easier. I feel when healthier than not, stress levels are down and energy levels are up.
Since making a Vegetarian lifestyle change, I’ve noticed extremely better health vitals and weight loss without a true workout routine, other than cycling. Every time that I donate blood (Double Red Cell), I am assured my once moderately high blood pressure is still low. My gym is adventure. My gym is outdoors.
Chili Secrets:
- Use Vegetables instead of powders
- Use lots of Vegetables
- Chop everything yourself, don’t be a lazy ass
- Marinate on lowest of simmers for hours
- Drink a good Beer
It shouldn’t necessarily be about ourselves as it should be about the animals, about the environment and truly realizing and comprehending the bigger picture. There is an impact bigger than just one person, cutting out meat/dairy or even just consuming less.
Chili ingredients (2009):
- Ground Turkey, eewwwwww
- Bell Peppers, diced
- Hot Peppers, diced
- Onion, diced
- Salt/Pepper
- Water sometimes Chicken broth
- Beans
- Corn
- Tomatoes, stewed, diced or chopped (can)
- Cilantro, chopped
- Cheddar Cheese, gross
I’ve made different variations through the years. Creating a creamier sauce with adding Cheese until last year. I made Lentili without butter or oil and almost Vegan. I think I added Cheese that wasn’t completely Vegan.
Ever find an artist (music band) that makes you super excited after you find out the length of their discography to listen to. And only an eighth of their music is what you want and the rest is garbage. I really appreciate good bands that can stay consistently different through the years. Not sounding the same on every album, but not changing their roots either.
mewithoutyou
Yam Lentili ingredients:
- Garlic, diced finely
- Onion, diced
- Celery, diced
- Carrot, diced
- Hot Peppers – Jalapeño, Serrano, Poblano, Chipotle (in Adobo), diced
- Bell Peppers – Green, Red, Yellow, Orange, diced
- Veggie Broth, splashy
- Tomatoes, deseeded & chopped
- Day, mmmmmm
- Kale, chopped
- Cilantro, chopped or frozen cubes 🙂 lots
- SeaSalt/Pepper
- Parsley, chopped
- BalsamicVinegar/Sriracha/Sugar
- Sweet Potato, chopped and baked on parchment paper
- I think I added Mushrooms, sliced
- Lentils, Red (split) & Green 🙂
I ain’t here to give cooking lessons. Use your imagination and have FUN! I did also make kick-ass Vegan Corn Bread. Seriously, play with your food!
Ⓥ Cream Corn ingredients:
- Corn, kernels
- Cashew ‘Milk’
- Earth balance, ‘Butter’
- SeaSalt/Sugar/ChipotleP/Onion&GarlicP/NutritionalYeast
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Flour
- Onion, diced
- Parsley, chopped
- Corn Meal
- Parsley, chopped
I just mixed everything together, covered and set out for a good hour.
ⓋornBread ingredients:
- Balsamic Vinegar & Sriracha
- Flour & Sugar
- Corn Meal
- Poblano Pepper, just a little & diced
- Cilantro, diced
- Baking Powder & Soda
- Ⓥ Cream Corn
Simply mixed together and baked.
Lentili Colcannon ingredients:
- Yam Lentili
- Potatoes, red & russet roasted
- Cashew ‘milk’
- Daiya, mmmm
- Onion, diced
- Jalapeño, diced
- Garlic, diced
- Corn
- Parsley & Cilantro, chopped finally finely
- Grape Tomatoes
- SeaSalt/Pepper/BalsamicVinegar/Sriracha
- OnionP/GarlicP/Sugar
Balls & Strikes:
- I dry roasted and did not add any oil. I used one pan with PARCHMENT PAPER:) Added things at different times because not all veggies roast in the same time. I then mixed everything together and topped with Yam Lentili. I did not roast the Grape Tomatoes. I heated them up in the Cashew ‘milk’.
10.07.15 I’m taking my love for Chicago-style dawgs and Vegan lifestyle to another level tonight as the Chicago Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates in a wildcard matchup. The Cubs, not being in the post-season since 2008, are a stellar team this season.
10.08.15 The Chicago Cubs won and Jake Arrieta threw a complete game SHO (shutout). Jake has shown a poise that I’ve never seen from a Cubs pitcher. His confidence and simply his persona on the mound sometimes gives me goosebumps. The Chicago Cubs acquired Jake (and Pedro Strop) from the Baltimore Orioles on July 2, 2013 for Steve Clevenger and Scott Feldman. At the time I was sad to see Feldman go, but heard both Arrieta and Strop had potential. Arrieta pitched well the remainder of 2013 and 2014. He went 14-7 with a 2.81 ERA (Earned Runs x 9(innings in a game) ÷ IP (Innings Pitched)). And his numbers are in for 2015 with a whopping 22 wins to only 6 losses. Having the best stats ever after the all-star break. Baseball has been around since the 19th century. Baseball has been a game for a few minutes.
I have created the Ⓥ Jake Arrieta’s. Ⓥ=Vegan. I made five of these monsters being strong, consistent & extremely healthy. The Ⓥ Jake Arrieta is a friendly neighborhood Char Dawg.
Chicago-style Relish ingredients:
- Tomato, deseeded and diced
- Cucumber, deseeded and diced
- Onion, diced
- Hot Peppers (Poblano & Jalapeno), deseeded and diced
- Celery Seed
- Celery Salt
- SeaSalt/Pepper/ChipotleP/OnionP/GarlicP
- Poppy Seed
MIX 🙂
Since being close to 100 days Vegan, my body has skyrocketed to amazing well-being and health. I’m going to live for 300 years. And I think that I am shrinking while still being very strong. I can ride a bicycle so much better and faster. My energy level is through the roof. And I feel AMAZING.
Ⓥ Jake Arrieta a Ⓥegan Chicago-style Lentili CharDawg ingredients:
- Chicago-style Relish, mmmm
- Buns, bigger the better
- Daiya, mmmmmmmmmmmmm
- Vegan Hot Dog (I use Lightlife Smart Dogs-JUMBO), charred
- Mustard, organic 🙂
- Lentili, mmmmmmmmmmmmm
- Chipotle Powder, mmmmmm
Extra Innings:
- Cut the ends of your smart dogs to keep from blistering.
- Bake/Broil until your level of char or you patience allows.
- Add already warm Lentili and Daiya and broil.
- Broil Buns if desired, I’m a char-head.
- Top with Chicago Relish, Organic Mustard and Chipotle Powder
I also came up with a salad concept of Roasted Veggies mixed with Romaine and Lentili as the ‘dressing’. It was good. I made Sweet Potato chips with my first batch of Ⓥ Jake Arrieta’s, but I was a little too tipsy to take a decently good pic. Hopefully today is much better with the art of photography. I also made three Dawgs a little different, yesterday. I feel like I’m forgetting some stuff. DAMNIT.
The Cubs play STL in a best of 5 NLDS and I’ve been saying all season that if the Cubs want to win big, they have to be able to destroy STL. And they can. Go CUBBIES & Happy Friday!
This Will Destroy You
And it is now Saturday.. HAPPY SATURDAY!
I came up with yet another Lentili concoction. This one is a Lentili Spudwich.
And these are a concept of eating Lentili without utensils, being Potato bowls filled with Lentili and Daiya!
VeggHead BeerCyclist 