Smoky veggie chilli with tofu and kidney beans

A lot of people ask me what I eat on a daily basis on a vegetarian and gluten free diet, so I thought it might be fun to share what a typical day looks like for me. For an omnivore, I can see how my diet could seem restrictive – heck, I used to be one of those omnivores who couldn’t fathom the possibility of dinner without meat! But as I’ve talked about before in this space, I truly believe that it is so important to follow a routine that works for your body, and recognise that every body is unique. My motivation for eating the way I do will be different than the next person – for me, health is at the top of my priority list, both for my body and for the planet.

So what does a normal day look like for me?

Breakfast

First, I wake up and have water and coffee. For breakfast, I usually have a smoothie, overnight oats or chia pudding with fruit. If I’ve been baking that week, I’ll swap in my typical breakfast for a slice of gluten free banana bread (like I did this morning), or if I’m really short on time I might opt for gluten free toast with nut butter and honey.

Lunch

Lunch is often some sort of salad or leftovers from the night before – and lately since I haven’t been working and have a bit more time on my hands, I’ll often have eggs with greens or an omelette. The key requirement is that it’s got to be loaded with greens!

Snacks

My favourite afternoon snacks include carrot sticks or rice cakes with hummus, nut and seed mixes, power balls, fresh fruit, kale chips, popcorn or the occasional bag of hummus chips!

Dinner

For dinner, I like to make stews packed with veggies (like this smoky veggie chilli), marinated tofu with grains (quinoa and brown rice are favourites) and vegetables, frittatas with lots of veggies or seasonal soups, with the odd pasta/polenta dinner thrown into the mix every once in a while. After dinner, it’s a piece of dark chocolate, some fruit and herbal tea. I almost always end the day with herbal tea (my favourite lately is fresh lemon verbena from the garden), as I find it a super relaxing way to wind down from the day.

When thinking about food, I like to make sure to make sure that my meals are fibre-rich, loaded with vegetables of all colours and include good sources of protein, like nuts, seeds, beans, tofu and eggs.

As I mentioned in the dinner section above, one of my favourite dinner options is to make a big batch of chilli and a big batch of grains (like quinoa). I’ll make enough for a couple dinners and lunches, and that way there’s a healthy option sitting in the fridge when life gets crazy or when motivation levels are low – which happens to everyone! Recently I’ve been thinking about adding a bit more texture to my chilli, and I wanted to do something with tofu to boost the protein-factor. I got the idea to marinate the crumbled tofu in spices and ketchup from a restaurant I used to go to when I lived in Ottawa called the Manx. They make these killer tofu and nut tacos, so I wanted to re-create something similar for the marinade. I recently bought some nice old-fashioned ketchup that I thought would add a lot of flavour, alongside some tamari and oregano. And just like that, a new favourite was born! This chilli is easy to make, loaded with protein from the tofu and kidney beans, and packed with flavour from the marinade and spices. Serve this chilli up on top of a bed of quinoa and topped with avocado, hot sauce, and fresh herbs – you won’t be disappointed!

-xo KA

Smoky veggie chilli with tofu and kidney beans {vegan & gluten free}

This chilli is a great dinner option that keeps well in the fridge or freezer. I like to cook up a big batch of quinoa to serve with the chilli and use in other dishes too. Alternatively, this chilli could certainly be served with rice, baked potatoes or bread. Feel free to get creative with the toppings – I like fresh herbs, avocado and hot sauce, but you could add guacamole, feta cheese, jalapeños – anything you like, really!

Ingredients:

• 1 260g block tofu, crumbled

• 3 tbsp tamari

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned ketchup (check that it’s gluten free)

• 1 tsp dried oregano

• 1 pinch smoked sea salt

• 2 medium onions, finely diced

• 1 yellow pepper, diced

• 1 red pepper, diced

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp smoked paprika

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 pinch chili flakes

• 2 400g cans diced tomatoes

• 2 400g cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed

• Salt & pepper, to taste

• To serve: cooked quinoa, diced avocado, fresh herbs, hot sauce

Method:

Add the crumbled tofu to a medium bowl. Mix in the tamari, ketchup, oregano, smoked salt, and pepper, until the tofu is completely coated in marinade. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium soup pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the diced onions and peppers, and cook until the veggies have lost their structure and the onion is golden – about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes, until the garlic is very fragrant. Next add the ground cumin, smoked paprika, ground cinnamon and chilli flakes, stir to coat the veggies, and cook for another 2-3 minutes until the spices are very fragrant. If you find that the veggies are sticking to the bottom, you can add a couple tablespoons of water to deglaze the pot.

Next add the diced tomatoes, the kidney beans and the marinated tofu to the pot. If you find it looks a bit thick, you can add 1/2 cup water to the pot (it’s totally up to you and depends if you like a thicker or thinner chilli). Turn up the heat to high in order to bring the chilli to a boil. Then, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 25 minutes, stirring every so often.

When the time is up, taste the chilli and adjust the seasonings if needed by adding a bit more smoked salt or black pepper.

Serve the chilli piping hot on top of a bed of quinoa, and top each bowl with avocado, fresh herbs and some hot sauce, if desired.

Makes 1 big pot of chilli – about 6-8 servings.