Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Adjusted Tina Bars & Acorn Squash and Bean Chili

Hi guys! How are you? I am doing well and have been having a fun week in the kitchen so far! Given this, I wanted to share two recipes with you.

First off, we have the Body Attack launch tonight, so I wanted to make up a granola-ish, cookie-ish type of bar to give out to all of the instructors. I decided to tweak Tina's original recipe for her Oatmeal Raisin bars. Every time I make these, they get rave reviews. I made a few adjustments to the ingredients but otherwise followed her directions:

Ingredients:
2 cups dry oats
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
½ cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup oil (you could also use applesauce)
2 eggs or ½ cup egg substitute (or equivalent- check your egg substitute container)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
½ cup chocolate chips



Second, a wonderful Itzy's Kitchen reader (hi Pam!!) sent me a delicious recipe from the PCC Natural Foods Market News Letter (from Seattle) for Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili. I tweaked the recipe a bit and made a half batch. This resulted in 3 good sized servings. Here is the full recipe (~6 servings):

Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 cups butternut or acorn squash in a 1-inch dice
  • 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (I used tomato sauce as Josh isn’t a fan of tomato chunks)
  • 2 25-ounce cans black beans (about 5 cups) (I used a combination of black and pinto beans)
  • 1-4 cups vegetable stock (I used less because I used tomato sauce vs. diced tomatoes)
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • ¾ cup frozen corn
  • Salt to taste

Directions:

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and squash cubes. Sauté until onions are translucent, 7 to 10 minutes.


Add tomatoes(or tomato sauce), beans, corn, and vegetable stock. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, cayenne pepper and tomato paste. Let simmer for at least 25 to 30 minutes, until squash can be pierced easily with a fork.


Taste and add more cayenne pepper and/ or salt, if desired.


Serve with a squeeze of lime and garnish with cilantro and a dollop of whole-milk yogurt.


Recipe by Alicia Guy, PCC Cooks instructor (ingredients slightly adjusted)
Source: Sound Consumer, January 2010



I made a side of ground turkey with chili powder and mixed it into Josh's chili:



Do you have a favorite chili recipe (Links welcome!!)?? I'm off to teach Body Attack! Have a good night :)

54 comments:

Paige@ RunningaroundNormal said...

Those bars look amazing!! I love oatmeal chocolate bars.
The chili looks good too. Very unique! I love Dreena Burton's Coco Cocoa chili.

Jessica @ How Sweet said...

Woohoo for the launch!! Sure you will rock it. :) To be honest, I have a chili recipe on my blog, but I never follow recipes. I make it different every time. It always turns out pretty good, but we do love chunky chili, not soupy.

Have a wonderful night!! :)

homecookedem said...

I've always wanted to make Tina's bars... and I think I actually finally have all of those ingredients!! Hmmm, I might just have to make them too, but they're going straight out the door with me to school, haha! I can't be trusted!! ;)

Molly said...

Reading this post, it hit me out of the blue that chili is probably my favorite food. (Usually when people ask me, I say something lame like "Um, oatmeal?" haha)
Usually I just go with what I'm feeling - diced tomatoes, beans, all kinds of peppers and onions, and whatever else I have on hand, plus spices. (Sometimes, an Indian spiced chili is sooo yummy.)
I've been dying to make a recipe like this one though - with something like squash or sweet potato. Looks sooo good!

teresa said...

i am LOVING those bars! it looks like you've had a lot of success in the kitchen, i'm a huge fan of chili too. i'm having a good week, albeit slow. i really start looking forward to good weather this time of year :)

Amanda (Two Boos Who Eat) said...

I need to try these bars. I have all of the ingredients in my fridge right now. YUM

That chili looks great. I need to experiment more with my chili making.

Anonymous said...

I bet your fellow instructors were so happy when you brought those in. Yum.

Do you like fake meat? If so, I use this recipe a lot, I think it's originally from vegweb.com

http://inmytummy.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/chili-when-its-not-chilly/

Abby (Abbys Vegan Eats) said...

YUM on those bars.. look fabulous. I love any kind of baked good with oatmeal!! AND chili?? OH you and I def have similar palates :)

Happy Tuesday, Erica!

Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather said...

I’ve eaten a very similar butternut squash and black bean chili that my mom made once and it was amazing, especially with a dollop of plain thick yogurt on top:). I’m a big fan of white bean and chicken chilis because they aren’t too spicy, but I’ve been wanting to try and make one without meat and still keep it hardy.

My goal is to make 1 dinner meal a week without meat and just may have to make a chili for the next one since chili’s always nice when it’s cold and rainy outside.

Hope the Body Attach launch went well tonight!

Britt said...

Both the bars & chilly look awesome!

I always try new chili recipes, but have never found an absolute favorite.

Hope the launch went well!!

vanillasugarblog said...

hmmm like those bars. I bet I could add a little bit of bran and raisins? to that and make them morning bars. I love Barefoot Contessa's chicken chili--so good.

Angelalovesfood said...

Those bars really look good and reading the ingredients, it seems really easy to make. hoorah. Have fun teaching tonight

Averie @ Averie Cooks said...

The chili looks great, i never make it b/c hubs hates beans and i cant handle days worth of beans on my own :) I need like a single serving chili recipe LOL

The Tina Bars..I just made homemade vegan protein bars. No bake. SUPER easy. No gluten, either. Anyway girl, I love that you're a fitness teacher and teach at night and I am sure you can relate to that schelepping outta the house...sigh....feeling at the dinner hour. I hope Body Attack was successful :) I have dinnertime yoga classes and so your off to teach sentiment struck me.

Jessie (Vegan-minded) said...

That chili recipe looks awesome! I have made chili using sweet potato before, so I'm sure butternut squash would be equally as delicious. Gotta try those energy bars too!

Maria said...

Have fun teaching. I wish we had Attack. They only offer Step, Combat, Pump, and Foam to Fit. Have you done that one? Yoga, pilates, and Zumba too:)

Here is my favorite black bean soup, it is basically veggie chili:)

http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/black-bean-soup-and-spicy-corn-muffins/

Jenna said...

I wish I had one chili recipe for you, but I try new ones about each and every time I make chili. :)

Those bars look fabulous. I love Tina's peanut butter bars too, healthy and filling.

Juliana said...

The bars look delicious with all the seed and chocolate chips in it :-) and the chili looks great with the tortilla chips.

Nicci said...

These oatmeal raisin bars look k extra yummy. I think I will have to try these soon.

Dawn Dishes It Out said...

I want to make the bars and the chili!! The chucks of Squash looked soooo good!

Stephanie @ cookinfanatic said...

The bars look fantastic as does the chili! I love making white chicken chili with cannelini/northern beans... yummmm! :)

Unknown said...

YUMMAYY!!

Hope youre doing well darling, <3

fittingbackin said...

ooooh the bars and chili look fabulous!!

Anonymous said...

body attack sounds soo hardcore!
bars look AWESOME!
i love all chili-specially w. greek yogurt on top!

Mom on the Run said...

Both recipes look great! I love how much butternut squash is being used in recipes. I used it again tonight in a beef stew. It really made the recipe.

Thanks for sharing :)

Anonymous said...

Those bars look so good, I am going to have to try making those - I love oatmeal bars!

Deva (Voracious Vorilee) said...

Ack, my comment about loving oatmeal bars posted anonymously! Sorry bout that!

Holly said...

Never thought to add squash to chili! That looks super yummy. This is a new (to me) chili recipe that I LOVE:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandmas-Slow-Cooker-Vegetarian-Chili/Detail.aspx

It's even vegan! (I think...) But I followed the recs on the site and omitted the basil/oregano/parsley and added cumin instead. Ammmmmazing!

Nicole @ Geek Turned Athlete said...

I need to make that chili!! It looks so good. It is still cold here, and it looks like the perfect thing to warm me up. It also looks a lot healthier than my mac and cheese!

Lindsey @ Sound Eats said...

Mmmm those bars look awesome!

As far as chili recipes go, I'm rather partial to my own Three Bean Vegan Chili. I love it, and so does my carnivorous husband! We make it all the time, especially those nights when I don't get home until after 7 or 8. Definitely our favorite crock pot meal!

http://www.soundeats.com/recipes/three-bean-vegan-chili/

xoxo, hope all's been well Erica! :)

Naomi(Onefitfoodie) said...

I LOVE making homemade bars, you know exactly what goes in them, all the ingredients, they are healthy and so fresh tasting! yours look SO delish!! I love freezing them then slathering some PB on top! its a perfect pre workout treat!

yeahhh body attack!! bring that energy girl!!

Tina said...

Mmm! I love those Oatmeal Raisin Bars! I need to make a batch ASAP!

Hope you and your boys are doing well! :)

Therese said...

I also have been looking for a good chilli recipe! We have a package of ground turkey in the fridge but I don't want to just make burgers you know?

Paula said...

I have been meaning to try squash in my chili. I actually just made chili Monday night. My favorite part about it was the eggplant! Wow, what a fun addition to chili :) I am loving your bars. I have been wanting to make some protein bars and have been getting all kinds of ideas.

Katie said...

Those bars look so good!

We had a chili night a few days ago, too! My roommate made a delicious bean variety.

I made black bean + squash once, but I overdid the cayenne!

Krista said...

The b-nut chilli recipe looks right up my alley! I don't have a fave chilli recipe...I just love versatile a dish it is!

Diana said...

I do have a favorite chili recipe: my dad's! No applicable link, though, haha. :) This squash chili recipe sounds good too though! I like it when winter squash turns up in unexpected places!

Sharon said...

Ooh, those look delicious! I do have a favorite chili recipe but its from a super old cookbook. I'll try to post it soon.

Veggies, Cake & Cocktails said...

I have 2 chili recipes on my blog. One of them is on today's post. It was a first time chili recipe for me but it will not be the last time I make it. It had a ton of spice which I love!

The other one I made on Christmas Eve, also on my blog. This one is my dad's recipe and is a tradition to eat it on Christmas eve!

Anonymous said...

Those bars sound goooooood!

Lauren said...

Every time I see you make these bars, I want to run into my kitchen and make them too, but you know how baking scares me to death!!
They always look so good and sound so easy. Maybe I will attempt…maybe! :)

That chili though, that is totally something I could handle. YUM!!!

Hope you are having a wonderful week my love. ;)

BroccoliHut said...

I love pumpkin chili, as well as peanut butter chili!

Kerstin said...

Oh, your bars look fantastic! And such a flavorful chili too - yum!

Lori said...

Those bars look so great and I've been wanting to make a bar-like treat lately. Not sure why it's been on my mind, but perfect timing. Love that soup too.

K from ksgoodeats said...

I haven't had chili since I went vegetarian (sad right?! Veg-chili isn't that hard to do!) but that recipe sounds oh so good! As do your Tina bars - your instructors must love you :)

I hope the Itzy's Kitchen household is having a wonderful week!! OC tonight!

Online Consultation said...

Cool recipe bars. Looks delicious and mouth-watering. Can't wait to try one.

Anna said...

Hey chica! It's been so long since I last commented. I hope everything is going well!

Those bars totally make me drool; I'm a fan :)

I don't have a recipe for favorite chilli, but whatever my mom puts in her turkey version is divine!!

Aggie said...

I love the bars! They look great!

I looooove chili. My newest favorite is the one I posted on my blog, Game Day Chili, it has beer, dried chilies and chocolate! puts it over the top!

http://aggieskitchen.com/2009/09/05/game-day-chili/

chrystad72 said...

This all looks so amazing. Im so excited to give those bars a try. I love anything with oatmeal and the acorn squash chili just sounds ssoo comforting and delish. Sounds great. Have a wonderful day!!

Anonymous said...

The bars look awesome! Oatmeal anything is always a good thing :)

Chef Fresco said...

Delicious looking chili! And the bars look quite tasty too.

CaSaundraLeigh said...

I need to get back into the baking swing of things so I can try those bars--everytime I see em' they make me drool ha!

I haven't made chili in a long time, but I really want to try a recipe over at the Pink Apron that uses cocoa powder.

kilax said...

Here is our favorite chili recipe! I want to try yours!

Anonymous said...

Hmm that's very interessting but to be honest i have a hard time determining it... wonder what others have to say..

Anonymous said...

Approvingly your article helped me very much in my college assignment. Hats high to you enter, intention look audacious for more cognate articles promptly as its sole of my choice subject-matter to read.