Sweet and Savory Mom

Just call me a sweet and savory mom for now on. That’s what my friend Jackie nicknamed me after a Saturday afternoon cooking date and it just about sums me up. I usually do have a batch of something sweet in the oven — some granola, cookies, biscotti, muffins — and then something savory on the stovetop — soup, chili or sauce. I even alternate my cooking when I teach with a sweet dish one week and then a savory one the next. It always takes a friend to point out the obvious and it’s probably a pretty good accurate way to describe my personality too. (But let’s not get too deep into a personality analysis. . . I like the sweet aspect but savory? There’s a lot to be talked about there. . .)

So on to the food and another successful cooking date this past weekend with a jumbo batch of veggie chili and some sinfully delicious chocolate muffins. I seem to have misplaced the muffin recipe, which I scribbled down on a piece of paper. I’m sure I’ll find it while cleaning up from the week and when I do I’ll be happy to share it with you. But I will say that the muffins were a huge hit with the kids, who devoured them as they came out of the oven. So, you’re going to want this one!

We chopped, we threw in veggies, we mixed, and Jackie even tasted the raw muffin batter (eww!) while our boys played together, in and out of the kitchen for tastes. It was an all-around fun and highly productive afternoon cooking and baking. I’ve been eating my chili all week with one small container left and the muffins are long gone. I’m happy to share this week’s chili but use whatever veggies you have left over from the week in creating your chili. Mine changes every week!

This Week’s Veggie Chili
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced finely
1 medium eggplant, skin removed and diced
1 large zucchini, diced
1 yellow pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1 cup corn kernels
½ cup baby Portobello mushrooms, diced
1 cup diced carrots
2 15 ounce cans of diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons (or more!) chili powder touch of cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon sweet smoky paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 28 ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can of white beans, drained and rinsed

For toppings: avocado, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped cilantro, chopped scallions
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until tender for approximately 5 minutes. Add the peppers, zucchini, corn, mushrooms and carrots. Give it a good stir and then add the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Season it with cumin and chili powder, adding more if you like more spice. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes and then turn heat down to a slow simmer. Add the beans and simmer for another 15 minutes or so. Serve with desired toppings.