Selectatarianism

I may have disappeared for awhile from here, but I’m still making efforts to create a healthier lifestyle. Around the New Year, I decided to incorporate more vegetarian meals into my weekly menus. I’m calling it “selectatarianism” — i.e. I am a vegetarian except when I don’t feel like it. While this may not be a hard, fast stance on food groups, it works well for me. I’m doing semi-vegetarianism to be healthier, not because I think humans aren’t meant to eat animals. We are omnivores, end of story.

Either way, I’ve found/made some fantastic recipes. And after a two months on my mostly-vegetarian diet and having my gym pattern fall by the wayside (oops), I’m down a pants size. After another month, the new pants are starting to get a liiiittle loose.

My husband was skeptical about this selectatarianism at first. He was actually out of town for those first two months of this experiment, and there was certainly some teasing if he caught me on a day when I decided I needed a burger… but when he got home, he ate his meat-laden words! He even ate my vegetarian chili, which he had previously requested to try, but with a plaintive “…but can we add real meat to it?”

So without further ado, I present one of my favorite vegetarian recipes. Feel free to give it a try!

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

A dab of olive oil
1/2 pound of Boca crumbles
3/4 red onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 habanero pepper, very finely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) organic crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, drained
1 can (12 ounces) baked beans, undrained
Chili powder to taste (I do about 1/2 – 3/4 a teaspoon)
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1-2 teaspoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
shredded cheese (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onion and habanero pepper and let it cook for a few minutes.
2. Add garlic and Boca crumbles. Cook for a few more minutes.
3. Add all remaining ingredients.
4. Simmer for 30-40 minutes
5. Serve; top with shredded cheese if desired.

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