RECIPE | vegetarian chili soup & baked sweet potatoes with chili & cheese

Last October I had the chance to host a cooking course as part of a conference called Hacking Happiness. The goal was to show how to make a simple, healthy meal without needing a ton of equipment or time, and I chose to make a vegetarian chili to also demonstrate how to be creative with leftovers. The chili is excellent as a soup with a side of cornbread, or over a baked sweet potato (or "jacket" potato in the UK). At the end of the class, we all sat down to enjoy our meal over a bottle of wine (or two), and went over the tips to eating it mindfully (listed at the end of the post).

This recipe was initially inspired by the cheesy beef chili over jacket potato that I tried at Look Mum No Hands in Old Street, which was delicious but left me comatose for much of the afternoon. I lightened it up by omitting the beef and by using much tastier sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. The pierced sweet potatoes can also be cooked for 5-7 minutes in a microwave if you have one to save time, but will not be as flavorful as oven-roasted potatoes.




VEGETARIAN CHILI TWO WAYS | CHILI STEW & JACKET SWEET POTATOES WITH CHILI & CHEESE

JACKET SWEET POTATO
1 sweet potato per person, scrubbed

Preheat the oven to 220°C. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and place them directly on an oven rack, putting a tray lined with foil underneath to catch any juices. Roast for 45­-55 minutes, until tender when pierced.

BLACK BEAN & KIDNEY BEAN CHILI
olive oil
1 onion, peeled & diced
2 carrots, peeled & diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4-­5 cloves garlic
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp coarsely ground cumin
2 tsp smoked paprika or chipotle
1⁄4-1 tsp red chili flakes (depending on your heat tolerance)
2 cans black beans
2 cans kidney beans
1 680mL jar of tomato passata or 2 cans of chopped tomatoes
2 tsp red wine vinegar or vinegar-­based hot sauce
chopped scallions & cilantro or parsley to garnish
shredded cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
Sauté the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, oregano, cumin, smoked paprika, and chili flakes in olive oil until the vegetables are tender, about 4­-5 minutes. Add the cans of beans with their juices, the jar of passata or cans of tomatoes, and about 500mL water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for at least 20 minutes to blend the flavors. Add the red wine vinegar or hot sauce, then taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro or parsley, and shredded cheese. Serve with cornbread, toasted sourdough bread, or as a filling for jacket potatoes (directions follow).

TO ASSEMBLE JACKET POTATOES
Turn on broiler. Split roasted sweet potato lengthwise down the middle to open up. Spoon chili, pouring off some of the liquid, into the centre of the potato and sprinkle with cheese and scallions. Broil until cheese is melted and brown, 2­-5 minutes. Garnish with additional chopped herbs and serve.

HOW TO EAT CHIC | TIPS ON EATING MINDFULLY

1. Learn how to cook - you are less likely to inhale your food if you just spent 30 minutes making it. 
2. Sit at a table - set out placemats and napkins and sit down to your meal rather than lounging with a bowl in your lap on the couch. 
3. Plate your food - put effort into the presentation as though you were serving it to someone else. When you don’t just eat out of a bag or dump it in a bowl, you are more likely to savor it and pay attention to portion sizes. 
4. Make eating your focus - try not to watch TV or read while eating, but if you must... 
5. Put down your fork or spoon - put your fork or spoon down between bites and chew. You do not need to be prepared for the next bite while still finishing the current one. Putting your utensils down will help you pay attention to the food in your mouth. 
6. Identify the ingredients in your meal - as you chew, pay attention to the different textures and flavors on the plate. Try to identify the different spices and seasonings in the dish. (This will also help improve your creativity in the kitchen.) 
7. Wait before going back for more - do not go back for seconds on autopilot - wait to allow your brain and stomach to process whether you are really still hungry. If you need to reheat your food you will be less likely to mindlessly serve yourself another portion. Also if you don’t finish everything, remember that you then get leftovers - two meals for the effort of one.

If all else fails, pretend that someone is watching you eat. Would you want Ryan Gosling to see you standing in your kitchen with a spoon scarfing down a tub of peanut butter? Didn’t think so.

RECIPE | how to eat chic

As I acknowledged in the previous post, 2014 was a crazy year for me. I spent much of May-December working twenty-hour days, seven days a week, and survived on my love of coffee, substituting sugar for sleep, and replacing home-cooked meals with takeout. (Pretty good takeout, but takeout nonetheless.) This was not the healthiest routine to pick up, and was certainly a drastic change from my usual generally balanced eating and living habits. Though I am not generally one for making New Year's resolutions, I have to admit that it is the perfect time to reset and go back to the lifestyle that once kept me healthy, energetic, and sane.

This post's recipe is not for an actual dish, but rather a recipe for "eating chic." Despite people throughout my life mistaking me for a vegetarian or vegan (I still don't know whether I should take that as a compliment or not), I do not follow any dietary restrictions other than the fact that I only eat actual food, and eat it mindfully. In my opinion, processed food that is engineered to be addictive by adding salt/sugar/lab-created ingredients is infinitely more harmful than a bowl of carb- and gluten-filled homemade pasta (unless you have an actual gluten-intolerance, of course).

This is not a diet or way to fit into your skinny jeans by the end of the week (those are passé anyway), but rather a way of living that lets you enjoy real food, avoid neurotic tendencies toward food and weight, and actually enjoy what you eat. So without further delay,

HOW TO EAT CHIC: a recipe

EAT:
1) mindfully
2) mostly plants
3) unprocessed and organic where possible
4) low sugar* and low alcohol
5) three meals daily (snack on fruit and nuts but only if hungry)

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES:
1) drink a lot of water throughout the day
2) exercise at least 30 minutes, 4-5 times a week
3) sleep at least 6 hours a night

[Please note that I am not a nutritionist or diet expert - this is just the way of living I have followed naturally for most of my life.]

After the most extreme life change I've experienced to date temporarily caused me to lose sight of these guidelines for much of 2014, I am recommitting to #eatingchic in 2015. I'll elaborate on each of the guidelines in future posts, in addition to sharing more recipes and highlighting my favorite places for chic eats. 

*Including sources like maple syrup, honey, dates, etc. I do not demonize refined sugar to the extent that many food bloggers do today; I just treat any form of sugar as a special occasion and enjoy it sparingly. 

THE YEAR IN REVIEW | a little trust and your time

2014 certainly wins for craziest year of my life. If you had told me in January that I would have started my own food business, left a career in digital marketing, hosted a cooking course, and opened (and closed) a pop-up café by the end of the year, I'd have asked which year - 2025? Somehow (well, with a ton of hard work, sleepless nights, and inhuman amounts of coffee), I managed to do this in an eight month period, and I am only now acknowledging what a huge accomplishment it was. It's my nature to sort of go where life takes me within certain parameters, so when a recipe that I came up with on a whim for a coworker turned into something more than I could have ever imagined, I couldn't help but follow the momentum and see where it took me. Add in restorative holidays in California, Belgium, Helsinki, and Barcelona, and seeing some truly spectacular concerts, 2014 turned out to be a pretty monumental year, even if I was mostly too stressed to realize it until now.

There's always one song that becomes the theme song to my year, and in 2014 that song was definitively "Balance" by Future Islands. Despite my smile in the photo above, I lost myself in as many ways as I found myself in 2014 (if that makes sense), and only now during the Christmas break have I realized how much of an impact this had on my relationships with friends, family, coworkers, and myself. I am thankful for this break and for everyone's unwavering support throughout 2014 to give me the strength to give 2015 everything I've got.

Wishing everyone a phenomenal 2015.
Xx Lotta

And you can call up to the moon
But if you want something to change
You've gotta change your life
And take your time

"Balance" by Future Islands
You can clean around the wound
But if you want it to heal
It just takes time

And you can call up to the moon
But if you want something to change
You've gotta change your life
And take your time

It just takes time
It just takes time
It just takes time
Hard work and your time

The sun will leave the room
Will leave you to the night
And that's alright

Because before the morning comes
There's a certain calm
And then there's light
It just takes time

It just takes time
A little trust and your time
You can change your life
It just takes time
A little trust and your time

And I can sit and talk
Because I was just like you
So arrogant and brave
Impetuous and blue

But trust me as a friend
And I'll do all that I can do
And I'd do anything for you
Because I want to see you through

It just takes time
Hard work and your time
You can change your life

It just takes time
A little trust your time
A little trust and your time...

RECIPE | Penne with Tuna, Lemon & Greens

Exactly one month after my last post, I finally have another recipe for you. Not because I haven't been cooking, but in between work, going to gigs, and going out with friends, I have been working on a time-consuming side project that is quickly coming to fruition. More details to come soon on the blog, Instagram, and Twitter.

In the meantime, here is my default recipe when I have no time to stop at the grocery store, chop vegetables, or dirty multiple dishes. I am slightly embarrassed about sharing such a non-recipe, but this is a great dish to have in your back pocket instead of resorting to takeout pizza or curry on those busy and/or lazy evenings. I always have lemons, pasta, canned tuna, and some sort of leafy green on hand so that I can be comforted by the fact that even at the most stressful times, I will be able to enjoy this for dinner at the very least. Because it is such a simple recipe, it is imperative to use good ingredients, particularly the tuna. If you think canned tuna tastes like cat food, I implore you to buy a good quality canned tuna in olive oil, such as the exceptional canned tuna by Ortiz, and give it another chance.


PENNE WITH TUNA, LEMON & GREENS

INGREDIENTS:
2/3 cup whole wheat short pasta, such as fusilli or penne

1 small can tuna packed in olive oil, drained

1 unwaxed lemon, zested

50g arugula or spinach, and/or 1 bunch parsley, leaves chopped

a few spoonfuls of capers (optional)
a few spoonfuls of toasted pine nuts (optional)
lemon-infused or extra virgin olive oil, to drizzle

DIRECTIONS:
Bring a pot of water to a boil and season with salt. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until just al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water, then add the pasta back to the pot over medium heat. Crumble the tuna over the pasta and add the arugula and/or chopped parsley, lemon zest, and optional capers and pine nuts, if using. Cook, stirring, until arugula wilts and tuna is warmed, about 1-2 minutes, adding reserved pasta water if it looks dry. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, then drizzle with olive oil to finish. Serve immediately.

Serves: 1
Time to table: 20 minutes
Equipment: pot, Microplane or fine grater, sieve

RECIPE | an alternate use for overripe bananas

My default breakfast is whole wheat toast with nut butter, honey, sliced banana, and cinnamon (and coffee, obviously); whenever I eat cereal or granola, I end up ravenous two hours later. I also tend to avoid store bought granola since oil and sweeteners are usually found near the top of the ingredient list. However, after seeking a non-banana bread recipe to use the overripe bananas stinking up my kitchen, I discovered a recipe for banana granola on Green Kitchen Stories that was sufficiently different to any banana recipe I have made before.

After playing around with the ingredient list and proportions, and reducing the oven temperature, I have found my new go-to granola recipe (which just happens to be vegan and gluten-free). Including protein-rich quinoa flakes in the mix results in a filling granola that keeps you satisfied until your lunch break. This recipe is very forgiving, so do not fret if you do not have all of the listed ingredients. Applesauce or pumpkin purée could potentially take the place of the banana purée, and various nuts, seeds, and spices can be swapped in and out. Judging by how quickly this granola has disappeared in my household however, you will not want to make a half batch. Trust me on that.


BANANA NUT GRANOLA
Adapted from a recipe by Green Kitchen Stories

TASTING NOTES:
I found that baking the oats without disruption for the first 2/3 of baking time, then breaking them up into clumps for the final 5-10 minutes was the best method to create large clusters /// If you prefer smaller clusters, stir the oats a few times while baking and bake for 25-35 minutes total /// I like to replace 1 cup of the rolled oats with quinoa flakes to add extra protein /// This granola is excellent topped with chopped dates, sliced banana, unsweetened coconut flakes, and the milk of your choice (coconut, almond, oat, organic, etc.)

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups rolled oats (gluten-free, if necessary), quinoa flakes, or a mix
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup flax meal (optional)
1/4 cup wheat germ (optional - omit to keep gluten-free)
1 cup mixed raw nuts (I used 1/4 cup each brazil nuts, almonds, walnuts, and pecans)
2 medium or 3 small bananas (about 1/2 cup worth)
3 tablespoons coconut oil or olive oil
4 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 175ºC (350ºF). Combine oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and optional wheat germ and flax meal in a large bowl. Chop nuts coarsely in a food processor and add to oat mixture. Blend bananas, oil, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract in the food processor. Add wet mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until fully coated. Spread the oats on a parchment-lined large baking tray, pressing it down into the tray so that the mixture is tightly packed together. Bake for 20-25 minutes without stirring, keeping an eye on the granola so that it does not burn. Remove from oven and break the granola up into large clusters with a wooden spoon or your hands (if yours are immune to heat like mine are). Return the pan to the oven and bake an additional 5-10 minutes, until the granola clusters are crisp. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container.

Serves: 12-14 (1/3 cup servings)
Time to table: 45 minutes
Equipment: large bowl, small food processor, wooden spoon or rubber spatula, baking tray, parchment paper

RECIPE | baked chocolate pancake with pear and pomegranate

I made a baked chocolate pancake for Best Friends for Frosting. Check the recipe out here.

RECIPE | a different avocado toast recipe

Avocado toast is all over the internet and trendy London brunch menus as if it were a recent invention. Finnish rye bread topped with avocado, a sprinkle of sea salt, and occasionally a poached or fried egg or a slice of Manchego cheese has been the preferred lazy weekend breakfast or afternoon snack in my parents' house for over a decade, for good reason.

Instead of paying upwards of £6 for something that takes less than 10 minutes to make, try this unusual variation on the theme. Though the combination of ingredients may sound strange at first, consider that each ingredient works well together: avocado + chili; avocado + chocolate; avocado + lime; chocolate + chili; chocolate + olive oil; chocolate + sea salt; chocolate + black pepper; and chocolate + lime. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, this dish was also inspired by The Flavour Thesaurus). The cacao nibs add a crunchy and bitter contrast to the creamy and sweet avocado, and the chili flakes provide a nice kick of heat at the end.



AVOCADO TOAST WITH CHILI, CACAO NIBS, LIME & OLIVE OIL

TASTING NOTES:
Serve with a side of scrambled eggs, sautéed mushrooms, roasted tomatoes, and/or a simple salad to turn this snack into a filling breakfast, or accompanied by a Mexican black bean soup for dinner /// Omit the cacao nibs and rub the toast with a clove of garlic before topping with the remaining ingredients for a more traditional take on the dish

INGREDIENTS:
2 thick slices of country-style or whole-grain bread
1 ripe avocado
about 1 tablespoon raw cacao nibs
chili flakes
flakey sea salt, such as Maldon
black pepper
about 2 teaspoons good quality extra virgin olive oil
a lime wedge

DIRECTIONS:
Toast the bread. Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and cut the flesh into cubes, being careful not to cut through the skin. Scoop the avocado pieces out of the skin and spread them across the slices of toast, smashing them slightly into the bread. Sprinkle with the cacao nibs, and chili flakes, sea salt and black pepper to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of lime, and serve.

Serves: 2 as a snack or light breakfast, or 1 hungry person
Time to table: 10 minutes
Equipment: toaster