Day 7 - My New Comfort Food

I’ve always had my favorite comfort foods, my go-to menus when I wanted to feel safe and calm.  My mother was not the most adventurous cook, but there were several meals that I took from my childhood and cooked as an adult.  My favorite was always fried pork chops, cooked in a can of Campbell’s Mushroom Soup.  This meal also included mashed potatoes and applesauce.  Since pork is permanently off my menus, I now have to find new dishes that give me that warm and satisfied feeling that mom’s pork chop dinner used to.

                       

Soup has always been a good place to find that feeling of satisfaction.  And this lentil chili is a recipe I adapted from a Molly Katzen recipe.  It’s vegan – virtually no-fat.  I’m looking forward to the search for a new menu of comfort foods.  

Sweet and Spicy Lentil Chili

Makes 18 1-cup servings

1 large Vidalia or sweet onion, 3 cup chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped, 3 cups chopped

3 to 4 large carrots, 4 cups sliced

1/2 cup chili powder (more to taste)

¼ cup molasses

¼ cup brown sugar

3 T. Dijon mustard

15 oz. can tomato sauce

28 oz can stewed or chopped tomatoes

1 – 1 ½  cups frozen fat-free veggie crumbles (opt - Boca is good)  

1 4 oz. can mild green chilies, well drained (opt.)

1 cup frozen organic corn

6-8 cups water (add extra if chili is too thick for your taste)

1 cup dry red or green lentils, rinsed

1 15 oz. can organic red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Use as many veggies as you want!  Saute onion, celery and carrots in large soup pot using veggie broth, non-stick spray, or small amount of vegetable oil.  When onions are transparent, add the rest of the ingredients except for the kidney beans and bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer until lentils are soft, approx. 45-60 minutes.  Add kidney beans and heat through.