Vegetarian Chili and Using up what's left in the kitchen

Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time. It was a really busy week plus, I need to go grocery shopping so badly right now it isn't even funny.


Here is a yummy vegetarian chili from Nava Atlas' Vegetarian Family Cookbook. Chili is so nutritious packed with vegetables and legumes. This chili was made with crushed tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans and corn.
In the area of food and phytonutrient research, nothing has been hotter in the last several years than studies on the lycopene in tomatoes. This carotenoid found in tomatoes (and everything made from them) has been extensively studied for its antioxidant and cancer-preventing properties. The antioxidant function of lycopene-its ability to help protect cells and other structures in the body from oxygen damage-has been linked in human research to the protection of DNA (our genetic material) inside of white blood cells. Prevention of heart disease has been shown to be another antioxidant role played by lycopene.


Research published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry indicates that black beans are as rich in antioxidant compounds called anthocyanins as grapes and cranberries, fruits long considered antioxidant superstars.

When researchers analyzed different types of beans, they found that, the darker the bean's seed coat, the higher its level of antioxidant activity. Gram for gram, black beans were found to have the most antioxidant activity, followed in descending order by red, brown, yellow, and white beans.


In addition to providing slow burning complex carbohydrates, kidney beans can increase your energy by helping to replenish your iron stores. Particularly for menstruating women, who are more at risk for iron deficiency, boosting iron stores with kidney beans is a good idea--especially because, unlike red meat, another source of iron, kidney beans are low in calories and virtually fat-free.



On the second day I took the chili and put it between three tortillas topped with some cheddar cheese.



Finally I took the ends of the bananas that my daughter doesn't eat and fried them up with a little butter, maple syrup and tea masala spice. Bananas are one of our best sources of potassium, an essential mineral for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Since the average banana contains a whopping 467 mg of potassium and only 1 mg of sodium, a banana a day may help to prevent high blood pressure and protect against atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). The effectiveness of potassium-rich foods such as bananas in lowering blood pressure has been demonstrated by a number of studies.