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Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup
Happy 2022! I know new years was a few days back, but I am getting around to typing up a post now so Happy New Year! I decided to take a few weeks off of making recipes over the holidays because it was just too hectic and I wanted to enjoy them. But now I am ready to get back into new recipes! It is the time of year when everyone is trying to be more healthy, and although I try to eat healthy all year round, I decided to make something more healthy and savory too to start the year off! I am a big soup fan in the winter and this Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup that I made last weekend was so delicious I had to share!

I make huge batches of soup at work, so you would think I wouldn’t enjoy making them at home, but actually creating a new one is exciting! Eric loves anything with chipotle peppers in it, and I thought they would pair well with sweet potatoes in a warming soup. We definitely need some warmth here right now as it has been pretty chilly in MN. So I wanted a warming soup to serve with some crusty bread that we could enjoy after being outside.

For the base, I used tomatoes, veggie broth and the chipotle peppers, along with plenty of veggies to give the soup lots of flavor. I cooked the first part, then added in the sweet potatoes so they did not get too mushy. At work we actually steam them separately so they don’t get mushy, but I find that adding them the last 15 minutes works fine. If you wanted to make this soup in an instant pot, I would suggest cooking it the first half in the pot (up until you add the sweet potatoes chickpeas and coconut milk), then remove it from the pot and cook it on the stove for the sweet potato part. I have done this before.

The Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup turned out super delicious! It is packed with flavor, a little spicy, but just the right amount and the sweet sweet potatoes are the perfect partner for the chipotles! This is so good served with crusty bread or corn bread! I hope you all are staying warm this winter!

Chipotle Sweet Potato and Chickpea Soup

Serves 3

Ingredients:
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
- 1 15 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp chopped canned chipotle peppers in adobo
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 cups veggie broth or filtered water
- 1 large yam, cut into cubes (about 3 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (canned and drained well is fine)
- 1/3 cup coconut cream (not sweetened)
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup filtered water
Instructions:
1. In a large pot, combine the onions, garlic, bell pepper, celery, cilantro, tomatoes, chipotle peppers, cumin, chili powder and veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.
2. Add the sweet potatoes and chickpeas and cook until the sweet potatoes are softened, about 15 minutes more.
3. Add the coconut cream, and cornstarch mixture and cook until the soup has thickened and the coconut cream is mixed in.
4. Remove from heat, and serve!
January 7, 2022
Vegan Dark Chocolate Chili Truffles
My boyfriend Eric has a passion for hot peppers and spicy food. When I first met him, the first food item I ever gave him was some of my home made habanero hot sauce because I knew it would impress him. I too love spicy food, so we have that in common. There was a point in time I would put hot sauce on pretty much every savory food item I was eating, and I would sit and sweat while I ate dinner. He would do the same, because he made his own home made hot sauce too. Recently, he had a shaker full of habanero flakes, and he would put them on everything. He is originally from Arizona, so none of the Minnesota wimpy tastes for him. I am not a wimp about spice, but people here in Minnesota are notorious for thinking black pepper and ketchup are spicy. What Eric really seems to love is sweet and spicy together. The first Birthday cake I made him was a vegan chipotle turtle cheesecake. It was pretty amazing and chocolate and chilies are a match made in heaven.

So, this week, I decided to make some dark chocolate chili truffles to share with Eric. Because they sounded really good to me, and I knew he would love them too. He loves chocolate way more than I do. I wanted this to be a simple recipe because I didn’t have a lot of time, so lucky for you, they are easy to make and contain only 6 ingredients. For the filling I used almond butter as the base because it is creamy, delicious and sort of a blank palate. But of course you can feel free to use your favorite nut butter. I think peanut butter or cashew butter would be amazing as well. I simply combined it with cacao powder, maple syrup, sea salt, and of course a good amount of chipotle powder to give these a kick. It is actually slightly more than I have listed in the recipe, because I don’t want to kill anyone, but if you like super spicy too, just add a tad more. This mixture tastes like the most amazing fudge, and I could sit and eat it with a spoon.

But I rolled it into truffles, and dipped them in my favorite vegan dark chocolate melted. They turned out super delicious! Almost like something you would pay a lot of money for if it were in say, a heart shaped box around Valentine’s day. This is why I like to make my own candy, because it can taste just as good as the store bought, you know that good ingredients have gone into it, and of course what better way to show your significant other that you care, than taking the time to make something for them. So, if you love chocolate and spicy things, give these a go!

Vegan Dark Chocolate Chili Truffles
Makes about 10

Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup smooth almond butter
- 1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder (or as needed)
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups vegan dark chocolate chips, or chopped vegan dark chocolate
Instructions:
1. In a bowl, mix together the almond butter, cacao powder, maple syrup, chipotle powder and sea salt until smooth and well combined. You want it to be the consistency of dough, if it is still too soft (since peanut butter may vary in how liquid it is), add a little more cacao powder.
2. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls, and place on a parchment lined tray. Place in the freezer to chill for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, when you are ready to dip the truffles, melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler until smooth.
4. Dip each truffle into the chocolate (letting the excess drain off, I like to set mine on a fork to dip to make it easier) and place back onto the tray until they are all done. Place in the freezer to set the chocolate until it is hard, which usually takes 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!
5. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in a container with a lid for up to a few months.
February 9, 2018
Vegan Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Greens
I loved mac and cheese when I was little. I could have had it for every meal of the day every day. Well that and grilled cheese. I guess I was just a cheese loving little girl. It never dawned on me that it might not be healthy because I didn’t really care I just knew that it was good. I would beg my parents to make it for me, and we always had it on hand. My Mom at least tried to add veggies to it to make it healthier. When I got older and was more aware of what I was eating and the nutritional value that it had, I didn’t really enjoy mac and cheese anymore. To me it was just a pile of white carbs with cheese and cream which wasn’t really what I was going for. Not that it isn’t fine to indulge once in a while because you should but I try to have at least something healthy in every meal. So I gave it up for a long time. That is until I went vegan and began experimenting with healthier options with veggies included. Because there should be veggies in every savory dinner as far as I am concerned. My Mom was telling me about this frozen Mac and Cheese that she bought and I said to her, “I bet I can make an even better vegan version”. It was on. Although I was pretty confident because I have made vegan mac and cheese quite a bit before. I am one of those people who likes to experiment with things and make them in different ways to find the best one so this was going to be a different version. I have made the regular potato and carrot version of mac and cheese that many vegans seem to swear by but I actually prefer something like squash in the base. My Mom however doesn’t like squash and I was making this mac and cheese for her and to suit her tastes so I went with yams.

We both love yams, so this was going to be good. I decided to make it chipotle mac and cheese as well with a little kick. My Mom loves to sprinkle a little chipotle powder on things the way most people use red pepper flakes so it was perfect. This cheese sauce is actually really easy to make once your yams are cooked and it comes together fast in a blender. It is so good you will want to eat it with a spoon, or maybe dip some chips in it…I might have done both of those things while making it. It reminds me of the mac and cheese sauce I enjoyed as a child but better. The thing that makes it appear to be rich like cheese is the cashew butter that I add. But it is surprisingly mostly yams. Who would have thought they would make such a good cheese sauce. Banza had sent me some pasta to try, so that was what I used this time. I use gluten free pasta 99% of the time, but I only like the ones made with beans that actually have protein in them. This one was made from chickpeas, which is awesome! Don’t worry, there was no beany flavor, just tasted like regular pasta.

Once it was all mixed together I added in some greens to give it even more nutrients. It was super delicious. My Mom loved it as well, she said it was better than the mac and cheese she had bought and the flavors were perfectly balanced. Also, that it tasted like dairy and you would not be able to tell it was vegan. That makes me so happy! If you are craving mac and cheese, but want it to be healthy as well, you must give this a try! It may become a staple this Winter!

Vegan Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Greens
Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 2 cups mashed yam potato*
- 3/4 cup hot filtered water (or as needed)
- 1/3 cup raw cashew butter
- 1 medium garlic clove
- 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp chipotle powder
- 3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
- 16 oz gluten free pasta
- 2-3 large handfuls of arugula or baby spinach
Instructions:
1. Combine the sweet potato, water, cashew butter, garlic, cider vinegar, yeast, chipotle, and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and the consistency of cheese (if it is too thick add a little more water). Set aside.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, then place back in the pot, add the greens and cheese, and stir to coat. Pour into a serving dish, and serve!
*To cook the sweet potatoes, I like to roast them in the oven. Take a large sweet potato, poke a few holes in it, and cut in half lengthwise. Place cut side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment and bake for about an hour at 400F degrees or until tender. Remove from oven and let cool before mashing.
November 4, 2017
Mexican Chocolate Roasted Chickpeas
I have been wanting to make roasted chickpeas for a long time now. I mean, I eat chickpeas all the time, in the form of hummus or to top my salads off with, or stir into soups. So why not for a snack as well? I admit, I do just eat plain cooked chickpeas with sea salt sometimes for a snack when I need something fast, since I keep a big container of them in my refrigerator at all times. But that is a little boring. I wanted to make a snack with more pizazz that I could get excited about! I thought about making some savory ones (and I will eventually) but this time chocolate sounded good. Maybe it was because when I was buying a few things at work I spotted the Valentine’s candy display, most of which was chocolate and it got me craving some. It being within a month of Valentines day is a good excuse to make more chocolate goodies as far as I am concerned. At least these are healthy, with the extra protein from the chickpeas and no refined sugar and all!

I looked at a few recipes for chocolate chickpeas, and decided to just come up with my own based on them because that is what I usually do. I can never just make a recipe as is and leave it alone, it always ends up totally different. Maybe that is why I am a food blogger. Most of the recipes I saw used coconut oil along with the cocoa powder, but I decided that I like nut butter better. I don’t use a lot of oil in my recipes if I can help it, and these were going to be Mexican chocolate chickpeas so almond fit. Think mole sauce, it contains almonds a lot of the time. I sweetened it with a little maple syrup, which along with the almond butter made a rich chocolate sauce. I added some chipotle powder and cinnamon and the chickpeas tasted delicious even before I roasted them! I always like to taste things before I bake them to make sure they meet my standards.

They made my house smell amazing while baking! Chocolate and spice filling the air and making me happy! If you ever have a bad day, bake something that smells good, it totally lifts your mood! I admit I was on edge at the end of the day and kind of crabby when I decided to make this snack, but I did feel better by the end of the process. Something about being in my own kitchen and creating things at a leisurely pace always calms me down too. So how did they taste? Wonderful! You should totally try them out the next time you are craving chocolate. With these you can get a little protein and fiber along with your chocolate and not just sugar. I have decided that I need to roast more chickpeas and come up with more exciting flavors!

Mexican Chocolate Roasted Chickpeas
Serves 4

Ingredients:
- 2 cups cooked chickpeas
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 Tbsp almond butter
- 2-3 Tbsp maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it, I used 2)
- 1/8-1/4 tsp chipotle powder (depending on how spicy you like it)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees, and line a sheet pan with parchment.
2. Place the chickpeas into a bowl, and mix with all other ingredients.
3. Spread chickpeas out on the parchment, place in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, then stir, and roast another 20. Remove from oven and let cool before enjoying.
January 20, 2017
Vegan Chipotle Peach Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits
When I see a recipe that looks amazing on TV or Facebook or wherever I happen to be, I say to myself, I need to veganize that. I saw someone making peach cobbler a few weeks back on a cooking show, and it wasn’t vegan at all but I said to myself, I need to make an even better vegan version of that. The version that was being made had loads of dairy, eggs, and refined sugars (just so much sugar I could not even comprehend it, like 2 full cups in the recipe). Mind you, I make my cobblers a different way than this one was made, but I just wanted peach cobbler after watching that show and becoming hungry for it. I got busy though, and had to wait a few weeks but finally I got around to making it last weekend! Fresh, ripe peaches and nectarines are one of the highlights of my Summer. Anyone who lives in a state where they are grown, and can get them locally is really lucky! Just sayin’. We don’t have them here in Minnesota, but we can still buy them.

So, I got some for my special cobbler I had been waiting weeks for. I didn’t want a plain old cobbler though, I wanted something a little more fun. So, I added some chipotle powder to the filling, because I like a little heat with my fruit sometimes. It goes beautifully with peaches! I added just a touch of cinnamon too, because it adds a hint of sweetness. I sweetened this all with maple syrup which also loves chipotle and peaches. It was an amazing combination! I chose to make pecan biscuits to top it off. Cornmeal biscuits sounded good too, but I figured I would save that for another day…maybe paired with blueberries. I love peaches and pecans together, I recently made some peach and pecan muffins that were wonderful, so I went with that combo again.

These smelled amazing while baking, the most heavenly aroma filling my home. Like peach jam and pecan scones together! My biscuit topping is after all, my scone dough. Which is why they are so good. The cobbler tasted wonderful too, sweet peaches with a little kick of chipotle and the flaky nutty biscuits to top it off…simply heavenly! If you have access to fresh peaches, do give this recipe a try, I am almost certain you will love it as much as I did, especially if you top it off with some cool ice cream and eat it warm!

Vegan Chipotle Peach Cobbler with Pecan Biscuits

Serves 4

Fruit:
- 3 cups organic peaches, sliced
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp gluten free all purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp ground chipotle powder
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
biscuit topping:
3/4 cup gluten free all purpose flour

1/2 cup pecan meal*

2 Tbsp coconut sugar

1/2 tsp plus 1/8 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp sea salt

2 Tbsp solid coconut oil, cut into chunks

1/4 cup cold full fat coconut milk (chilled in the fridge is best), mixed well

1 tsp pure vanilla extract
6 inch wide ovenproof bowl or pie plate

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees with the rack at the center position. Place a baking sheet lined with foil on the rack. Oil a 6 inch wide pie plate or bowl with coconut oil. In a large bowl, toss together the fruit, maple syrup, chipotle, cinnamon, lemon juice and zest, vanilla, flour. Spoon into prepared bowl or pie plate, and cover with foil. Place plate on baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until fruit is cooked through and bubbling.
2. Meanwhile, when the fruit in the oven is almost at 45 min, to make biscuits, in a large bowl, combine the flour, pecan meal, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the oil with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture starts to clump into pea sized pieces. In a small bowl, stir the vanilla extract into the coconut milk. Add the milk to the dough, and stir a few times, but do not overmix. The dough should hold together when squeezed, but still be clumpy. Place dough on a floured work surface, and pat into a 1/2 inch tall rectangle.
3. Remove baking fruit from oven. Cut small shapes out of the dough using a cookie cutter (or free form it), and place on top of the cobbler. When all biscuits are on top of cobbler, sprinkle with coconut sugar and return to the oven. Bake for about 20 minutes until biscuits are cooked through and lightly brown and toasted on top (keep a close eye on they could burn very quickly). Remove from oven and let cool until warm, and top with some ice cream or coconut vanilla whipped cream and…enjoy!
*Raw pecans ground to a flour consistency in a food processor
August 1, 2016
Chipotle Black Bean Chili Stuffed Yams

I haven’t met a yam I didn’t like. Especially when roasted to perfection, the sweetness and flavor brought out. I love yams just like that, and I would eat them plain all day like that, but it isn’t really a balanced meal then, so I like to add other components to them. My favorite thing lately is to stuff them. I have made this a few times lately for me and Eric and lets just say we were both really hungry and they tasted so good that we practically inhaled them. This recipe involved black beans in a sort of chili sauce laced with chipotles, and topped off with avocadoes, oregano, and scallions. It is so good. Filling, and both savory and a little sweet so that you don’t feel like you need dessert after.

The best thing about these is they come together quick, so they are perfect for a busy day or when you get home late. The yams can be popped in the oven while you are doing other stuff, and the topping can be made in the meantime. If everyone knew about meals like this, I don’t think they would think vegan food is boring, I think they might consider eating this way!

Chipotle Black Bean Chili Stuffed Yams

Serves 2

2 medum sized yams or sweet potatoes

2 tsp olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp chipotle powder

1/2 cup diced canned tomatoes (or you may use fresh if you have them)

sea salt to taste

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans

2 scallions, sliced

2 Tbsp fresh oregano or cilantro

1 avocado, diced

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Prick the yams all over with a fork, and place on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour until tender, depending on how large they are.

Meanwhile, to make the chili beans, heat olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat, and add the onions and bell pepper. Saute until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, chipotle powder, sea salt, tomatoes, orange juice and beans. Cook for another 10 minutes until the flavors have blended, stirring often.

Once the yams have finished cooking, cut in half lengthwise (but not all the way through to the bottom. Spoon the black beans into the open yams, top with scallions, oregano, and avocadoes, and serve!

January 3, 2016
Chipotle Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

I was never a huge fan of chicken salad growing up, so I am not sure where my urge to make vegan chickpea salad sandwiches came from. Maybe because chickpeas are way more delicious to me than chicken ever was, and I can make my own plant based mayo (I was never a fan of mayo until I made the vegan type). So, I decided to give it a try. I didn’t want just plain salad though, I wanted something kicked up a notch. So, I ended up making a spicy chipotle mayo that was right up my alley.

I made the mayo with a base of cashew and coconut to make it extra creamy, and added in plenty of chipotle for a big kick. It was pretty tasty, and if thinned out I think it would make wonderful salad dressing for some roasted veggies as well. But I mixed it in with my chickpeas and some chopped veggies, tossed it on some sprouted bread with tomatoes and lettuce and voila! Something that I enjoyed way more than the chicken salad I had tried as a kid that was nothing special. This was delicious! And no chickens were harmed it the process which makes me happy too.

Chipotle Chickpea Salad Sandwiches

Makes 2

Chipotle Mayonnaise:

1 can full fat organic coconut milk
1/2 cup raw cashew butter
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 garlic clove
1 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 tsp guar gum

Salad:

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium carrot, shredded or cut julienne

2 scallions, sliced

1 small bell pepper, diced

1 tomato, sliced

lettuce leaves

sprouted bread, or your choice of bread

For the mayonnaise, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. You will have a bit extra after the recipe, so just save in the refrigerator in a jar for another use.

To make the salad, combine the chickpeas, celery, carrots, scallions, pepper, and just enough of the mayonnaise to coat it in a bowl (you can always add more if need be). Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Toast your bread (or at least I like to, you may leave it un-toasted if you like), then place a lettuce leaf on two of the slices, then the tomato slices, then some of the chickpea salad, then another slice of bread. And enjoy!

August 29, 2015