Today’s post is brought to you by things that look a bit strange but taste very nice. I bought the latest Donna Hay magazine yesterday (well, the newest issue we’ve got here in Britain), and it’s full of exciting recipes. I often pass up Donna Hay’s mag, as it’s usually so meat-y, and I’m not. But the photos are unparalleled, and the issue I just bought is very pudding/dessert heavy.
First up today was chilli:
I’ve always wanted to make veggie chilli from scratch, so I could have it just as I like. Chilli is a lot like a good cookie — that might not seem right, but it’s true. Both should be delicious and comforting — and simple. I don’t mind chilli that’s stuffed full of a dozen different vegetables, but basic really is best sometimes.
So this was basically kidney beans, veggie mince, and chopped tomatoes. And spices. I should say ‘flavourings,’ because this chilli had absolutely zero spice. Wouldn’t even qualify as mild. I would have preferred a bit of a kick, but it was still tasty all the same.
On to apples, for caramelized apple crumble:
Now, see, those’re pretty. Nothing wrong with the look of those apple slices. Better cover them up!
Yummo! The apple slices were fried in butter and brown sugar (didn’t know you could do that, but I will now keep an eye out for other things to fry in sugar-butter). Topped with an extra-quick oat-y crumble and extra-thick single cream (which I thought would be like single cream, only thicker; I can only assume white glue tastes different from extra-thick single cream, but the consistency is exactly the same).
The crumble was tasty and slightly healthier than my favourite apple-y dessert, apple dumplings (another looks-bad-tastes-good dish), and chilli is surprisingly low-calorie. Even when you eat wayyy too much of it.
Chilli like the one you described is also very yummy with just a handful of bulgar wheat added. Add it with the tinned tomatoes, and simmer the whole kaboodle as per the bulgar wheat packet (somewhere between 20-30 mins)
G and I eat something we like to call smush in a bowl. Looks foul but is the ultimate Winter comfort food.
Hi from Sydney.
If you would like to hear an interview with Donna Hay and a bit about her background and training download a podcast from the ‘Conversation Hour” with Richard Fidler from the ABC Local http://www.abc.net.au/sydney/
Love the site and looking forward to the book.
I wonder if my mum now writes for Donna Hay. She hasn’t mentioned it, but my brother and I always used to wonder why she would refer to mince-plus-kidney-beans as ‘chilli’. Thanks to Donna Hay, I now understand that there’s a spice of that name that can be added to give the dish a ‘hot’ taste – not that anyone would do that, but I guess you could if you fancied a novelty meal. Now all I have to work out is why mum would refer to her chicken-in-sauce with rice as ‘curry’ – more optional spices maybe?
“Better cover them up!”
Do you know how much I love you Anna? You always make me laugh. xoxo, a
Oooooo! That looks yummy!