Years ago, I went on a vegetarian diet for health reasons and found one of my favorite chili recipes. I’ve altered it with my own unique flavors and surprisingly, Scott loves it too.
This recipe is super easy to make, especially on a boat – during a wind storm! LOL. Be sure to follow the key points below, so your chili doesn’t get soggy.
There are all kinds of meat substitutes, especially today. I haven’t tried any of the new ones, like “Impossible burger”, but I do plan on it. We’ll let you know what we think. For this recipe, we use our favorite crumbles, which are from Morning Star. Be sure to not over cook the crumbles, or they will get mushy.
Recently, Scott and I made this recipe on the boat during a wind storm. It was perfect for our cozy winter night and we also baked corn bread to accompany it. Enjoy!
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Vegetarian Chili
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Even the meat lovers in your family will love this chili! It is a must try for everyone! Add as much spice as you want as you season it.
Instructions
Heat garlic oil in a small stock pot and add onion. Cook for about 5 minutes until tender.
Add tomatoes and spices and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.
Add vegetable broth, vinegar and maple syrup and cook on medium high heat for about 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.
Add Morning Star crumbles and kidney beans and cook on medium high heat for about 10 - 15 minutes.
Once heated thoroughly, serve immediately with toppings: scallions, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
Recipe Notes
Do not over cook the meat substitute or kidney beans, as they will become mushy.
Quinoa salad perfect for summer time!
Now that the weather has warmed up, I love to make a quinoa salad as both our side dish & veggie. When we’re cooking on the boat, we try to grill our protein and have our side dish all prepared for ease of prep & cleanup. Quinoa is very versatile and you can add any ingredients you like. Add a protein for a full meal.
If you haven’t cooked quinoa much, you want to make sure you rinse it first, otherwise it can taste bitter. Quinoa comes from the Andes and surprisingly it is not a grain. What we are actually eating is the seed of the plant. It is in the goosefoot family, which also produces edibles such as chard and spinach. Although we treat it like a grain, it is actually not at all.
These salads are so tasty, because the quinoa absorbs the dressing so well. The key to maximizing the flavor is to let the quinoa cool slightly and then add the dressing. Then mix in your veggies. You want to make sure that the quinoa is cooled off enough, that it doesn’t make the veggies soggy.
This past week, we had a friend over to our new apartment for dinner. She is on the FODMAP diet and this salad was perfect for her. As a result, she can’t eat any garlic, onions or cheese. It was delicious, but if aren’t limited to ingredients, it’s best with minced garlic in the dressing, chopped red onion and crumbled feta cheese mixed in.
Be sure to check out the rest of our tasty recipes on our blog at www.boatingjourney.com/recipes
Enjoy! Ally
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Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Cucumbers & Bell Peppers
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This a delicious recipe for summer time that pairs great with most proteins. Be sure to make it at least one hour before serving so it marinates in the dressing.
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
Ingredients
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
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Instructions
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Rinse the quinoa. Bring quinoa and 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a very low simmer and cover. Cook for about 13 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Remove lid and remove from heat. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes. Add lemon vinaigrette dressing (see recipe below), tossing gently. Add remaining vegetables.
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing
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Whisk all the ingredients until blended well. Taste and adjust salt / pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Chicken Tortilla Soup for a Cold Winter’s Day
There’s nothing more comforting than a bowl of hot soup on a cold winter’s day and we love my chicken tortilla soup. It’s super easy to make and it doesn’t take long. This would be the perfect soup to make on a boat, as the cooking time is short and as a result it doesn’t create a lot of condensation in your cabin.
The cabin on our boat is small and so any type of heat we generate in the winter, quickly creates condensation on our hatches. If we crack them open, the rain gets in, so it’s a lose lose situation. That’s why I like to make recipes that don’t require a lot of cooking time. This chicken tortilla soup is hearty and a crowd favorite! Enjoy.
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Chicken Tortilla Soup
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This hearty soup is perfect on a cold day and easy to prepare on boat. Serve it with cheese quesadillas and everyone will be in heaven.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small jalepeno, diced and seeded I prefer to use fresno or red jalapenos
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 12oz can petite diced tomatoes with chilies
- 1 medium cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
- 1 12oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 48 oz chicken stock, low sodium
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 sm avocado, sliced
- sour cream
- tortilla chips
- cheddar cheese, shredded
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small jalepeno, diced and seeded I prefer to use fresno or red jalapenos
- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 12oz can petite diced tomatoes with chilies
- 1 medium cooked rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 1 cup corn (frozen, fresh or canned)
- 1 12oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 48 oz chicken stock, low sodium
- 1 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 sm avocado, sliced
- sour cream
- tortilla chips
- cheddar cheese, shredded
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Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and add onion, garlic, jalapeno and bell pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add spices and salt & pepper. Add tomatoes, chicken, corn, black beans and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and return to a simmer and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Be sure to taste the soup along the way and adjust spices to your preferences for spiciness.
Ladle into bowls and top soup with cilantro, green onions, avocado, sour cream and tortillas.
Vegetarian Enchiladas
Vegetarian enchiladas on a boat? Okay, so I know we can’t make enchiladas on our boat unless we get a toaster oven. Scott and I have looked into getting one, but we don’t know how much time we would spend on the boat during the winter. A toaster oven would take up a lot of counter space and during the summer, we use our Magma Gas Grill
Then there’s the question, of which one to buy? There are many choices out there and since we don’t own one personally, we wonder what would be best? For me, I would want one that can easily bake without scorching the food. At the same time, I don’t want to spend a lot of money on something we might not use a lot. So stay tuned and we’ll let you know what we decide.
In the meantime, I still wanted to share with you one of my favorite healthy recipes. This is a great dish for a Sunday evening after you have spent all weekend boating and want some healthy comfort food. In this recipe, we are using canned green enchilada sauce for ease of prep on a boat.
This recipe does call for a lot of chopped vegetables. As I have mentioned before, I love my Onion & Vegetable Chopper. Here’s a quick demo video:
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Vegetarian Enchiladas
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These vegetarian enchiladas are so delicious that even the meat lovers love them!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup white mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 12oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 10" tortillas, flour & corn combo or use your favorite type of tortilla
- 1 12oz can green chile enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato, chopped
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup white mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
- 1/2 cup orange bell pepper, chopped
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp fresh ground pepper
- 1 tsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup zucchini, chopped
- 1 12oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 6 10" tortillas, flour & corn combo or use your favorite type of tortilla
- 1 12oz can green chile enchilada sauce
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup green onions, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup tomato, chopped
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Instructions
Heat olive oil in a large skillet and saute' mushrooms, onion and bell peppers. Season with crushed red pepper flakes, salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin. Cook until tender and add garlic. Add zucchini and black beans and remove from heat.
Pre-heat oven to 375º. Warm tortillas in microwave under a moistened paper towel for about 15 seconds. Grease a 9 x 13 casserole dish and spread about 1/8 cup of enchilada sauce in the bottom of the dish. Holding a tortilla, fill it with about 1/6 of the bean mixture and carefully roll up and place in dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas. (If you have left over bean mixture, you can spread it on top of the enchiladas). Pour enchilada sauce evenly over all of the tortillas, covering each of them. Sprinkle cheese and cover with non-stick foil. Bake for 20 minutes and then remove foil and bake for another 5 minutes.
Top with chopped green onions, cilantro and tomato. Serve immediately.
Chicken Chili for those tailgating nights!
White chili, also known as Chicken Chili is a favorite in our house. Now that Fall & Winter is arriving, who doesn’t love chili especially when watching your favorite football team? Chili is actually very easy to make on a boat in a small galley and it keeps for a few days for great leftovers.
While I love traditional chili, there’s something about Chicken Chili that is just as tasty and makes me feel like I’m eating healthier! Happy cooking!
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Chicken Chili
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This medium spicy chili is easy to make and a definite crowd pleaser. Even my husband, who only likes traditional chili loves this recipe!
Instructions
In a large pot, heat canola oil and add onion & jalapeno. Cook until tender under medium high heat. Add diced garlic and all of the spices and cook for about 2 minutes (do not let the garlic burn). Add 1/2 of the white kidney beans and smash them in the pot. Add chicken broth, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Add corn, chicken, remaining white kidney beans and pinto beans. Simmer for about 25 minutes. If you want it thicker, add 1 tbsp. of water to the corn starch and mix thoroughly. Add to the chili, stirring to keep it from clumping.
Serve with shredded cheddar cheese, diced avocado, sour cream, chopped cilantro & crushed tortilla chips.
Recipe Notes
Since I don't like chopping onions & other veggies, especially on a boat, I use my Onion Chopper by Müeller . It works great, collects the onion in the bin (no mess and no tears) and the clean up is easy!
This post may contain affiliate links for products I mention.
Grilled Tenderloin Steaks – the perfect dinner!
We love grilled tenderloin steaks. Recently, I have been buying O Organic grass fed steaks at Safeway. Besides the fact that they are grass fed, I love the fact that they are the perfect size for a meal. Ever notice when you go to buy a steak it could feed three people?
These steaks are obviously more expensive per pound, but typically I can buy a package of two steaks for less than $12. In addition, they are easy to pack for a weekend on the boat since they are sealed tight.
Our Magma grill on the boat does not have a large surface space. Grilling smaller steaks allows for other food items to be grilled too. We also use a lava stone from Island Grillstone. These come in 6″ x 12″ or 12″x12″ and we use the smaller one on the boat. See below.
Pair these steaks with red potatoes & spinach for a complete meal! Enjoy!
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Grilled Tenderloin Steak
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Instructions
Pre-heat grill. Combine all of the spices & garlic in a small bowl. Rinse and pat dry tenderloin steaks. Brush olive oil on all sides of the steaks and rub spices in evenly. Allow steaks to come to room temperature*.
Grill steaks to desired likeness. Medium rare = internal temperature of 120º. Let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
*Keep in mind, when you are on a boat in hot weather, do not leave any food items in hot sun.
