Slow Cooker Vegan Quinoa Chili

Yummy Vegan Chili! You won't miss the meat:) The quinoa will absorb all the flavours of the ingredients and make for a delicious, comforting meal on a cool day.

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper, sliced (include seeds)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 can tomato paste
2 tsps turmeric
1 tbsp hot chili flakes
ground black pepper to taste
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps chili powder
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed
sliced and chopped fresh carrots (washed but not peeled)
1 can  3 bean medley
1 cup frozen corn or peas
2 tbsp parsley
for garnish: sliced avocado; thinly sliced red onion; thinly sliced radish

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except garnish) into a slow cooker, stir and set on high for 30 minutes.  Stir. Reduce to low and cook for 4 to 5 hours. Ladle into bowls and provide garnishes as optional toppings.

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER HEART HEALTHY COOKIES

I made these cookies tonight because my oven is on the fritz and we are awaiting the delivery of our new one. I tried to use a lot of the same ingredients as in my heart healthy breakfast cookies but, obviously, left out a few things. I think they turned out really well! You can change up the ingredients as you see fit, the important thing is you want everything to hold together well at the end. If the mixture seems too dry, drizzle in a little more honey or peanut butter and stir well. If it is too wet, add in more oats or flax.

Refrigerate them on some parchment paper on a baking sheet, covered with a sheet of plastic wrap, for about 30 minutes before placing them in an air tight container and keeping them in the fridge.

Ingredients:

1 cup quick cooking steel cut oats
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (I put it through a coffee grinder to shred it even more)
1/2 cup of peanut butter ( I use all natural peanut butter, so it is just smoothly ground peanuts without added salt or preservatives)
 1/4 cup ground flax seed
1/4 cup pure cocoa powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup raw, hulled, unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped prunes or dates
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Combine all ingredients, except the sesame seeds, in a medium bowl. Use a pastry cutter to mix everything together well if you don't want to wear yourself out with stirring it with a wooden spoon.
You can make these as big or as small as you want too---even roll them into small balls. I took a heaping tablespoon; rolled it into a ball and then flattened it between my palms.

Sprinkle the sesame seeds onto a plate and press both sides of the flattened cookie into the seeds (or roll the ball in them). Place them on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. Place them in an air tight container and store in the refrigerator. Enjoy!