it is game day weekend!!!! you know what that means? endless amounts of the BEST kind of foods.. chili, nachos, wings, pizza. i mean, football! it means football. okay, but let's be real here, you don't need to be a football fan to enjoy the superbowl. host a party & whip up a killer spread! i will be spending it in toronto this weekend & i can't wait to be back in the city. it feels like it has been forever! but before i head off to my weekend away, here is the recipe for this three bean vegetarian chili.

when hosting parties, there are SO many dietary restrictments you have to be cautious of. so leave the meat for the sliders, burgers or wings & keep the chili meatless. i love setting up a little station with various toppings for chili. i usually do cheddar cheese, guacamole, sour cream & something crunchy. i served this chili up with black bean habanero harvest snaps! they have the perfect kick of spice as i tend to make the chili a bit more mild for people who can't handle spice as well as others. for those who LOVE spice (cough, my dad) they can pile on as many habanero harvest snaps as their heart desires! they are even gluten free incase you have a gluten intolerant guest as well. this chili is seriously for everyone! so happy football weekend. i can't wait to see what everyone is cooking up.

go broncos!!!!! errr i mean patriots?

ingredients

1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow or green bell pepper, chopped
4 stocks of celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled & chopped
1 large red onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic
1 tablespoon chilli powder
1 tablespoon oregano
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust this based on your spice preference)
1 cup chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup black beans, rinsed
1 cup red kidney beans, rinsed
2 cups of low sodium vegetable stock
1 jar of crushed tomatoes
cilantro, to garnish
sour cream, to garnish
black bean habanero harvest snaps, to garnish

directions

in a large pot over medium heat add the red bell pepper, yellow or green bell pepper, celery, carrots, red onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, paprika, cumin & cayenne pepper. cook until onions turn translucent, about 15 minutes.
add in the chickpeas, black beans & red kidney beans. cook for an additional minute or two.
pour in the vegetable stock & crushed tomatoes. stir until the two are evenly mixed in.
bring to a boil & then reduce to a simmer. cook with the lid on for one hour.
remove from heat & serve hot!
top with cilantro, sour cream, habanero harvest snaps & whatever your heart desires!

this post was created in partnership with harvest snaps! thank you for supporting the brands that keep me doing what i love. xo

happy global pulse day!!! i am celebrating over a big bowl of kale & white bean soup that i made live on NOM last night. it has been so cold, rainy & miserable here so i couldn't think of anything better then a comforting pot of soup to enjoy all week long! i am also sharing the recipe for chickpea chocolate chip blondies & rounding up ALL my favourite recipes i have made for the blog that include different types of pulses. yes, you heard that correctly... chickpea blondies! i actually can't even count how many times i have made these (& eaten the entire batch in one sitting, but it is healthy, so that's okay.. i think). they are so good & while they might not taste exactly like a traditional blondie they are good in a whole other way.

since it is safe to assume all our resolutions this month include eating healthier, these recipes will make that super easy. incase you aren't familiar with "pulses" they include various beans, peas & lentils that appear in all sorts of food that you eat! chickpeas, chickpea flour, yellow & green split peas, lentils, beans & so on. why should we eat pulses aside from all the delicious foods we make out of them? (i had to include TWO hummus recipes in this round up because who isn't obsessed with hummus) because they are good for us of course! working with pulse canada over the last year, i have been fortunate enough to learn about all the benefits pulses give us. they are the future of better nutrition & health, good for the planet, versatile & affordable AND my fellow canadian's we are one of the world's largest producers of pulses! this means they are pretty easy to get your hands on, canadian or not.

anyways, i hope you take the pulse pledge with me this year (click here to take the pledge or go to pulsepledge.com) & add pulses to your diet. just think, you can make a different flavoured hummus EVERY week or a cozy pot of chili for the cold winter days. below is a recipe link to some of my favourite pulse recipes as well as the new recipe for chickpea blondies!

pulse recipe round up

1. split pea pesto spaghetti- a summer inspired dish made with split pea pesto & roasted peppers.

2. garlic hummus- a classic hummus flavoured with a touch of garlic. serve with warm pita or sliced veggies!

3. roasted balsamic chickpea salad- a vegetarian salad where roasted balsamic chickpeas become the main source of protien. tossed in a honey balsamic dijon vinaigrette.

4. black bean + turkey chili- my go to winter dish, turkey chili! you can substitute the black beans for any type of bean & the turkey for any ground meat. this dish is loaded with flavour.

5. roasted beet, onion & garlic hummus- my pretty in pink hummus that was a huge hit this month! it features roasted beets, garlic & onion. i serve it with harvest snaps which are a healthy split pea snack!

chickpea chocolate chip blondies

ingredients

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed throughly
1/2 cup natural smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut sugar (can substitute raw, brown or white sugar)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips (milk or dark)

directions

preheat oven to 350 degrees & line a 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.
in a blender add the chickpeas, peanut butter, coconut sugar, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, baking powder & baking soda. pulse until mixture is smooth.
fold in chocolate chips & spread mixture evenly into the baking dish.
bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges turn a golden brown.

this post was created in partnership with pulse canada!