Teany: 100% Natural. 100% Nice.

I love this cookbook. Jamie bought it for me back in the days when we were dating.....about an eon ago. Written by musician Moby and his ex-girlfriend Kelly Tisdale, Teany, features vegetarian and vegan recipes from their trendy lower east-side Manhattan cafe, also called Teany.



"Moby's teany book, written with Kelly Tisdale, is somewhere between a cookbook and a memoir. Promising "stories, food, romance, cartoons, and, of course, tea," it is cute, funny, entertaining and informative." - Veronica Marian


Teany iced teas. The motto on every bottle: 100% Natural. 100% Nice.

While I love many of the recipes in this book, the chili is my fav. It tends to be on the extra super spicy side so I have reduced the spice and substituted chickpeas for the white beans...because that's what I typically have on hand. This version is mild and flavourful. If it's more kick you want, up the chili powder to 1 Tbsp. This recipe freezes and reheats really well.



I can figure out whether the secret ingredient is the espresso, the cocoa powder, or the cashews.....but I think the cashews get my vote! I love the added crunch in an otherwise soft chili. They're perfect.

Ingredients:
3/4 c olive oil
2 c diced onion
1/4 c chopped garlic
2 cups of diced red, yellow, orange and/or green peppers
1/8 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 T ground cumin
2 tsp mild chili powder
1/4 tsp red cayenne pepper
3 T brewed espresso
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with sweet onion
28 oz can plain diced tomatoes
1/2 c chopped cashews
1 can (8 oz) kidney beans, drained
1 can (8 oz) chickpeas, drained
1 c corn (fresh or frozen)



In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil and sauté the onions until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the diced peppers. Cook for 2 to 4 more minutes.

Blend the spices (cocoa powder, cumin, chili powder, and red cayenne). Add the spice mix and the espresso. Cook for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with their juice (undrained) and cashews. Once the mixture is simmering, add the drained beans and corn. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Simmer chili over medium-low heat until some of the liquid has evaporated and chili is thick, about 1 hour.

I love to serve this with a bit of sour cream and vegan cornbread muffins from the Where it All Vegan! cookbook.

It's a home run, people!