Chili Baked Potatoes

The Ingredients:
1/2 a small onion, diced
1 clove garlic
1/2 t oregano
12 oz crumbled veggie burgers
1 1/2 c pinto beans
1 1/2 c diced tomatoes
3/4 c tomato sauce
2 T jam (I used blueberry)
1/2 t chili powder
4 baking potatoes

 The Process:

1. Bake potatoes at 425 degrees until tender.
2. Meanwhile, heat a splash of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, and oregano and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent.
3. Add crumbled veggie burger and continue to cook, stirring, for a few minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Reduce heat to very low and cover until potatoes are done.  Split potatoes open and top with chili.

Chocolate-Stuffed Scones

Using part oat flour makes this scone dough more difficult to work with than some, but also makes for moist scones with a nice flavor.

Makes 8 scones.

The Ingredients:
1 c rolled oats
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
3/4 t salt
6 T COLD margarine
2/3 c COLD almond milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 c chocolate chips

The Process:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. In a food processor, grind oats into flour.
3. Add flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to oat flour, and pulse a few times to combine.
4. Add margarine, cut in small pieces, and pulse until mixture resembles sand.
5. Add almond milk and vanilla and process until dough forms.
6. With floured hands, pat dough into a 12-inch circle on a well-floured surface.
7. Cut into 16 wedges.  (Note: dough will be wet and sticky; if the wedges fall apart while you're working with them, simply press them back together.)
8. Top 8 of the wedges with chocolate chips.  Top with the remaining wedges, and press the edges together to seal.
9. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and bake 15 minutes or until bottoms are light golden.  Allow to cool before serving.

Creamy Polenta with Olive Sauce

The Ingredients:
1 c polenta or coarsely ground cornmeal
4 c water or vegetable broth
1/4-1/2 t salt (omit or use less of using salted broth)
2 T margarine

For Sauce:
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c chopped diced tomatoes (drained if canned)
1 c loosely-packed kalamata olives, pitted and halved lengthwise
3/4 t ground oregano
1/2 t sugar
a pinch salt
black pepper to taste

The Process:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine polenta, water, and salt in a casserole dish or dutch oven.  Cover and bake for 1 hour.
3. When polenta has about 20 minutes of cooking time remaining, heat a splash of olive oil in a skillet over medium-low heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until soft and fragrant.  Add remaining ingredients, raise heat to medium, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for about 3 minutes, then cover and set aside.
4. Whisk margarine into polenta, then return to oven, uncovered, and bake for an 10 more minutes.
5. Top polenta with sauce and serve.