VEGANMOFO 2009: GF Chili and Sweet Potato Rolls

Pinto beans? I'm not sure why I've been hesitant to cook with them. I've purchased every other bean in the bulk section (and with two hungry vegan dogs we go through A LOT of dried beans), but the pinto bean bin has been ignored. I decided to finally give the pinkish bespeckled beans a shot and what better way on a damp and gray day than in a chili?

I also experimented with some new flours. I bought sorghum and tapioca flour, and created sweet potato rolls that are gluten-free.

Three Bean Chili

Ingredients:
3 cups beans (I used black, pinto, and adzuki), soaked overnight
2 cloves garlic crushed, plus 3 cloves minced
1 medium sized white onion diced
1 small can tomato paste
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 chili pepper, minced
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 cup TVP
1 cup vegetable broth
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Cook beans, water, and crushed garlic on medium heat for 25 minutes or so. Add the remaining garlic, onion, tomato paste, peppers, and tomatoes.
2. Combine TVP and vegetable broth. When TVP has absorbed all the liquid, add it to the chili.3. Continue to cook chili until the beans are soft. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Rolls

Ingredients:

1 medium-small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/4 cup warm water
1 packet (1/4 oz) rising yeast
1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup oat flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

1. Steam the sweet potato for 10 minutes, then puree. Should yield about 1/2 cup.
2. While you are steaming the sweet potato, proof the yeast by mixing it with the warm water. Set aside for 10 minutes.3. Blend the flours and salt together. Yes, I have a Magic Bullet. 4. Mix in the Earth Balance until the batter is crumbly.5. Mix in the 1/2 cup pureed sweet potato, yeast mixture, and almond milk.6. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and set aside for an hour.Then it will look like this:7. Shape the dough into rolls and cut exes in the top. Place rolls on a nonstick cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.
Review:
The chili was great, and good thing, as we have a ton left. I have to admit that it was difficult to discern the flavors of the three beans, since they all just tasted like chili! As seems to happen often, I forgot about the rolls in the oven for a little while, so they're a little harder than I would have liked, but they were still tasty. DocDufresne commented that the more he ate, the more he liked them. I have to agree. The sorghum flour leaves a slight bitter after-taste in your mouth, but it becomes less noticeable as you eat. I slathered on some Earth Balance and it was great! The rolls came out chewy and dense, and don't especially taste sweet potato-y. I couldn't help but think of Hagrid's rock cakes from HP when I first took them out of the oven. Luckily, no broken teeth.

Also: THE BEST JUICE I'VE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE!!! IF YOU LIVE IN PHILLY, PICK SOME UP AT WHOLE FOODS! Cranberry Apple Juice.
And hot chocolate with marshmallows. Oh yeah.