What?! A new post?! As I explained on ye olde Vegan Dad Facebook page, I have been battling Crohn’s this entire year and that has very much dampened my enthusiasm for cooking and eating. I think I am finally getting it under control, so here’s hoping! …

This is part two of my pressure canning recipe series (for more explanation of the canning process, see Part One). The recipe is Isa’s Meat Beany Chili supersized to make seven large jars. Having chili in the pantry is great for those days when you want a chili dog, or a quick lunch for the kids.

INGREDIENTS
Makes seven 1 quart/litre jars
– 1.5 cups dry black beans
– 1.5 cups dry red kidney beans

– 1/4 cup oil
– 4 cups chopped onion
– 3 cups chopped green pepper
– 3/4 cup chopped garlic
– 1/2 cup chili powder
– 1/4 cup oregano
– 2 tbsp cumin
– 1/2 tsp ground cloves
– 1 tbsp salt
– 2 cups brown lentils
– 1 48oz can tomato juice
– 2 28oz cans chopped tomatoes, with juice
– 4 cups water
– 1/2 cup sugar

METHOD
1. Soak beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain and rinse the next day.
2. Get all of your canning apparatus ready (canner, jars, lids).
3. In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Sauté onion, green pepper, and garlic for 5-7 mins, or until translucent. Add spices and salt and sauté for a minute, until fragrant.
4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Increase heat to med-hi and bring to bubbling, stirring regularly.
5. Transfer chili to sterilised jars, making sure each one has the same ratio of solid to liquid. Put on the lids and tighten the rings finger tight.
6. Process in the pressure canner at 10lbs of pressure for 75 mins. Remove from heat and let pressure drop to zero. Remove jars from the canner and let completely cool.

Full disclosure: I have posted this recipe, more or less, before. But this is the version without so much rat in it.A friend surprised me today by dropping off a basket of freshly picked strawberries, and if a pie/tart is what you are after then I thin…

Most of my forays into aquafaba have been failures, but these are a smashing success. I don’t know why the magic bean juice acts just like an egg in this recipe and not in others, but it does. These are thin and crispy and yet still chewy–exactly like…

This is the first post in a series of three on pressure canning. Pressure canners are relatively inexpensive (around $130) and can save you money in the long run by providing an economical way to can vegetables, beans, and other low-acid foods. Also, y…