It's a recipe!

Here’s a warming recipe for what promises to be a sunny, but chilly New Year’s Day. Keep a pot on the stove for neighbors and friends that might stop by and make an extra batch for the freezer; this will allow you to cozy-up with a good book later in the month, while the scent of your ready-made chowder fills the house.

People's Mexican Corn Chowder

Serves 10 – 12

2 cups yellow potatoes, diced
2 tablespoons olive oil (we like Udo's brand!)
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup red bell peppers, diced
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons tamari
2 teaspoons ume plum vinegar
4 cups corn
4 cups water
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
Boil potatoes until just tender, then drain. Sauté the onions, celery, and peppers in olive oil until soft, then add the spices and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tamari, vinegar, potatoes, corn and water, and stir well. Take out 1 cup of the chowder and blend until smooth, then add it back to the chowder and simmer until hot. Add the cilantro and serve.

It's a recipe!

Sweet Potato Latkes

Sweet potatoes offer a nutritiously delicious alternative to everyday potatoes. According to the Center for Science in the Public Interest, sweet potatoes are number one in nutrition over all other veggies. Why? Dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.

Ingredients:

2 firmly packed cups of grated sweet potato
2 Tbs. grated onion, drained of excess juice
1 Tbs. dried parsley
3 Tbs. cornstarch
pinch garlic powder
pinch onion powder
salt & pepper (to taste)
canola oil for frying
Garnish with vegan sour cream, sprinkling of paprika, and snipped chives or parsley (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to warm (250°). Place potato shreds in a large bowl; sprinkle with remaining ingredients, evenly disperse cornstarch; mix together all ingredients until well combined, keeping potato shreds separated.

In a large skillet over medium-high, heat a thin layer of canola oil to shimmering.

Place approximately 1/4 cup size mounds of the mixture into skillet and press firmly with a spatula so latkes hold together.

After about a minute (enough time for crisp surface to develop), gently loosen bottom of latkes from skillet by sliding a spatula under each one. If latkes appears to want to fall apart, remove spatula, press again from the top and cook for another 30 seconds. Total cook time is approximately 4 minutes on the first side, pressing frequently, to ensure crispiness and checking to make sure latkes are not sticking to skillet.

Carefully flip and cook for another 4 or so minutes on reverse side.

Place on paper towel-lined plate and keep warm in oven while preparing remaining latkes serve with garnish suggestions above.

This delicious dish was brought to you courtesy of the Farm Animal Reform Movement. FARM is a national nonprofit organization promoting a vegan lifestyle through public education and grassroots activism to end the use of animals for food. Learn more by visiting them here.