Improvisational Ravioli

I know I'm a little late. What can I say? I'm still adjusting. I've also been living off of one big bowl of brown rice salad that I will discuss a little later in the week.

But better late than never, that's what I always say.

And I do want to talk about improvisation because improvisation is the backbone of my cooking. I think people are scared of improvisation (like I was, until recently, with baking), but it doesn't have to be scary. It can be fun and exciting and challenging. You just have to be comfortable with the fact that sometimes things don't always work out just right.

But really you just look in the fridge and you say, OK. I have some tomatoes and some garlic and boy do I like both of those things roasted.

Easy Vegetarian Chili

{Silly me. It was not my browser that would not allow me to upload pictures, it was the fact that my photos were in the wrong format. So that's all fixed now and I can tell you about the chili I made the night before last (which we are still eating for lunch and breakfast). In fact, after I finish writing this I think I'm going to fry me an egg to eat with some of it (maybe sprinkled with some crumbles of gorgonzola...).}

I love chili, it's one of my favorite dishes, but I've never made a vegetarian chili before. Last night, however, I didn't have any meat in the house and Dan has decided that store bought ground beef grosses him out. So until I get a meat grinder, apparently we will not be eating ground meat (I have yet  to find out how hard and fast this rule is for him because sometimes I just want a hamburger).

This recipe is basically a great jump off point for any kind of vegetarian chili you want to make. Use whatever vegetables you have in the house, whatever beans are in your pantry, and it will be delicious. I'm including cilantro and lime in the recipe even though I didn't have any to use because they were definitely missing from the dish. It tastes great without them but it would taste even better with them.