What's new at Candied Figs?

Two weeks into our vegan challenge, we were craving something hearty, meaty and just a little rich. This chili fit the bill perfectly--without all the added calories that come with its non-vegan counterpart. The inspiration from this recipe came from (surprise, surprise) my go-to vegan recipe blog, Oh She Glows, but I made a few notable alterations to suit our tastes.

This chili is sweet, smokey, savory, and all-around delicious. The recipe makes quite a lot, so save some room in your freezer unless you're planning on having a chili party. Don't worry, though--this is a recipe both vegans and non-vegans alike will love, so chances are any leftovers won't be hanging around your kitchen for too long.

Don't get me wrong- I love a good cheeseburger. So much so, in fact, that mention of them even made its way into the "about" section of this blog! But when dinnertime on day 10 of our vegan challenge called for burgers, we turned to the veggie alternative.

After enjoying a few post-wedding months of eating literally everything in sight, I've come to to the realization that it's time to start eating healthily again--and what better time to start than the beginning of a new year! To kick 2014 off right, we've decided to do a 30-day vegan challenge.

When I have the hankering to cook, I have a tenancy to go overboard. Instead of experimenting with one recipe, I'll whip up 2 dips, a side dish, and 3 desserts. That's exactly what happened while I was finagling with this seed bread recipe. While the bread cooked, I made:

This week's penultimate CSA included a hefty butternut squash--one of my all-time favorite fall foods. Although acorn squash will always have the number one place in my heart thanks to my dad's brown sugar and butter-roasted acorn squash recipe that made an appearance every fall while I was growing up, butternut takes a close second.

Even though I had some older produce lying around that I probably should have used up first, I love butternut squash and wanted to dig into it ASAP. It also didn't hurt that the day was also one of the coldest yet--even though the sun was shining you could still feel the cold edge of impending winter in the air all day long. That type of weather only means one thing: snowy days are coming, and with them, hearty dishes, stews, and roasts galore. 

Getting married is awesome, but what’s even more awesome are wedding registries. Registries are like wish lists for all the fantastic, sometimes outlandish, but generally useful housewares it would otherwise probably take a lifetime to amass. For example: a clothes steamer? Great! Crab crackers? How else would one crack their crustaceans?! A doughnut cookie cutter? Clearly a modern home necessity.