Guest Author - Melanie Hachey

Canadians like to get outside as much as possible in summer because the season is notoriously short in Canada; and our winters are so long. One pot meals are a perfect solution for summer. They're quick, they're easy, you can freeze the leftovers for an even quicker, easier meal later on, and you don't have to turn on the oven. Last week, I shared my recipes for chicken soup and mom's tea biscuits. This week I am sharing my recipes for vegetarian chili and easy chicken curry.

Vegetarian Chili Recipe

4 medium onions
2 cloves garlic
3 smallish zucchinis
3 green peppers
1 eggplant (optional)
1 cup corn (frozen or fresh)
2 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans kidney beans, rinsed
chili spice
basil
oregano
black pepper
red pepper flakes (optional)

Dice the onions. Crush and finely chop the garlic. Chop all the rest of the vegetables into bite-size pieces.

In a large pot, over medium heat, add a bit of olive oil and the onions. Cook until soft, stirring often. Add garlic, cook for about a minute. Add the tomatoes and the spices to taste. Add the rest of the vegetables and the beans and bring to a boil. Check the taste, add spices as needed. Turn it down to low and simmer for about half an hour. Serve and enjoy. This is also good with mom's tea biscuits.

Easy Chicken Curry Recipe

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 medium onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped
2 Tbsp fresh chopped ginger root
2 Tbsp curry powder (more or less, to taste)
3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped into chunks.
1 can diced tomatoes
Assorted vegetables
1 can chick peas (optional)

In a large pot, over medium heat, add olive oil, onion, ginger and garlic. Cook until the onion is soft. Add the chicken, cook for 3 minutes on each side, then break it up into chunks. Sprinkle on the curry powder and stir. Add the potatoes, stir and let cook for about five minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir, cover and allow to simmer until the potatoes and chicken are cooked (about 20 minutes). Add the vegetables, we use broccoli, cauliflower and green beans, but any vegetables will do. We also like to add a can of rinsed chick peas; these can be added at anytime. Cook until the vegetables are done to your taste and serve over rice.

Enjoy and have a great summer!