Vegan comfort foods

With the winter months bringing cold weather, our bodies are craving rich warm comforting foods.  We want savory dishes that are warm and filling.  What might come to mind is macaroni and cheese, or a thick meaty stew.  Unfortunately these foods are not allowed on a Vegan diet.  Luckily, I do have some great comforting
foods that are easy to make and will keep you satisfied.

Vegan "chicken" nuggets- (taken from group recipes)
1 14 oz package extra firm tofu
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
salt to taste
1/2 cup water

• Unwrap the tofu and shake off any excess moisture. Place the tofu in a freezer bag or wrap well in plastic, then freeze the sealed tofu for at least 24 hours.
• The next day, thaw the tofu by placing it—unwrapped—into a microwave-safe bowl. Cover the bowl and microwave on high, checking every 2 to 3 minutes to make sure the tofu doesn’t cook. Once thoroughly defrosted, gently squeeze out any excess moisture and cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a shallow bowl, add the bread crumbs and spices, mixing well. In a separate bowl, pour 1/2 cup of water.
• Dip each piece of tofu first into the water, lightly shake off any excess water, and then coat with the seasoned bread crumbs.
• Put the breaded tofu cubes on a lightly oiled baking pan and baked 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
• Serve with a dipping sauce such as sweet and sour or barbecue, or spicy mustard.

 Vegan chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
2 (12 ounce) packages vegetarian burger crumbles
3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the vegetarian burger crumbles. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season chili with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.