Earth Eats Greens Your Superbowl Party

By WFIU Staff

Published October 29, 2019 at 2:11 PM EDT

Photo: Adam P Schweigert/WFIU

It's Superbowl weekend and we'll help you prepare for your Super Bowl party (or any other winter party, for that matter) with an episode dedicated to winter party foods.

On this episode of Earth Eats, we'll share a recipe for a scrumptious bison, pumpkin, and lentil chili. Then, for all the vegetarians and veggie lovers out there, we've got a tasty garden burger with our famous beet vinaigrette. But first...

What To Watch Out For This Super Bowl

Aside from football and beer (and, for some, the Puppy Bowl), there's one more thing that many people look forward to on Super Bowl Sunday...the commercials!

Earth Eats talked to some experts about what to watch out for in these otherwise fabulous ads. The overstatement of green claims, commonly called: greenwashing. Read more »

Going Local When It Comes To Beer

This time of year, we see plenty of winter brews that are dark, rich, and flavorful. Luckily for us Hoosiers, there are so many breweries around Indiana, going local when it comes to beer is definitely something to start exploring if you haven't already.

On the podcast: We talk with an expert on local brews: Andrew Ripley, a bartender at Finch's Brasserie here in Bloomington, Indiana.

Recipe: Bison, Pumpkin and Lentil Chili

Great on its own but also nice as a Sloppy Joe or Pita Pocket sandwich. Try it on grilled sausages or over pasta as well.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canola oil

2 pounds ground bison

2 cups washed green lentils

2 medium onions, diced

2 carrots, finely diced

1 red bell pepper, minced

1 green bell pepper, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups diced fresh tomatoes

2 cups crushed canned tomatoes

2 cups brewed coffee

1/4 cup sorghum

1/2 teaspoon. Sweet Season Spice Blend (recipe follows)

2 teaspoons cumin

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 teaspoon Aux Poivres Spice Blend (recipe follows)

2 pinches cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ cup of pumpkin puree

Assorted garnishes in bowls: diced red onions, scallions, pesto laced sour cream, grated cheddar or goat cheese.

Directions:

Brown bison in canola oil with chopped onions, peppers, carrots and minced garlic in heavy soup pot.

Cook until vegetables are lightly caramelized and tender. Add coffee, spices and lentils.

Bring just to a boil, then reduce to a simmer until lentils are almost tender (20 min).

Add diced and crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree and sorghum. Cook another hour or so.

Top with diced red onions, scallions, pesto laced sour cream, grated cheddar or goat cheese.

Sweet Seasons Spice Blend

1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 stick cinnamon (1/2")

1/2 teaspoon annatto seed

1/2 teaspoon pomegranate powder

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

2 pieces star anise

2 pieces cloves

1 piece mace

1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground nutmeg

2 bay leaves

Grind fine in a spice blender. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.

Aux Poivres Spice Blend

2 tablespoons cracked black pepper

2 tablespoons cracked white pepper

2 tablespoons Chinese Szechuan pepper

3 tablespoons fennel seeds

4 tablespoons coriander seeds

2 tablespoon guinea pepper

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Coarsely crack all the peppercorns and spices separately and combine with the red pepper flakes. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.

Recipe: Harrison Lake Garden Burgers

When it comes to Super Bowl parties, there's nothing like a good burger right off the grill. For this particular recipe, you can add all types of stuff, from corn kernels to sautéed zucchini or eggplant. Garden burgers are a great way to use up those lonely veggies in the crisper!!!

Photo: Alycin Bektesh/WFIU

We recommend our Harrison Lake Garden Burger with delicious (and versatile) Beet Vinaigrette dipping sauce. If you're a regular listener to Earth Eats, you know that this beet vinaigrette pops up on top of all sorts of dishes. Make a batch of it, and you'll be surprised just how often you'll use it.

Your Super Bowl Party Ideas

On the blog this week, we've got a whole lot more green Super Bowl party ideas from our friends at Celebrate Green...and we'd love to hear what you're making for your Super Bowl party.

Leave a comment or drop us a line at eartheats @ gmail.com. And whether you're a fan of the Colts or the Saints, remember, you can all be fans of Earth Eats on Facebook ;)

Have a great weekend everyone!