Finding out your dinner guests are vegan might send many people into a panic, but Naperville resident Wendy Hayum Gross found the prospect of altering a recipe to be an interesting challenge.
“I don’t think I have ever really followed a recipe from start to finish,” she says with a quick laugh. “I look at the ingredients and decide to change things and add things that I like. I often take recipes that my husband and I love and try to make them healthier so cooking a vegan meal was just another new recipe.”
Gross decided to make a hearty fall meal of chili and cornbread. “I looked at several vegan recipes for chili. I liked one recipe but it used bulgur wheat and I didn’t want to use that. I thought it would make it too grainy. I knew the wheat was to add protein so I decided to use soy chorizo instead which you can get at Trader Joe’s. And I didn’t want it to be just a pot of beans so I added a lot of seasoning for flavor.”
The cornbread was also an interesting challenge. “I took out the eggs and added a little canola oil. In place of milk, I used unsweetened almond milk. It turned out so well that I think it will be my go-to recipe. It is really very light and fluffy,” says Gross.
Gross enjoys baking and cooking. “My mom and grandma were fabulous bakers and I love to bake but I am not as much into sweets as I am into savory.” Many years ago, Gross ran a small catering venture for short time where she provided dinners for two. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor but has placed most of her energy into being a Mary Kay Sales Director for 31 years. “Mary Kay (Ash) trained me. She told me ‘you can do it’ and got me started.”
The Rotary Club of Naperville takes up another big part of Gross’ life. She is the current president and is busy getting ready for the farewell food tour of Soup’s On, the club’s annual charity event.
Guests who attend this event are invited to sample soups, stews, sandwiches, sliders, wings and desserts. “It is the eighth Soup’s On,” she notes. “We have supported DuPage PADS, Hesed House and Loaves and Fishes and now they are all grown so much we felt it was time to try something new.”
Gross says efforts are being made to make this final event memorable. “There will be over 20 restaurants there and lots of great food and great desserts,” she says. “The high schools kids who provide the entertainment know it’s the last one and they are all trying to give it their best.”
Although the food is plentiful and delicious, Gross says the best dish offered at Soup’s On is heaping helping of hometown friendliness. “The whole community is there. I always see people that I haven’t seen in a long time and we catch up and talk. There are volunteers, students, neighbors, club members — it is like being with family.” Tickets for the Oct. 18 event are still available and can purchased at the door.
Gross has been a rotary club member for 15 years. “I joined Rotary because a friend asked me to join but I have found that I love being part of a group that encourages me to be a better person. The Rotary theme this year is to be a gift to the world. We all have so many gifts and it makes everyone think ‘are you sharing your gifts with the world?'” says Gross
You don’t have to be vegan to enjoy the recipes Gross created for her dinner party. They are tasty variations on traditional recipes that provide a change. They are also handy recipe to have around just in case you find a vegan friend coming to your home for dinner in the future. She shares her vegan chili and cornbread recipes for others to try.
Judy Buchenot is a freelance writer.
Vegan Chili
6 ounces soy chorizo
1 large onion
5 garlic cloves
2 jalapeño peppers
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
11/2 cups tomato sauce
15-ounce can kidney beans
15-ounce can black beans
In a Dutch oven, saute chorizo until slightly crispy. Peel and chop onion and garlic. Chop peppers. Add onion, garlic, peppers and carrots to chorizo. Cook until onion is transparent. Add chili powders and cumin and mix. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce. Mix. Drain and rinse beans. Add to mixture.
Cook down until mixture reaches desired consistency. Add salt to taste. If mixture becomes too thick, thin with wine. If desired, serve with cilantro and green onions as a garnish. For a vegetarian meal, serve with sour cream or grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese.
Vegan Cornbread
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup canola oil
11/2 cups corn meal
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Wendy’s Culinary Cue
Do not throw out those wine corks. They are heat resistant and very light. Wine corks can be used to make trivets, wreaths, place card holders and bulletin boards. Wendy even created a whimsical back splash behind her kitchen counters from hundreds of wine corks glued in a tidy design.
Soup’s On
When: 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Oct. 18
Where: Naperville Central High School, 440 Aurora Ave.
Tickets: Adults $45, Seniors $35, Children 6-12 $10, Under six free
Information: www.soupsonrotary.com
salt to taste
6 tablespoons sugar
