Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Smoky Vegan Chili

We've been making variations of this delicious tomato-free chili for a couple of years. You can vary the ingredients a lot and it will still come out great. It is very quick and easy to make and everybody loves it (meat-eaters included). If you want to use a crock pot, cook the veggies in a frying pan first and then throw it all together.

Ingredients:
2-3 tbs of olive oil
4 sticks of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 large carrot, chopped
8 cups of beans, cooked (I like a mix of kidney and black beans)
1 cup of roasted or fresh red peppers, chopped
1 tbs of mesquite seasoning mix
1 tsp of whole cumin, crushed
1/2-1 tsp of Chipotle (or regular hot) chili powder
pinch of smoked salt
2-4 cups of water
dash of Braggs amino liquids

In a big pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the celery, garlic and carrots and continue cooking, stirring frequently. After vegetables are softened, add beans, peppers and seasonings. Next, add just enough water to create a chili consistency (not enough to fully cover beans) and add a little Braggs to taste. Cover the pot and let the chili cook for 30+ minutes on medium heat, or as long as you want on a very low simmer (eg. crock pot).

Tips: If you want to make this recipe even more hearty, you can add some TVP (textured vegetable protein) or tempeh right before you add the water.

Once you are ready to serve it up, you can dress up this recipe with some sour cream and cilantro, or even fresh avocado slices. For a full meal, serve with some salad and fresh cornbread on the side.

This should serve about 4.

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