Vegetarian Chili
Foodie Friday
OK. I confess. I’m not single, I’m a carnivore, and my husband is always trying to convert me to veganism, or at least give it a Girl Scout try. I’m the classic Irish Potato head, and if I had my way I’d be eating hamburgers and corn beef hash behind his back. So, being married is definitely not all it’s cracked up to be girls. If you’re Catholic and married or Jewish and married, there’s a ton of guilt that could even result in your confessing, “Oh, I feel so guilty that I ate that”.
It may be only slightly exaggerating to say that I feel guilty that I’m not a more “healthy” eater because I talk about health all the time and shine the light on others who actually…are the ones I wish I could be like. So, it’s with some irony and satire that I post this wonderful Vegetarian Chili … seriously, its great even if you’d rather have a steak!
You will love this recipe even if you’re idea of a good dinner starts and ends with steak, veal or chicken. The portobello mushrooms are better than meat, and better for you. If you’re trying to just feel better about what you eat, start your week off with a big pot of this chil..it will last all week and taste good even after Friday’s lunch. Yum, just finished it today. The spices really make it too.
Vegetarian Chili
Ingredients
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
1 cup chopped red bell peppers
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 to 3 Serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced, depending upon your “heat” taste
1 medium zucchini, stem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears)
1 1/2 pounds Portobello mushrooms (about 5 large), stemmed, wiped clean
and cubed
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
3 cups cooked black beans or canned beans – rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup vegetable stock or water
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Accompaniment
Cooked brown rice
Garnishes
Sour cream or strained plain yogurt
Diced avocado, chopped green onions
Essence, recipe follows, garnish
Directions
In a large, heavy pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Add the onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes.
Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the tomatoes and stir well.
Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.
Adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Place 1/4 cup of brown rice in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the chili into the bowls over the rice. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream, a spoonful of avocado and green onions
Serve and Enjoy!
Graphic credit: Ask Georgie
On the VegiPlate: <b>Vegetarian</b> Chili | All The Single Girlfriends: So, it’s with some… http://goo.gl/fb/VK2E7