It may be spring, but there’s still a nip in the air here in Ireland. And on these cold and rainy days, when you’re chilled to the bone, there are few dishes more welcoming than a big bowl of chili.
This vegetarian twist on the classic chili con carne recipe comes from Lisa Leake’s cookbook 100 Days of Real Food. I was given the cookbook a few years ago and only recently started testing recipes from it. I like the book’s premise “simple, family-friendly recipes to help you ditch processed foods and eat better every day”. I’m in complete agreement with Lisa on eating well and eating consciously.
Years ago, after a health scare, I drastically changed my family’s diet. Foods designed to sit on our shelves for months, foods laden with sugar, foods that had no resemblance to what our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents ate were replaced by real foods, products with ingredients lists I could pronounce, foods that nourished our bodies, souls and minds. Friends used to tease me when they’d see me in the aisles at Tesco reading labels, but I never minded…my family’s health and well being were worth it.
And here we are, more than ten years later, and there’s been a seismic shift towards mindful eating…I’m not the only one reading labels anymore!
Lisa’s Leake’s version of vegetarian chili is hearty and delicious. It is a breeze to make and, if you double the recipe, it freezes beautifully. I hope you give this recipe and try…in the meantime… bundle up…it may be spring…but it’s still chilly out there!
~XoK
Vegetable Chili
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
114g/3/4-cup diced onion
1 bell pepper, any colour, cored, seeded and diced
132g/3/4-cup fresh or frozen corn kernels {no need to defrost frozen corn}
2 cloves garlic, minced
28 ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
Directions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes
3. Stir in the corn and garlic and sauté for 1 or 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, beans, bay leaves, and seasonings and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. The longer it simmers, the better the chili will be.
4. Remove the bay leaves, ladle the chili into bowls, and serve with the desired toppings.
Additional Notes, Related Articles & Credit:
* Toppings might include grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, chopped red onion, diced avocado and/or homemade corn bread. And, if you want to eat chili the way I did growing up, serve it over a bowl of rice.
** My usual go to vegetarian chili recipe is from Elizabeth Buxton and Terence Stamp’s cookbook, The Stamp Collection Cookbook. You can find the recipe here.
In an Irish Home 