Easy Vegetarian Chili

This chili is perfect for days when you just want to stay inside, wrapped up in a blanket, with a bowl of something piping hot, and oh so spicy.

It only made sense to make a big pot of chili. Vegetarian chili is one of my favorite meals. It's easy to make & only requires the use of one pot. The ingredient proportions are easy to memorize, and the recipe can be heavily adapted to your liking.

For the base I like to use low sodium tomato juice. This gives the chili a rich flavor, and since it's low in sodium you can control the amount of salt in the dish.

You can experiment with different types of beans, but I like to stick to the most readily available beans imaginable: dark red kidney beans, chili beans, and black beans. I purchase them canned to save time. Be sure to drain and rinse the beans well. Draining and rinsing them in a colander will get rid of excess salt.

Fresh jalapenos and yellow onion are two of my favorite ingredients. You can definitely make this chili without them, but it really lends great flavor to the finished product. I always choose sweet yellow onion because it caramelizes beautifully. They develop the most amazing flavor, so I just can't pass them up. I have included a link below for those of you who would like to learn more about caramelizing onions.

I recommend keeping a tasting spoon handy, as most of the seasoning will be done to your discretion. I'm never shy with the chili powder, so don't be afraid to add more or less than recommended. I also prefer to add cumin, though it's not 100% necessary. If you don't have it on hand there is no need to make a special trip to go buy some.

Morningstar Farms® Meal Starters™ Grillers™ Recipe Crumbles™ work great as a ground beef substitute. If you've never used them before I highly suggest using a nonstick skillet. The crumbles have a tendency of sticking to the pan very quickly if cooked incorrectly.

The best thing about this chili, in my opinion, is that it is even better the next day! Keep your leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container. You can also use it in many different ways. Top some corn chips to make Frito Pie. Have a little on your veggie burger or fries. How about some on a baked potato? It's just plain good on everything.


Vegetarian Chili
with Caramelized Onions & Fresh Jalapenos


Ingredients:

• 1 Sweet Yellow Onion (chopped)
  
• 4-6 Jalapenos (minced)
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 2- 15 oz Cans Dark Red Kidney Beans (drained & rinsed)
  
• 1- 15 oz Can Chili Beans (drained & rinsed)
• 1-15 oz Can Black Beans
  
• 1- 64 oz Bottle Low Sodium Tomato Juice
• Chili Powder to taste (I recommend at least 3 Tbsp)
  
• 1/2 tsp Cumin
• 1/2 tsp Garlic
• 1/4 tsp Chipotle Chili Powder
  
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper (to taste)
  
• Salt (to taste)

Optional Toppings:

• Crushed Red Pepper
  
• Shredded Cheese
• Picante Sauce
• Sour Cream
• Chives

Great Additions:

• Corn
• Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Tomatoes
• Hot Peppers of all kinds
  

Preparation Instructions:

1. Heat the extra virgin olive oil and butter in a large nonstick pot over low/medium heat. Meanwhile, chop your onion.
2. Carefully add the chopped onion to the oil/butter mixture. Season with a little salt and pepper.
   
3. Caramelize the onion. See here for instructions on how this process works. It's easy! You will need to cook them for about 25 minutes. Keep an eye on them, and stir to prevent sticking and burning.
   
4. While the onions caramelize, mince the jalapenos. Set aside.
5. When the onions are somewhat crisp & golden brown they are finished cooking. Set them aside in a separate bowl for now.
6. Add the entire bag of meat substitute, along with all of the jalapeno peppers. Stir to combine. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder. Stir frequently. Cook until the jalapenos are tender and meat substitute is heated through.
7. Add the tomato juice and caramelized onions into the pot with the meat substitute/jalapeno mixture. Stir in the beans. Season with chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, salt, pepper & garlic. Stir well to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove the pot from direct heat once you have finished simmering the chili. At this point you can use your handy tasting spoon to sample a little. If it's seasoned to your liking, you're finished! If not, feel free to add more spices, a little at a time, until you are satisfied. Let it cool for about 10 minutes before serving. Top with shredded cheese, or any topping you would like, and enjoy!