Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

I can think of 3 very good reasons to include beans (a.k.a legumes) in our diets:

1) They are packed with nutrients. Beans are a great source of protein as well as fibre. They also contain folate which we need to make normal red and white blood cells. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which our body uses to make niacin (vitamin B3) and serotonin which is the “feel good” hormone that helps us sleep well and stabilize our mood. These little power houses are also a great source of magnesium, potassium and iron!

2) Bean are super versatile, you can add them to just about anything. Add them to soups, stews, salads, sauces, or you can turn them into a delicious dip.

3) Last but not least, when you’re looking to spend a little less, you’ll want to stock up on these a little more. Whether you purchase them canned or dried, you really get a bang for you buck.

What better recipe to share than a fabulous vegetarian chili. Don’t get intimidated by the list of ingredients, there’s very little chopping in this recipe, and only takes about 20 minutes to make. Best of all, it makes a big batch so you can easily please a crowd with this one, or freeze it for a rainy day. I love, love, love this recipe, and hope you do too!

Cheers!

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced finely

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

½ tsp salt

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1-28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce

water

1 small bunch of cilantro

1 lime

Directions

In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, jalapeno pepper and garlic in oil until soft. Add chili powder, ground cumin, basil, oregano, salt and bay leaf. Saute 2 – 3 minutes more, then add chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and chipotle paste. Add water to cover and let simmer for about an hour stirring often. Add 1 bunch of cilantro, juice and zest of the lime, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bowl of awesome

This wonderful recipe made its way to my inbox about a month ago from a site that I am subscribed to, and I have made it twice already. It's a meal all on it's own. It warms you up during the cool fall weather, it's very simple to make, and best of all, it's so good!. As an added bonus, this soup is super nutritious. It is a good source of vitamins A and C, fibre, folate and potassium. It is also rich in carotenoids and flavonoids which are powerful antioxidants to help fight some forms of cancer.

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil

3 medium carrots, cut into medium dice

1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

2 cups 1/2-inch-cubed peeled butternut squash

(about half a 2-lb. squash)

1/4 tsp. ground allspice

Pinch cayenne pepper; more to taste

1/2 tsp salt

1 quart lower-salt chicken broth

1 14.5-oz. can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

4 sprigs fresh thyme

2 cups lightly packed, coarsely chopped kale

1 cup canned chickpeas

Directions:
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the squash, allspice, cayenne, and salt and stir to combine. Add the broth, tomatoes with their juice, and thyme. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kale and the chickpeas and cook covered until the squash is tender and the kale has wilted, about 10 minutes more. Discard the thyme springs before serving. Season to taste with more salt and cayenne.

Variations:

I added white kidney beans instead of chickpeas, just because that's what I had on hand. The first time I made this soup I also added 1/2 of a small turnip which complemented the other winter vegetables well. So feel free to experiment with ingredients you have, and make your own version of this soup. I would recommend serving this soup with a loaf of warm, crusty whole grain bread and a few slices of your favorite cheese. Enjoy!

Source: Fine Cooking