Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Chilly Weather Calls for Chili

When the air is crisp I crave chili! This traditionally beef laden dish is one of my husbands favorite dishes. Since we were only just married in September of this year he is still getting used to my vegan dishes. Chili remains one of my favorites.

This chili contains a lot of flavor and kick while still retaining the hearty "meaty" texture that my husband's palate prefers.



Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion diced
4 cloves garlic
3 scallions diced
1 carrot
3 serrano peppers
1 habanero pepper
1 can red beans or kidney beans
1 can black beans
1/2 cup corn
1 can tomatoes
1 cup cubed butternut squash
2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder
1 block seitan
1 tablespoon cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
3 cups low sodium vegetable stock or water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
vegan sour cream to garnish




Heat the olive oil in a deep heavy pan. I love my dutch oven! I start with the chopped onion, scallions, and peppers. Throw the ingredients in, stir to evenly distribute the oil and cover with lid. Cook until the onions and peppers are soft (about 3-4 minutes). Throw crumbled seitan in the pot and saute until lightly browned (3 min). Add garlic and stir, cook for 1 min. I LOVE garlic, the more the better! This will create a nice base to anchor our chili. 


Once the base is sufficiently softened pour in the contents of the cans of red beans, black beans, and tomatoes, liquid and all. Add the corn and butternut squash and stir to combine.


Throw your spices on top and stir away! 


Add vegetable stock or water and stir. Yum! Cover and allow to cook covered on low heat for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for at least an additional  30 minutes on low, stirring occasionally.


The chili will reduce and become a beautiful dark red hue. Add the cilantro and stir. Serve garnished with vegan sour cream and scallions. Yum! Enjoy!


Instead of our usual corn bread I decided to serve this chili with a light avocado salad. Recipe to come later! And a note of caution: My husband and I love spicy food. Please adjust the spices/peppers according to your taste. 




No comments:

Post a Comment