Megan's Vegetarian/Vegan Chili

I love chili, but I wanted to prove a great chili doesn't need meat. This one starts with a beautiful rainbow of fresh vegetables that flavor the chili with a depth you don't get from a meat base. I also wanted to try to control the amount of salt in the seasonings. If you cannot find salt free, look for low sodium products
This is a hearty chili, and can be tailored to your own family’s tastes.

One medium yellow onion, diced	Two carrots peeled and diced
1 yellow and 1 red or green bell pepper, diced	Three to six cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 ribs of celery, chopped	4 medium fresh tomatoes, diced and roasted
One 28 oz can salt free diced tomatoes*	2-3 Tbs salt free tomato paste (buy the tube)*
Two small cans salt free tomato sauce*	2 tablespoons oil (grapeseed or olive oil
12 to 16 oz water or low salt veggie broth (or bean cooking water, if you started with dry beans)	One cup each, or One 16 oz can each: Black beans, Dark Kidney beans, Pinto beans and Light Kidney beans or Pink beans
Two or three small zucchini, diced

Spices

*Kosher salt (has a better taste, and is easier to control than table salt)
*Ground cumin
*Ground chili powder (regular, not ancho)
*Garlic powder
*Onion powder
*Cayenne pepper (just a dash to start)




1) Heat oil in a large soup pot. Add onions, celery, carrots, bell pepper, garlic, and a small amount of kosher salt. Cook until onions are translucent and carrots and peppers are crisp-tender. Keep stirring so that the garlic doesn’t burn, otherwise it will take on a bitter taste.


2) Add all remaining ingredients, including the broth or reserved bean cooking liquid, except the zucchini. (Be sure to drain and rinse the beans if using canned. If you use dried beans, you’ll need to soak them overnight in cold water, then simmer them on the stove for 60-90 minutes before starting the chili – the beans in this recipe all need the same soak and cooking time. Use about 1/3 cup of each dried bean before the soak to equal one cup rehydrated).


3) Begin adding your spices. To start: 1 Tbs each cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika; 1 to 2 tsp KOSHER salt; 1-2 dashes of cayenne. Since you do not have to worry about meat in this recipe, you can sample the flavor of the chili as it cooks down. You may need to add salt or more cayenne depending on your tastes. I like lots of chili powder and cumin in my chili, but 1 to 2 light dashes of the pepper is plenty of spice for an entire pot.



4) When the chili has cooked for about 40 minutes, the flavors should be well developed. Add the zucchini now and stir for about 2-3 minutes. It will soften quickly.

Serve with your choice of toppings: Cheese, red onion, sour cream, chives, corn bread, etc.



TIPS:

consider adding some frozen corn, diced turnip or parsnip, canned green chilis, jalapeño peppers, or other hearty veggies when you are sautéing in the beginning – add lentils at the same time as the spices for more protein; add rehydrated tvp for a meaty texture – use your imagination.

Vegan Black Bean Soup

Black beans are so yummy. They're inexpensive. They're shelf-stable. They're a great addition to food storage. And making them from their dried state, though it takes a little forethought and planning, is way better than using canned beans and is way easy. This soup is spicy, and yummy, and can be used to get more protein and fiber into your family's diet without adding fat or processed ingredients.

The pre-planning part of this recipe requires an overnight soak of the black beans. Before you go to bed, put about 1/2 to 1 cup of dried black beans with 6 cups of COLD water in a tupperware container with a lid. Place in the fridge and let them do their thing. In the morning, dump the beans in a colander and rinse them. You can't use this liquid for cooking because it is full of dissolved starches from the bean that cause "intestinal discomfort" - code for gas pain - and will make the beans basically inedible.

Cook the beans in 6 cups fresh water in a heavy pot for 60 to 90 minutes. Don't boil the beans, but rather bring the water up to JUST a boil, then turn down the heat so they simmer. Beans are done when you can easily smush them between your fingers. Reserve the cooking liquid.





*the prepared black beans (or 2 to 3 cans of no-salt added black beans, drained and rinsed)
*2 to 3 cups of reserved cooking liquid
*1 large or 2 small yellow onions, diced
*2 Tbs. no-sodium tomato paste
*1/2 package McCormick's 30% Less Sodium Taco Seasoning
OR homemade taco seasoning mix: 1 Tbs. each chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder; 1 Tsp. each paprika, ground oregano, fine sea salt; 1 dash (and I mean a dash) of cayenne pepper
*3 cups low or no-sodium vegetable broth (or 5 cups if you started with canned beans)
*1 Tbs. olive oil
*Kosher or sea salt

Special Equipment: Immersion Stick-Blender or Regular Blender





1) Heat the oil in a stock or soup pot. Gently sautee the onions with a pinch of salt until they are soft and begin to take on a light caramel type color.

2) Add the beans, the reserved cooking liquid, the vegetable broth, and either the homemade or packaged seasoning (remember to only use 1/2 the package, because the spice is strong). Let the liquid come almost to a boil.

3) Stir in the tomato paste; let cook for about 10 minutes.

4) Remove from heat. Allow to cool a bit then CAREFULLY use the immersion blender to blend the soup to a nice smooth consistency. Alternatively, you can carefully transfer the soup in batches to a blender and blend til smooth. Add salt as needed.

5) Un-vegan this soup with yummy toppings: Sour cream and cheddar cheese and chopped onions. Or use the vegan options. Serve either as the main dish, or as a starter.