The weather in Minneapolis has been a bit off-and-on lately. That is, spring is definitely on its way in, but after a couple of amazing 70 and 80 degree days, 50 starts to seem chilly! That just means it’s time for a little chili! We first tried this Vegetarian Chili on a Friday during Lent and really liked it. If you’re looking for some spice on a cold spring day, it’s worth a try.

As you can see my preparation was not vegan, but it could easily be made so. We topped our bowls with plain yogurt, cheese, and scallions. The trick for this meal was to attempt eating an entire bowl without using silverware. I’m not sure the “Fritos Scoops Challenge” is a healthy choice, but they were just the salty-crunch we needed (I lost… I gave in and used a spoon).

The recipe (via Whole Foods’ website)

• 2 tablespoons olive or canola oil 
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped 
• 1 large carrot, chopped 
• 1 stalk celery, chopped 
• 1 medium green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped 
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
• 1 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped chipotles in adobo 1 tablespoon dried oregano 
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin 
• 1 tablespoon chili powder 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 
• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid 
• 3 cups cooked red kidney beans, drained 
• 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, drained

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until vegetables are softened but not browned. Add chipotles, oregano, cumin, chili powder and salt. Stir to blend. Add tomatoes and 4 cups water. Gently simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 45 minutes. Add beans and simmer an additional 30 minutes. Garnish individual bowls with green onions or sour cream [we used yogurt], if desired.

5 comments | Beans, Chili, Fritos, Spicy, vegetarian, Whole Foods

This entry was posted by Martha on Monday, April 27th, 2009 at 10:46 pm and is filed under Food + Drink, Recipes. You can subscribe to responses to this entry via RSS.