It is officially Autumn now. Yup, the season for warm sweaters, beautifully coloured trees, and pretty much “pumpkin spiced” everything.
Sure, those are great — but Fall to me, means “Bring on the comfort food.” You know what i’m talking about, the soups, stews, hearty casseroles. Well today — I bring you a veggie packed chili recipe which is sure to warm you up from that chill in that air. (Disclaimer – this chili has no pumpkin, but definitely has some spice.) 🙂
It’s actually ironic as I type this post up. It is 25 degrees out (29 with humidty) or 77 degrees Fahrenheit / 84 with humidity for our American friends who may be reading. It’s absolutely gorgeous outside today in Northwestern Ontario.
But let’s pretend it’s chilly, and the crunch of frost may be beneath our feet outside instead of the balmy weather of late September. Work with me here 🙂
Anyways, this chili is loaded with easy found ingredients that you may already have in your fridge and pantry. Onions, garlic, peppers, zucchini, some carrots and celery. Team that up with some canned tomatoes and beans and of course some spicy smoky seasonings and you’ve got yourself a “stick to your ribs” kind of meal.
So, now that you’ve got yourself a nice big pot of chili to consume, what are you going to serve it with? (Besides some fresh jalapeno slices for you spice seekers.) We usually service chili with pasta or rice in our house, but of course a nice crusty bread or even some fluffy quinoa cooked up would definitely work. What do you usually have your chili with? Enjoy!
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 green pepper, chopped
- 1 small zucchini, chopped
- 2 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato sauce
- 1 can green chilis
- 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
- 1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- i can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
- 2 cups water
- 2 tbsp honey (or other sugar substitute if avoiding honey)
- 1 tbsp mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
- 1 tsp chipotle powder
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- Saute onion until soft. (Ideally water sauteed but use oil if desired)
- Once onion is soft add the garlic until fragrant. (1-2 minutes)
- Add the rest of your fresh veggies. (carrots, celery, peppers, zucchini)
- Cover veggie mixture, and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir often, adding small amount of water to avoid sticking to the bottom.
- Once the veggies seem softened, add your canned ingredients (diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chilis, and all 3 cans of drained, rinsed beans)
- Add the 2 cups of water along with your honey, and herbs and spices (oregano, chipotle powder, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper)
- Stir well to combine.
- Cover, and let simmer for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
