I have no idea how the last 2 months went by so fast – and so slow at the same time. I’ve got a backlog of blog posts to get up and this one should have been posted on Valentines Day, after the office chili cook off where my chili made a solid showing. I had no expectation to win, and well, I didn’t, but I sure felt like a winner after being asked for my recipe, so… this post is for you! Sorry for making you wait so long, but here it is…
2 sweet yellow onions, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 green bell peppers, diced
1-2 jalapenos, diced (use more for a bigger Bern)
2 cups pumpkin puree (I had a bunch frozen from Halloween)
2 packages Trader Joe’s beef-less ground beef
1 7 ounce can diced green chilies (I used mild)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can pinto beans
2 cups black beans, prepared*
1 tablespoon cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon hot chili powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt to taste
1 tablespoon avocado oil
Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and celery and saute about 1 minute, just until the onion is fragrant, add the garlic and peppers and saute another minute. Remove from heat then put into the crock pot. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook on high for 2 hours, stirring every half hour or so. After 2 hours, switch your crock-pot to low or warm and allow to simmer for another 5-6 hours. Check the flavor, adding salt or additional seasoning to taste.
Serve with a dollop of mock sour cream
*While you can used canned black beans, I like to prepare dried beans until they are just barely soft, that way, as they cook in the crock pot, they keep their shape and add to the heartiness of the chili. I cheat, and rather than soaking overnight, I bring them to a low boil, then let them simmer for about an hour, just until they reach the desired consistency. I freeze whatever is leftover and use for other recipes, like the sweet potato and black bean burritos from Terry Walter’s Clean Food cookbook – YUM.
Mock Sour Cream1 package extra firm tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 clove garlic
1-2 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
dash of salt
Add all ingredients to a blender (or use a hand emulsifier) and process until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
If you try these recipes, I want to know. Tell me how they came out in the comments below
