Classic Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

Chili:

1 cup dried red kidney beans, or other beans of your choice

1 cup dried white kidney beans, or other beans of your choice

A bay leaf

2 medium yellow onions, diced

2 tsp olive oil

1 can San Marzano tomatoes, snipped with kitchen scissors in the can or lightly crushed with your hands as you add to the pot

1 ½ cups TVP, soaked in 1 ¼ cups boiling water

2-3 tbsp (or to taste) Mexican chili powder, as fresh as you can get it

½ lb white or cremini mushrooms, quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnishes:

0% Greek yogurt (I use the Liberte brand)

Shredded old cheddar cheese

Thinly sliced green onions, white and green parts

Extra chili powder, regular hot sauce, or chipotle hot sauce

Instructions:

Soak the beans in cool water overnight, or for at least 5 hours.

Drain. Place in a large pot, cover with water, add the bay leaf and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until tender. Add salt during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Drain, discard the bay leaf, and set aside.

Meanwhile, sauté the onions in the olive oil until tender and translucent, about 8 minutes.

Slower cooker directions: Combine the onions, beans, tomatoes, TVP, and chili powder in the slow cooker. Leave on the low setting while you’re at work or doing other things, 6-8 hours. When you get home, add the mushrooms, and let cook for another 30 minutes while you relax, set the table, and prep the garnishes. Taste and season, adding more chili powder if you want to freshen up the spice flavours.

Stovetop directions: Combine the onions, beans, tomatoes, TVP, and chili powder in a large pot. Add ½ cup of water that you’ve swilled out the tomato can with. Simmer, uncovered, over low heat for 2 hours or until thick. Add the mushrooms during the last 30 minutes of cooking. Taste and season.

Garnish with toppings of your choice. My family always serves this with a loaf of crusty bread and butter for dunking—there’s something about the combination of the creamy butter and the spicy tomato flavour that’s killer. I’m still working on that fool-proof whole-wheat bread recipe, I promise, and I’ll be ready to share it soon.