Shoo the chill away with some hot chili

I’ve always loved chili on a cold day. It just warms you up from head to toe…especially if you’ve gotten the seasonings just right.
When I gave up the omnivorous lifestyle, I worried that I’d miss chili. I made it a few times with crumbled textured vegetable proteins. It was about that time that I realized I really didn’t care for meat to begin with, so why add the substitute?
I found that if I added loads of beans and some other vegetables, the chili could be as hearty as any meat version.
Chili in one form or another is a favorite across various ethnicities. It’s like a stew but thinner, yet too thick to be a soup. It is a one pot meal that will fill you up and leave you feeling great.
Some people like their chili hot and spicy, others like it a bit milder. Adjust your seasonings to make it the way you like it. This recipe is not too hot and not too cool. It’s just right.
Serve this recipe with the corn bread featured yesterday.

Easy Vegan Chili

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 (28 ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers and garlic.

• Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for five minutes.
• Mix the tomatoes into the pot and season with chili powder and pepper.
• Stir in the corn, kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil.
• Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes or longer.
  
  Vegan