Chilly Times Call for...Chili!!

Veggie Chili

Well, it’s finally starting to cool off outside and finally feeling a bit more like Fall. Probably one of the few downsides to living in Phoenix. Almost mid-November and it’s still getting into the mid-80’s during the day. What’s worse, after 9 years of living in the valley I’m finding myself going, “Oh it’s going to be 84 today, I should wear jeans today since it’s cooler.” What has happened to this Canadian???

Whether it is actually cold, or “Phoenix cold”, now seems like a fantastic time for a bowl of chili. I decided to go with a veggie chili today – mainly because Dad is coming over and he’s a vegan. I’m determined one day to return him to the dark side. At the very least, get him eating dairy again, cooking for him can be a little difficult when you can’t put cheese on anything, and I love cheese.

My veggie chili combines an array of spices, veggies, and beans simmered in the slower cooker for 5-6 hours. I like to combine it with some fresh made biscuits (from scratch or Pillsbury…cornbread works too). Top it with some sour cream and cheese (vegan cheese for Dad and he doesn’t like sour cream anyways) and you’re good to go!

I like to start by chopping up roughly 2/3 of a large white onion, or 1 whole medium sized onion. In a medium sized pan, sauté the onion in a little bit of olive oil until soft and starting to brown. I enjoy using a flavored olive oil, there’s a great place in Flagstaff that has a fantastic garlic infused oil as well as a chipotle oil. Once your onions are done, remove them from the heat and gather the rest of your ingredients. You can also include 2 chopped green peppers in with the onions, I like to do this since it adds some extra veggies into the chili. Completely optional if you don’t want to.

You’ll need 1 can (15 oz) of tomato sauce, 2-3 tomatoes chopped (or if you’re feeling lazy you can used 1 can of diced tomatoes), 2-3 cloves of garlic (crushed), and 4 (15 oz) cans of beans. I used 2 cans of a spicy chili bean my grocery store carries, 1 can of black beans, and 1 can of pinto beans.

Starting with the beans, add the 4 cans into your slow-cooker. Mine is a 3-quart size, this recipe can easily be doubled for a larger crowd, in which case you’ll want to use a larger slow-cooker. Stir in the tomato sauce, garlic, diced tomatoes, and onion (green peppers too if you’re using them!). I usually add about ½ a cup of water into the mix as well.

Now it’s time to gather some seasonings. You’ll need chili powder, salt, brown sugar, basil, Italian seasoning, thyme, black pepper, oregano, and marjoram (see below of the measurements of each). Add in the seasonings, stir everything up and throw in 1 or 2 bay leaves. Cover and cook on Low for about 5 hours. You can easily let this simmer up to 6-7 hours. My slow-cooker automatically switches to a warm setting once the cook-time has finished.

Serve in a bowl, or if you’re feeling fancy a bread bowl, serve with biscuits or cornbread. Top with fresh chopped onion, cheese (I used some fresh shredded Cheddar), sour cream…the possibilities are endless! Either way, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this delicious dish!

Simple Straight Forward Recipe:

-2/3 large white onion or 1 medium white onion, chopped

-4 cans of beans of your choice (I use a spicy chili bean, black beans, pinto beans)

-2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed

-1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce

-2 or 3 tomatoes, diced OR 1 can diced tomatoes

-1/2 cup of water

-2 green peppers, chopped (optional)

-2-3 tablespoons of chili powder

-A little less than 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

-1/2 tablespoon each of salt, black pepper, brown sugar, basil, and thyme

-About 1 teaspoon oregano and marjoram

-2 small bay leaves (or 1 large one if your bay leaves are huge like the ones I have)

-toppings of your choice

-Chop the white onion (and green peppers if you’re using them), sauté in a medium sized pan until softened and golden brown; set aside

-In your slow cooker, stir in your beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, garlic, and onion/green pepper mix

-Add in ½ cup of water

-Stir in seasonings, add in bay leaf (or leaves)

-Cover and cook on Low for approximately 5 hours, letting simmer for longer if you wish

-Serve in bowls with toppings of your choice

-Left overs can be refrigerated or frozen