People choose to adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diet for various reasons. Some people avoid animal products because of ethics, while others want to control their weight with low-calorie foods. Still others may have food allergies or intolerances that make a vegetable-based diet their best option.
Cooking vegetarian or vegan can introduce a person to a wide variety of new foods and flavors. Thatās why even people who eat meat like to periodically experiment with vegetarian or vegan foods.
When the weather starts to cool, soups and stews become staples of many diets. With this recipe for āFour Bean Chili from Vegan Cooking for Beginnersā (Publications International, Ltd.) by the PIL editors, home cooks can experiment with a meatless chili that doesnāt skimp on flavor even if it isnāt brimming with beef, pork or lamb.
Four Bean Chili
Makes 8 to 10 servings
2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoons olive oil
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā onion, finely chopped
2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā medium carrots, chopped
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā red bell pepper, chopped
3Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cloves garlic, minced
2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoons tomato paste
2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
3Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoons chili powder
2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoons ground cumin
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoon dried oregano
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā teaspoon salt
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (15 ounces) small white beans, rinsed and drained
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (15 ounces) light kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (15 ounces) dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (15 ounces) pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cup vegetable broth
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā can (4 ounces) diced mild green chiles
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoon cider vinegar.
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and bell pepper; cook and stir 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, tomato paste, brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, oregano and salt; cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, broth, chiles, and chocolate; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar.
Chili is even better served with cornbread (Recipe below). Make batter while the vegetables are cooking in step one and bake it while the chili is simmering.
Cornbread
Makes 12 servings
3Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoons boiling water
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā tablespoon ground flaxseed
11/4Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cups all-purpose flour
3/4Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cup yellow cornmeal
1Ć3Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cup sugar
2Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā teaspoons baking powder
1Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā teaspoon salt
11/4Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cups plain unsweetened almond or soymilk
1/4Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā Ā cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray 8-inch square baking dish or pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine boiling water and flaxseed in small bowl; let stand until cool.
Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in large bowl; mix well. Whisk almond milk and oil in medium bowl until well blended. Add to flour mixture with flaxseed mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
Bake 25 minutes or until top is browned and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
With this recipe for āFour Bean Chili from Vegan Cooking for Beginnersā (Publications International, Ltd.) by the PIL editors, home cooks can experiment with a meatless chili that doesnāt skimp on flavor even if it isnāt brimming with beef, pork or lamb.