Vegan Chili

Yield: 4 generous servings

Smokey vegan chili packed with veggies and green chili powder from New Mexico giving it a spicy edge.

Is it just me, or do you find that the grocery store basic chili powder is bitter and flavorless? I love finding different kinds of chili powder from spice shops because they taste like actual chilis ground up…. what a concept! A friend of mine sent me some red chili powder from New Mexico and it was so good that we ate it sprinkled on raw tomatoes. So when I saw this New Mexico green chili powder in my local spice shop, I had to grab it. Adding so much flavor and depth to this chili, the green chili powder demands to be appreciated. I encourage you to find a spice shop where you can find something crazy delicious you didn’t even know you needed.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried kidney beans (3 cups cooked), soaked in water overnight (keep in fridge to soak). If using canned beans, you will need two 15oz cans.

• 2 large tomatoes

• 1 28oz can of peeled tomatoes

• 1 small yellow squash, diced

• 1 medium yellow onion, diced

• 1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

• 1 cup green bell pepper, diced

• 3 hot peppers like Serrano, diced

• 3 jalapeños, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 3 Tbsp Avocado oil or Olive oil

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 Tbsp green chili powder. Get New Mexico green chili powder if you can, it’s so flavorful!

• 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

• 1 tsp fresh ground pepper

• Optional: fresh squeezed lime juice and chopped green onion for garnish.

Method:

• In a dutch oven or a large heavy bottomed pot, heat the 3 Tbsp of oil on medium heat.

• Add in the onion, bell peppers, hot peppers, jalapeños and 1/2 tsp salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.

• Add in squash, bay leaf, green chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, turmeric and fresh ground pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes.

• Add in the fresh and canned tomatoes. Use your stirring utensil to break apart the whole canned tomatoes.
  

• Add in the drained kidney beans.

• Fill the 28oz empty tomato can with water and add that to the pot (you can use stock instead of water if you wish).

• Taste for salt, add in more salt if needed. I added another 1/2 tsp at this point.

• Simmer for about 2 hours with the lid on or until kidney beans are tender. If using canned beans, you can get away with cooking this chili for only 30 minutes.

• To serve: ladle a generous portion into a bowl and squeeze a wedge of fresh lime over top, add some fresh chopped green onion.

Enjoy!