Veggie chili sure to be a hit
This recipe is a celebration of early autumn vegetables — with the plus factor of only taking about 30 minutes to make — from a new cookbook by New York healthy eating advocate Lily Kunin called Good Clean Food (Abrams, $24.95).
Most of her 100 “plantbased” recipes are vegan, and all of them are easy combinations of seasonal ingredients with appealing photographs.
Kunin, an urban cook who uses farmers’ markets when possible, starts her book with kitchen and pantry essentials before launching into a catchy spread of recipes for different times of the day.
Consider her approach by checking out her blog, Clean Food Dirty City. Based on an effort to improve her diet after years of health problems, she has produced a useful cookbook.
WEEKNIGHT CHILI
Serves: 4
2 tbsp (30 mL) coconut oil or ghee
1 onion, diced
3 large carrots, diced 3 stalks celery, diced 2 large coloured bell peppers, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced 1 tbsp (15 mL) chili powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) sea salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) dried oregano
Pinch cayenne
2 zucchini or summer squash, thinly sliced
1 cup (250 mL) tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) cooked red kidney beans, or 1 can (540 mL), rinsed, drained
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) cooked black beans, or 1 can (540 mL), rinsed, drained
1 bay leaf
Fresh coriander or green onions, chopped 1 lime, quartered
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy casserole pot over medium heat and cook onion, carrots, celery and peppers until they begin to soften and caramelize, about 10 minutes.
2. Stir in garlic, chili powder, salt, oregano and cayenne, and cook for about two more minutes.
3. Add zucchini, tomato sauce, kidney and black beans, 1/2 cup (125 mL) of water and bay leaf, and bring to a boil, then lower heat to low. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Cover and cook gently for 20 to 25 minutes to blend flavours. Discard bay leaf. (At this point, chili may be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to two days, then reheated.)
5. Serve, topped with coriander and lime.