Hearty and Healthy Vegetarian Chili

Winter is quickly approaching, and for those of you living on the east coast (like myself) this is a great time to prepare soups and chili! I love the warmth and comfort of a good soup or chili, especially during the winter months. I have prepared this chili recipe numerous times and it is always delicious! I love the heartiness and healthfullness of this chili recipe. You won't miss the meat with this version of chili!

This recipe is incredibly flexible, so you can feel free to add, eliminate, or switch certain vegetables, spices, and beans. I always load my chili with vegetables, but you don't have to. The best thing about chili is the adaptability of the recipe. A few things to keep in mind while adapting this recipe: if you are adding more vegetables or beans you will need to add more canned tomatoes and spices, and if you eliminate vegetables or beans you can use less canned tomatoes and spices. You can have fun and get creative with this recipe by adding your favorite spices, vegetables, and beans! 

Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Prep Time: 25 minutes          Cooking Time: 45 minutes          Serves: 6 

INGREDIENTS:
2 ½ large 28oz cans of whole tomatoes and their juice (use your hands to roughly crush the tomatoes)
2 can of beans, drained and rinsed (I used kidney and chickpeas)
1 can corn, drained and rinsed
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 peppers, diced
1 ½ cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
1 broccoli crown, chopped
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1-3 tablespoons chili powder (more will be spicier)
¼-2 teaspoons of chili flakes (the more chili flakes the spicier it will be)
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste
Optional toppings: sour cream, cheddar cheese, cilantro, or diced avocados.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cut the vegetables: onion, garlic, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, celery, and mushrooms.
2. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute more. 
3. Add peppers, broccoli, zucchini and celery and cook for about 8 minutes, or until they just start to soften. Then add the mushrooms and cook for about 3 minutes. 
4. Add cans of tomatoes and their juice, use your hands to roughly crush the whole tomatoes, and bring to a simmer. Once the chili begins to simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low. You want the chili to be at a low simmer with the lid off.
5. Continue to cook the chili, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. 
6. Add beans and corn and let the chili return to a simmer. Cook for 5 more minutes or until the corn and beans have heated through.
7. Generously add salt, chili powder, and chili flakes to taste.
8. Serve on its own or topped with one (or all!) of the delicious toppings.
9. Enjoy!

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