Let's Make Chili!

Well it's November, and it just so happens to be my favorite month! Yes, I know final exams are rapidly approaching, and I will have to start looking for a summer internship soon, and it's now too frigid to go to the dog beach with Francis, but it's still my favorite month of the year.

Why is it my favorite month? Well, the leaves are changing color which is pretty spectacular to see for the first time, Thanksgiving is coming up soon which is the greatest holiday EVER, and my birthday is just around the corner too! I guess I could say I'm excited that football season started, but I'd be lying.

Speaking of football, last year for the super bowl my friend Stacie and I concocted some vegan chili that turned out to be fantastic. I know, it's vegan, but most of your football-watching, meat-eating friends won't even notice. Why is chili always questionable brownish/reddish/orangeish color with questionable ingredients and an oil slick floating over the surface? It doesn't need to be.

Dare I say it, this chili is healthy! If that's too much for you, swap out the Texturized Vegetable Protein (TVP) for ground beef and pour it over french fries.

Are we still cool?

Good.

Chili is as easy as slicing and dicing up some aromatics like onions, pepper, and garlic,

Cook them down for a while before adding all the canned goods

Then add cans of your favorite beans and a can of Rotel tomatoes and chilis

toss in some diced green onions and cilantro (those of you who have a strange disdain for cilantro may omit it, but your chili will not be as good)

and a some soaked TVP

finish off with some tomato paste... how cool is this squeeze tube btw?

and simmer the whole thing for as long as you can wait before scarfing down a bowl - disclaimer, sour cream and cheddar cheese are NOT vegan. Fritos are though, so go to town and have vegan Frito pie for supper.

Vegan (or not) Chili

1 onion, diced
3 bell peppers, any color, diced
4 cloves of garlic, smashed and diced
1 bunch green onions, whites and greens sliced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 Cups TVP, soaked
**if you can't find TVP, use a crumbled soy product like taco "meat" or soyrizo
1 can Rotel tomatoes and peppers
1 can corn
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
5 cans of your favorite beans
**I use 1 garbanzo, 2 red kidney, 1 black bean, 1 baked bean
salt, pepper, lime

First, saute the garlic, onions, and peppers over medium heat until tender and they begin to brown

Then, dump in the cans of beans, corn, and Rotel with their liquid. Bring to a boil and add green onions (reserve some for garnish) cilantro, and squeeze in a lime.

Simmer, covered, on low heat for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes, stir in the tomato paste and simmer again for at least 10 minutes but up to 30 minutes before serving.