Meatless Chili (stage 1)
Combine in a large pan:
2 fistfuls of chopped onion (I prefer Vidalia)
a handful each of: chopped tomato, sliced (or shredded) carrots, chopped mushrooms
2 heaping spoonfuls of minced garlic
a very small amount of olive oil or cooking spray
Saute the vegetables until the onions begin to be translucent. Transfer them to a crock pot and add:
2 cans (drained) light red kidney beans
2 cans (drained) red beans
1 small can (drained) crushed pineapple
about half a can of tomato paste
seasonings (I prefer: Adobo, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper)
Stir until everything is evenly mixed. Cover the crockpot and cook, stirring occasionally, on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours. (If you make a mistake and cook it too long, add some water and stir, it'll be fine.)
Right before serving, add one bag of frozen Boca or Morningstar meatless crumbles. Stir well and let it cook a minute or two to heat up the crumbles - do not overcook.
1) Obviously, a lot of this recipe can be played with! The vegetables are infinitely variable - add ones you like, take out ones you don't, play around with it! Same with the spices, and the types of beans.
2) Also obviously, I'm a big believe in the "eyeball it" method of measuring. Chili is incredibly forgiving, so you can get away with it. Be careful with the spices though - cooking brings out the heat, so even if it's not spicy tasting at first, it will get spicy later!
3) Don't add the fake meat until the very end. It's not a disaster if you do, but it can get a little rubbery if it's overcooked.
This chili is filling and very good. I made it for a potluck and one of my co-workers could not believe it was meatless and low-fat! If you like, try serving it with plain, fat free Greek yogurt instead of sour cream.
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thanks, I am definitely gonna try it next time I have to cook for group.
