Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

I can think of 3 very good reasons to include beans (a.k.a legumes) in our diets:

1) They are packed with nutrients. Beans are a great source of protein as well as fibre. They also contain folate which we need to make normal red and white blood cells. Tryptophan is an essential amino acid which our body uses to make niacin (vitamin B3) and serotonin which is the “feel good” hormone that helps us sleep well and stabilize our mood. These little power houses are also a great source of magnesium, potassium and iron!

2) Bean are super versatile, you can add them to just about anything. Add them to soups, stews, salads, sauces, or you can turn them into a delicious dip.

3) Last but not least, when you’re looking to spend a little less, you’ll want to stock up on these a little more. Whether you purchase them canned or dried, you really get a bang for you buck.

What better recipe to share than a fabulous vegetarian chili. Don’t get intimidated by the list of ingredients, there’s very little chopping in this recipe, and only takes about 20 minutes to make. Best of all, it makes a big batch so you can easily please a crowd with this one, or freeze it for a rainy day. I love, love, love this recipe, and hope you do too!

Cheers!

Ingredients

2 tbsp canola oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

3 celery stalks, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, minced finely

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tbsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 bay leaf

½ tsp salt

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1-28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 tsp chipotle in adobo sauce

water

1 small bunch of cilantro

1 lime

Directions

In a large pot, sauté onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, jalapeno pepper and garlic in oil until soft. Add chili powder, ground cumin, basil, oregano, salt and bay leaf. Saute 2 – 3 minutes more, then add chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and chipotle paste. Add water to cover and let simmer for about an hour stirring often. Add 1 bunch of cilantro, juice and zest of the lime, and season with salt and pepper to taste.