Ginger's Vegetarian Chili Recipe

You probably saw the myriad of posts out there about healthy eating for Super Bowl as this national holiday generally features thousands of calories of high fat, high sodium foods guaranteed to make you gain weight and feel crappy by the end of the game.  (Go Seahawks!!).  

I went to a great party this year where attendees brought potluck fare of all types.  Accustomed to being in the minority as a veggie, I decided to bring my famous Vegetarian Chili which promptly got eaten up completely.  I adapted this recipe years ago from a basic Betty Crocker meat-based recipe.  This is something you can do, too, as you tweak your favorite recipes to add more veggies and remove the meat. See my recipe below - it is designed to be simple and hearty for cold winter months.  It makes a large portion perfect for a party or for freezing left-overs.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 large)

1 cup chopped green bell pepper (1 large)

3-4 cloves minced garlic

2 15-oz cans kidney beans, rinsed

2 15-oz cans (or preferably jars) of diced tomatoes, un-drained

1 15-oz jar tomato sauce

1 cup fresh or frozen organic corn kernels

1 small can of green chilies

1 cup vegetable broth (you can use water in a pinch)

2 Tbsp chili powder

2 tsp dried basil

2 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 large bay leaves

1+ tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, brown onions, pepper and garlic in olive oil (~4-5 minutes)

2. Stir in remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.   

3. Add water if needed for ideal consistency.  May need additional salt to taste.  Remove bay leaves prior to serving. 

*Original Recipe by Ginger Hultin MS RD LDN