Chili is one of those foods which is excellent for boosting your metabolism, something which is very handy if you are trying to lose weight. It is also a warming food and good for autumn and winter nights. I made this the other night when the weather, which had been hot here, took a sudden dive in temperature. It was just the thing for a cool night.
An added advantage is this dish is filling, plus if you make twice as much as you need then it can easily be reheated for a quick meal. For those on special diets it is also gluten free and dairy free.
Hint
You will need a large deep pan that has a lid for this recipe.
Vegetable Chili
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
I onion
3 shallots
I red bell peer seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic crushed
3 pounds mixed vegetables cut into roughly one inch cubes – I used a combination of cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, and butternut squash peeled and seeded (in Australia this is called butternut pumpkin)
1 16 ounce tin of kidney beans drained and washed to get rid of excess salt
1 16 ounces tin diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon chili flakes
Cracked black pepper to taste
1-3 teaspoons chili powder according to your own individual taste
Quarter cup jalapenos (optional – depending how hot you like your food)
Method
In a large pan, heat oil and gently cook onions and garlic till transparent. Add red pepper and cook a further 2-3 minutes.
Add all the other vegetables, including the tinned tomatoes and kidney beans. Stir well.
Add chili powder, pepper and jalapenos if using, then put the lid on the pan. Bring to the boil.
When boiling turn the heat down to simmer level and cook for around 30 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.
You can thicken with a small amount of cornflour mixed with water if you feel it is a little too liquid.
Meanwhile cook brown rice to co go with it and you have a perfect, filling winter meal that is full of fiber and goodness.
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