Healthy Recipes for a Healthy Life

Chili is re-found love for me. I had forgotten all about chili because it was a “meat thing” way back when I had it last.
But I love beans and since they are a great source of protein, why not find a new way to use them. New way for me that is.
So… recently I tasted a vegetarian chili that a friend served up and thought it was really good, but I still had to try to improve it.

So here it goes:

Ingredients: Beans – any bean you like. Soaked overnight and rinsed. We used aduki and black beans.

Part one:

• 1/2 cup dried black beans
• 1/2 cup dried aduki beans
• 1 whole onion
• 3 whole dried shiitake mushrooms, break into pieces.
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns
• rinse the beans and cook with the whole onion and garlic for 35 min. in a pressure cooker. Use enough water to cover well.
• Don’t add salt it makes the beans less digestible
• If you are cooking the beans on the stove – you need to cook them for about 2 hours.

Part two:

• Red and yellow roasted peppers – 2 of each
• Whole peeled canned tomatoes – 1 can include the juice
• 2 carrots
• 3 dried chili, seeds taken out unless you want it reallllly hot
• 1 teaspoon of each; oregano, cumin, thyme, parsley and paprika
• large pinch of sea-salt
• 1/2 cup of water
• Cook this together in a pot for about 30 min.

I suggest you get as much of these ingredients organic as you can, but especially the tomatoes and choose low sodium.
Cut the roasted peppers into chunks, mix the tomatoes and herbs in a separate pot for 20 min.
When the beans are done mix the whole thing and cook for an additional 25-30 min. If there is too much water leave the lid off to allow the chili to reduce. It depends on how chunky and thick you want it.

If you want it very spicy you can add a chopped habanero pepper. Or half

Enjoy with organic baked corn chips.