The cooler weather makes a great time for a hot bowl of chili. Until recently I didn’t know how delicious vegetarian chili could be! I found several basic recipes on the Internet; they all seemed to have the same ingredients, but they lacked some key components. I chose an easy vegetarian chili recipe from AllRecipes.com and tweaked it as follows:

• I calculated the portions required for fresh ingredients. I prefer to eat fresh instead of canned ingredients to maximize the nutrition, and to avoid additives and BPA toxins.
• I added a cinnamon stick to the chili while it’s cooking. Cinnamon adds a just-right flavor that compliments the heat of the chili.
• I researched the nutrition information of each ingredient. I like to know what vitamins and minerals I consume so that I can get the right balance every day.
• I took pictures! I find that pictures and bolded words make cooking easier because you can easily scan it as you’re cooking.

Following is the recipe for 6 servings of delicious fresh vegetarian chili, along with the nutrition information. Enjoy!

Ingredients

Uncooked kidney beans, 12 oz. (2/3 of 1 lb. bag, or 3 cups cooked beans)
Water, 3/4 cup
Red onion, 1-1/2 cups chopped
Carrots, 1 cup chopped
Garlic, 6-8 cloves (1 bulb) chopped
Green bell pepper, 1-1/2 cups (1 medium) chopped
Red or orange bell pepper, 1-1/2 cups (1 medium) chopped
Celery, 1 cup chopped
Tomatoes, 2 cups (2 medium), peeled and chopped
Corn, 1 cup
Chili powder, 2 tbsp
Ground cumin, 1 tbsp
Fresh oregano, 1/2 tbsp
Fresh basil, 1/2 tbsp
Cinnamon, 1 stick

Directions

1. Cook the beans (See How to Cook Beans on a Stove). Meanwhile, chop the vegetables.
   
2. Cook the garlic, onion, and carrots in 1/2 cup water on medium heat until water has evaporated. (Or sauté in oil if preferred.)
   
3. Stir in the bell pepper, celery, corn, and 1/4 cup water. Cook on medium heat for 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
   
4. Stir in the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, oregano, basil, and beans. Cover and simmer on medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
   

Nutrition

Fresh vegetarian chili is rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, calcium, iron, and zinc.

A serving contains approximately 211 calories and provides the following percentages of the USDA Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of micronutrients:

204% vitamin A
167% vitamin C
18% potassium (624/3500mg)
17% calcium
13% iron
6% zinc
3% vitamin B-6

What do you think? If you make this chili, or have additional tips, I’d love to hear from you!