Black Bean Chili ★★

A favorite with vegetarians and omnivores alike, and very easy to make. With two people cooking, the prep for each ingredient can be done just in time. This is vegan if you leave off the cheese and sour cream. A top 2 recipe, tied with soy sauce lentils.

Serves 10

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp light olive oil or neutral oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 scallions/green onions, plus more for garnish
• 4 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
• 3–4 serrano or jalapeño peppers, minced
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 Tbsp ancho chili powder
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp Mexican oregano
• 1 Tbsp salt, or to taste
• 1.5 lbs sweet potato, 1 inch dice
• 3-4 zucchini, cut into half or quarter rounds
• (optional) 2 bell peppers, diced
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 2 28 oz cans of black beans, or 1 lb dry, cooked
• 1 bunch kale, chopped into spoonable pieces
• 1 cup raw quinoa
• 1/2 lb frozen corn
• 1 lb veggie meat, cut up and sautéed. Beyond burger works best.

Ideas for Toppings and Sides

• Chips ★★
• Shredded pepper jack cheese ★
• Sour cream ★
• Pickled jalapeños ★
• Avocado
• Cilantro
• Corn bread

Procedure - Chili

1. In a large pot, sauté the onions in oil until beginning to brown.
2. add garlic, sauté one minute.
3. add sweet potato, sauté 5 minutes.
4. add chili powder, ancho powder, and cumin. Sauté one minute.
5. Add peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and boiling water to cover the veggies, and simmer until the sweet potato is almost cooked through. Keep adding water to cover.
6. Add the raw quinoa and kale. Stir well to mix the quinoa in. Cook 15–20 minutes.
7. Concurrently, cook veggie meat as described below.
8. Once everything is done, add the beans and just enough of their cooking water to keep everything covered. Add corn and oregano. Salt to taste.
9. Serve it forth, topped with meat, cheese, and sour cream, and with plenty of chips on the side.

Procedure - Veggie Meat

1. Mince a few green onions and saute in a bit of oil.
2. When the onions are soft, add the veggie meat. You can break it up into nibbles in the pan as it cooks. Stir-fry 7–10 minutes.
3. Don't add the veggie meat directly to the chili, or it will be soggy leftover. Store it separately and add it to individual servings before reheating.