Fiery Veggie Chili

Chili is one of my all-time favorite meals to make. There are so many variations, sooooo many options — all-veggie, beef, pork, chicken, mushroom, etc.. You can literally make chili every day for a few weeks and have a different meal experience every time. The one thing all good chilis have in common, is the technique of stressing the spices to develop that deep, rich flavor with a long, satisfying finish. Today I’m celebrating my Wholesome Crave fiery veggie chili. Wholesome Crave is the soup company I created to benefit my non-profit Wholesome Wave. With March being National Nutrition Month, Wholesome Wave’s work to help people struggling with poverty and nutrition insecurity get the fruits and vegetables they need to stay healthy is more important than ever.

The recipe will guide you through the many steps to make flavor-packed fully plant-based chili. You’ll need a few hours, but the smells in the house and the flavor of the finished product will be worth it! OR, you can go online, order my WC fiery veggie chili, heat it up and get the same result! And you’ll know that your order of chili will help put 20 servings of Fruits and Vegetables on the table of a low-income family facing nutrition insecurity.

Roasted Vegetables

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 tablespoon New Mexico chili powder

1 tablespoon raw sugar

2 tablespoons sea salt

1 lb carrots, peeled, medium-diced

1 lb parsnip, peeled, medium-diced

1 lb Spanish onion, peeled, medium-diced

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 425°

2. Toss the vegetables in a large bowl with the oil and all the seasonings.

3. Mix until well-coated.

4. Spread out on a large cookie sheet or in a large roasting pan.

5. Roast until nicely browned – about 35 to 45 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and set aside.

For the Chili Base

1/2 cup olive oil, or other cooking oil

2 pounds of diced onions

2 tablespoons minced garlic

4 poblano peppers, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced

2 teaspoons ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1/2 cup chili powder

2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo, seeded and chopped

2 lb. fire-roasted organic tomatoes

4 ounces organic tomato paste

3 cans cooked posole, drained with the cooking liquid reserved

1 can-each of pinto, black, and kidney beans, drained with the cooking liquid reserved

1/4 cup cider vinegar

Steps

1. Heat a stock pot over medium high heat until hot, then add half the oil and the onions.

2. Sauté until lightly browned.

3. Add the crushed garlic, and poblano peppers, along with all the dried spices, except the chili powder, and continue to sauté 5 to 10 minutes, until spices are well cooked, fragrant, and toasting/sticking to the pot.

4. Add the chili powder and the remaining oil, then sauté another 10 minutes. By now, the dry spices will be sticking to the pan and getting very browned – do not fear the heat! This is how you develop real depth in the flavor.

5. Add the chipotle peppers in adobo, the fire roasted tomatoes, tomato paste, reserved posole juice, bean juice, and cider vinegar.

6. Bring to a full simmer while constantly stirring and scraping the browned spices off the bottom of the stock pot.

7. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 45 minutes.

8. Add the cooked posole and all the roasted vegetables. Simmer another 30 minutes.

9. Add the mixed beans and cook to heat through – about 10 more minutes.

10. Stir in 2 cups nutritional yeast.

11. Garnish with vegan sour cream, freshly chopped cilantro, and Daiya vegan cheese.

Serves many people!