Summer Vegetarian Chili

When summer arrives, it is time to bust out the summer vegetarian chili. Of course you do not have to just eat this chili in the summer. Chili can be eaten anytime, and really anywhere. Besides being a flavorful dish that is fun to eat due to the amalgamation of tastes and textures in every bite, chili is fantastic for another reason. It is very easy to make. Chili is a one pot meal by its very nature, so you can just toss all the ingredients together and spend time doing other things that aren’t cooking.

Health Benefits

One of the more interesting cooking ingredients used in this chili is the optional red wine. If you’ve never used red wine as a cooking ingredient, you may want to consider. Red wine not only brings flavor to your meal, but it also has some significant health benefits. Including it in your meals can help to prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer. It can also combat dementia, hypertension, and other aspects of the aging process.

Ingredients

tbsps extra virgin olive oil: 2

cup red onion chopped : 1

large cloves garlic crushed or minced: 5

tbsps chili powder: 2

tsps ground cumin: 2

cups juicy fresh tomatoes chopped : 2

oz black beans rinsed & drained: 15

cup water (or red wine): 1

cup bell pepper (any color) chopped : 1

cup zucchini chopped: 1

cup corn kernels: 1

cup white or portobello mushrooms chopped : 1

cup white or portobello mushrooms chopped : 1

tsp cayenne pepper: 1/8

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

How To Make Summer Vegetarian Chili

• Heat oil in medium pot.
• Add cumin, garlic, onion, and chili powder.
• Sauté over medium heat until onions turn soft.
• Add remaining ingredients not including the garnishes and stir.
• Bring the pot to a boil.
  1. Lower the heat and let simmer for 20 minutes or until vegetables turn soft.
  2. Add more liquid as necessary.
• Serve alone or over rice (preferably brown).
• Garnish as desired with one of the following: fresh cilantro, guacamole, reduced-fat cheddar cheese, onion, and fat-free sour cream.

Trivia

The 4th Tuesday in February is National Chili Day.