:: Black Bean Chili ::
Can you believe that Halloween is this week? We are still waiting on costumes {delivery takes a bit longer now that we are living in the mountains}. It looks like we have a super girl, batman, a werewolf, and obi wan kenobi! Ha! An eclectic bunch, for sure!
I thought I’d share with you one of our favorite Halloween traditions…. chili! I don’t think we are alone in this one. I have lots of friends that make a big pot of warm chili for a quick and easy dinner on Halloween night! This recipe is one of my favorites, as it is loaded with healthy vegetables and hearty black beans. I also like that it’s hard to mess up. Measurements aren’t really a necessity {as long as you don’t go overboard with the optional hot peppers and spices}. Also, you can adjust the recipe as needed to suit your own taste… even adding in ground turkey or beef, if you’d like. The best part about this recipe is that it’s ALL IN ONE POT! That’s right! Way less clean up, my friends! With four kids… I am completely over the clean up process…. plus less time cleaning up, means more time enjoying your sweet littles!
So, without further ado, here is the dream dish…. easy, healthy, and completely delish!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup chopped yellow onions
- 1 cup chopped red bell peppers
- 2 cloves of minced garlic
- 2 to 3 serrano peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced {optional}
- 1 medium zucchini, ends trimmed, and cut into pieces
- 1 cup corn kernels {approx. 1 ear of fresh corn or 1 can, drained}
- 5 large portobello mushrooms, stemmed, wiped clean, and sliced
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 tablespooon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped {or one large can of diced tomatoes}
- 3 cups cooked black beans, or 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 {15-ounce} can tomato sauce
- 1-2 cups vegetable stock, or water {depending on desired consistency}
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Chopped green onions
- Sour cream or plain greek yogurt
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Diced avocado
- In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions, bell peppers, garlic, and serrano peppers {optional}, and cook while stirring until soft {about 3 minutes}. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms. Cook, while stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges {about 6 minutes}. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Continue to cook while stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning to taste.
- To serve, ladle the warm chili into bowls and top each serving with optional garnishes.
- Store leftover chili in a sealed tupperware container in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can also freeze and reheat! Enjoy!
