Easy Vegan Chilli

I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve never been great at sticking to my New Year’s resolutions. What’s that saying about the best laid plans?

While I’m sure this particular shortcoming is definitely not unique to me, one reason why I think I’ve been unsuccessful in the past is that I tend to bite off more than I can chew (figuratively that is – I actually have a very small mouth) and end up setting myself some pretty lofty goals.

So with that in mind, I’ve decided to be kinder to myself this year, be a lot more realistic with my goals and just keep things a lot more simple. These intentions will of course extend to my food choices and the recipes I bring you guys.

Chilli is one of the many dishes that I never really enjoyed pre-gan, but it has recently made its way into my list of go-to staples for easy, satisfying and warming weeknight dinners that come together in no time.

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Easy Vegan Chilli

Course Main

Cuisine Tex-Mex

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 4 -6

Author Nada E.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup red onion roughly chopped
• 3 medium-sized bell peppers red, green and yellow, sliced
• 2 cans of chopped tomatoes 400g
• 1 can of black beans well rinsed and drained
• 1 can of kidney beans well rinsed and drained
• 1 cup textured vegetable protein
• 1 tbsp of maple syrup
• 3-4 cloves of garlic crushed
• 1/2 cup of chopped coriander AKA cilantro
• 1.5 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1.5 cups water or vegetable stock or water + a stock cube
• Chili powder or Sriracha/hot sauce of choice to taste optional
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• In a large pot on medium heat, begin by sautéing the onions in olive oil for around 2-3 minutes until they start to soften and look a little bit translucent.
• Add in the sliced bell peppers, seasonings (cumin, paprika, chili powder, salt and pepper) and sauté for another 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add in the chopped tomatoes, beans, and maple syrup.
• Stir to combine then add in the textured vegetable protein along with the water.
• Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or so. Once done, taste test and adjust seasonings as needed. Add in the crushed garlic and simmer for one more minute before turning off the heat. Sprinkle in the chopped coriander and stir through.
• Serve on top of greens with your grain of choice.

Notes

Use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand. Mushrooms, zucchini, cauliflower or broccoli would all be great additions.
The maple syrup can be subbed for Agave or whatever liquid sweetener you prefer to use.
Feel free to add in some sriracha, hot sauce or even jalapenos if you like things to be a little spicier.

This chilli really is a winner – not only is it packed to the brim with flavour on account of the fresh veggies and fragrant spices, it’s also choc-full of plant-based protein and fiber thanks to the TVP and beans, making it filling to boot.

My personal favourite accompaniment with chilli is brown rice or quinoa, but if the thought of either of them doesn’t excite you very much you could also serve this on top of some baked or steamed sweet potatoes, regular potatoes or even pasta.

Thanks to your feedback (which I greatly value by the way – so keep it coming), I’ve vowed to create more recipes like this. Ones that are a lot more accessible, easy to follow and void of any complicated processes or hard-to-find ingredients.

That’s not to say that my more elaborate creations will be laid out to pasture nor that my creativity will cease to flourish. If anything, I feel reinvigorated by the challenge!

Until next time, dear readers.