like mercury colliding…

It’s that time again! Time for soups, stews  and chili. Emphasis on the chili! This home cook had a craving for chili. What I’m about to share is nothing fancy, but it hit the spot! 

And of course I needed it to be vegetarian. Well, this recipe is actually vegan. And it all  came to be because I found this lovely package of plant-based zesty spiced protein crumbles! I just had to give them a try!

Ingredients
Olive oil
1 onion – diced
2 tsp chopped garlic (from a jar)
2 TBS chopped Jalepeno peppers (also from a jar)
4 cans of dark kidney beans
2 15-oz cans of tomato sauce
2 15-oz cans of chopped tomatoes (I used a zest mix of tomato, green pepper & onion)
2 pkgs if McCormick Chili seasoning (one regular/1 hot)
And one package of Beyond Beef Feisty Crumble

You can see by my list that this is one of those home style cupboard recipes. Like the kind I grew up with. The pre-made ingredients make it perfect for a work night when you don’t have a lot of time!

I started by sweating the onions, garlic and Jalepenos in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Then I added the protein crumbles (frozen) and tossed until thawed. Next up were the beans, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. And last but not least, the spice packets. I gave it a good stir and let simmer about 30 minutes stirring occasionally to keep from sticking. Ta dah!!! That’s all there was to it!

I don’t have a fancy plated version but you can always gussy it up by adding cheese (vegan if you prefer) or sour cream or alternative, crushed tortilla chips or a side of cornbread! Tonight I added a bit of mozzarella on top!

It was so good! Made a big pot full. Enough for dinner for two, a nice sampling for the neighbor who is always bringing over yummies for me to try, AND still enough for three days of lunch (since I pack my lunch everyday I’m set for the week!)

The reason I’m sharing this easy peasy, not at all fancy recipe is so I remember it, because I am definitely making this again! And also to encourage other homebodies that they too can do it! Yes you can! 

Until next time, happy cooking! 🙂