Vegetarian Chili With Peaches And Three Beans

Remember when I outlined a blogging schedule a few months ago? Yeah…about that.

I’ve been a bit busy lately (aren’t we all) and between trying to finish up my A&P II class and focusing on a big life change in a few weeks (I’ll discuss at a later date), my blogging has fallen to the wayside. I’m also a little behind in responding to E-mail’s so if I haven’t replied… I’ll get on it tomorrow.

With life being a little hectic this week, I was looking for an easy dish that could be stretched out over a few days so I didn’t have to be stuck in the kitchen every night. The first dish I could think of was a nice big pot of chili.

I know what you are thinking- Chili, in the summer? It’s 90 degrees outside! However, for the convenience factor and the ability to freeze leftovers, I am willing to overlook the fact that this is more of a fall dish.

Throughout middle and high school, my mom would make this chili at least a few times a year (with leftovers lasting two months) and it always hit the spot. I made a few substitutions based off of what I had on hand (such as only green peppers verses red and green) but otherwise kept true to the recipe. I also halved the recipe for my needs, but have listed the ingredient quantities for the full recipe.

Vegetarian Chili with Peaches and Three Beans

Adapted from The Real Chili Cookbook by Marjie Lambert

A flavorful and healthy vegetarian chili filled with a variety of different vegetables, beans, and spices. You can adjust the spiciness of the chili with increasing or decreasing the spice measurements and adding red pepper flakes (as I did).

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Assembly/ Cook Time: 45 minutes

Serving Size: 12 (3/4- 1 cup servings, depending on amount of liquid)

Ingredients:

• 1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 2 green bell peppers, coarsely chopped (I used only green peppers)
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 peach, coarsely chopped
• 28-oz can tomatoes
• 28-oz can tomato sauce (I used 8-oz for a half-serving and just added more water)
• 1 tsp Tabasco sauce (I subbed 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes)
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp ground cumin (I left out since I didn’t have it on hand)
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water (plus more if needed)
• 19-oz can cannellini beans, drained
• Two 16-oz cans black beans, drained
• 19-oz can kidney beans, drained

Instructions:

1. Combine all the ingredients, except beans in a large pot. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Stir often and add more water if needed.
2. After 30 minutes, add the beans (I rinsed them before adding to the pot) and simmer for an additional 15 minutes. Add more water if needed.
3. Taste and adjust the seasonings as desired.
4. Serve with avocado, sour cream, or any other toppings.

This is a very filling dish that sticks to your ribs. Perfect for any time of the year, but if you decide to eat it in the summer like me, be sure to crank down the AC.

Silly question- are you more of a soup or chili person? I’m definitely more of a chili person because I feel like I get more bang for my buck!