Eat This, Not That: Veggie Chili

 

Happy first day of fall! We are celebrating by making this awesome vegetarian chili. Chili is a great meal; it is inexpensive, easy to make, and warms you up on cold days. However, traditional meat chili, usually made with ground beef, is not necessarily the healthiest, when not made with lean, grass-fed beef. It is full of fat and doesn’t offer many good nutrients. This version cuts out the meat and replaces it with nutrient-rich vegetables and legumes, while keeping all the flavor!

 

What to use:

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1-2 jalapenos (depending on how spicy you want it)
  • 1 medium red onion
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • 1 green bell pepper
  • 2 medium zucchini
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1, 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes, not drained
  • 2, 15 oz. cans black beans, drained
  • 1, 15 oz. can pinto beans, drained
  • 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:

  1. Chop onions, peppers, and zucchini and mince garlic
  2. In large pot, sauté onions and peppers in olive oil about 4 minutes
  3. Add zucchini and garlic and sauté another 4 minutes
  4. Add tomatoes, beans, broth, and spices
  5. Simmer for about 30 minutes
  6. Serve with multi grain bread, corn bread, or tortilla chips. Top with cilantro, lime juice, avocado, or low fat cheese!
The Excel Chiropractic Team
The Excel Chiropractic Team