Black and White Chili

By the end of the week, nightly dinners reflect something less “planned out” and look more like “what do I need to use before it goes bad?”

This chili is a quick, one-pot way to use up whatever you’ve got on hand upon weeks-end. Feel free to sub whatever veggies and beans you have.

This is a vegetarian chili. Actually, this is a vegan chili, but it’s really hearty and filling and no one will ever miss the meat. The name “Black and White” comes from the types of beans.

Black and White Chili

• 1/2 onion, diced
• 3 small carrots, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 orange bell pepper, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2-3 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp. instant espresso grounds (optional, but gives a nice depth of flavor)
• 2 Tbsp. barbecue sauce
• 1 Tbsp. chia seeds, to thicken

Directions:

1. Sauté onion, carrot, and bell peppers until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook one minute more.
2. Add the beans and tomatoes to the pot. Stir in chili powder, cumin, cocoa powder, basil, cayenne, instant espresso, and barbecue sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Before serving, stir in chia seeds and cook on low for five minutes until thickened.

I loved the cocoa powder and espresso in this chili. It really rounded out the flavor nicely and gave the chili depth.

Travis and I enjoyed our vegan chili with stone ground corn bread muffins from a Bob’s Red Mill mix.  It was really filling and left us with lots of left overs that I have been eating for lunch lately.

The chia seeds are undetectable in the chili, but they thicken up the sauce so much! I like really thick chilis, but you could just as easily leave them out if you want your chili a little thinner.

I love that little honey bear. He sweetened up my cornbread for me!

I served our chili in these new bowls I got on clearance at Target. I also got the place mat and four little condiment bowls (which I have been using as tiny cereal bowls for a midday snack!)

I am on a recipe mission today. I can’t wait to share it with you!!

-Lou