Nic Gets Fit: Hearty Vegan Chili

Today was a cold, big sweater wearing, hot tea drinking chili eating kind of day. So naturally after working this morning and getting my P90X3 on, it was time to cook.

obsessed with this chunky striped sweater

Here's one of my go to recipes for when's it's cold and we want something healthy and filling. All organic and vegan. This time I made it with organic non GMO Tofurkey but I often make it without as we do very little soy around here. Even my meat eating hubby likes this meal.

Tonight I served it with a few roasted sweet potatoes as a "fire extinguisher" for the spice. I usually use corn bread, but southern style corn bread is not helping this girl get a flat tummy.

Ingredients:

- 1 yellow onion chopped

- 3 cloves minced garlic

- 1 orange bell pepper chopped

- 1 quart vegetable stock

- 1/2 small can tomato paste

- 1.5 cups canned crushed tomatos - make sure you get the kind with no basil

- 1/2 package tofurkey - I like it for texture but optional

- 1 can of black beans rinsed

- 1 can of chili beans or kidney beans rinsed

- 1.5 cups of frozen corn

- 1 package of spicy chili mix ( I usually use the whole foods pre packaged kind) if you want to make your own : cumin, chili powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper , cayenne if you like it spicy. I usually make this to taste. but a rough guide would be 3 tbs of chili powder, 1/2 tbs of cumin, onion, pepper, salt, red pepper and a tsp of cayenne.

I choose all organic ingredients to avoid GMOs but to each their own.

Preparation:

- sauté onion, garlic and bell pepper in olive oil or coconut oil

- add everything else

- bring to a boil then reduce to simmer covered.

- 20 minutes it's ready. I like to let mine simmer for 1 hour on a super low heat.

- adjust the flavor as needed - you can always kick up the heat but you can't go the other direction so use those red pepper flakes sparingly