Bean Chilli

I didn’t eat a lot of red meat before going vegetarian, but for some strange reason when I made the switch, I started getting intense cravings for red meat. This is the first recipe I made up in response. With some experimentation over the years, this is now a staple in our house that I’ve served to many guests, with even avid carnivores going back for seconds and thirds.

Total Prep Time: 2-3 hrs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1            Onion, diced

12          Cremini mushrooms, cut into chunks

1 can (796ml)     Diced tomatoes

1 can (540ml)     Black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (156ml)     Tomato paste

1 pkg (340g)       Yves Original Veggie Ground Round, crumbled

3 tbsp        Chili powder

1 tbsp        Cumin

1 tsp          Garlic powder

Cayenne to taste

Sour cream

Cheddar cheese, grated

Directions:

Place all ingredients (except sour cream and cheddar cheese) in slow cooker and mix well. Cook on high setting for 2-3 hours, until onions are translucent and well cooked. Adjust seasonings as desired and serve topped with sour cream and cheddar cheese.

Enjoy with fresh, crusty bread to mop up all the sauce.

Choose your own adventure:

You can swap the black beans for any bean you like. Sometimes I do red kidney beans for a more traditional version. More often, I do 1/2 a can of black beans and 1/2 a can of chickpeas.

Try adding zucchini or corn (I use frozen).