Spicy Veggie Chili

I saw a recipe title that confused me.

There was a blogger that was referring to their non-meat chili as vegan. Which made me realize that the chili I made for Superbowl Sunday was also vegan. (Up until the moment that I topped it with shredded pepper jack and a dollop of sour cream.)

I kept this realization to myself, in case the boyfriend refused to eat something so healthy-sounding on one of the nation's most junk-food-filled celebrations.

Alas, there were too many non vegetables to be enjoyed during the most disappointing football game of the season. Many of my friends, (boyfriend included), found themselves too full to have a cup of vegetables/beans. I happily carried my pot home knowing that this stuff only gets better with each reheat.


Spicy Vegetarian Chili
adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

3 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 green bell pepper, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and diced

1 cup beer (I used Sam Adams Irish Red)

3 heaping tablespoons steak seasoning (eg. McCormick Montreal)

2 heaping tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/3 cup spicy barbecue sauce

1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, rinsed

1 15-ounce can great northern, rinsed

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with garlic

2 cups vegetable stock

Directions:

In a large pot, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and saute until softened, and when you see they are beginning to brown. Add the diced bell peppers and zucchini and cook until they begin to soften, about five minutes. Add the 3 tablespoons of steak seasoning, the 2 tablespoons of chili powder, the tablespoon of cumin, the teaspoon of coriander, and the diced jalapeño in the pot with the vegetables. Stir occasionally as you cook them together for two minutes.

Next, pour one cup of beer into the hot pan. If necessary, scrape the bottom of the pot with your cooking utensil to stir in any stuck pieces. When the beer has settled, add the barbecue sauce, beans, diced tomatoes and both cups of vegetable stock. Raise the heat to medium high to get the ingredients in the lidded pot to boil, bring heat down to a simmer for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, leaving pan on the residual heat for at least 10 minutes.

If you decide not to be vegan, serve warm with shredded pepper jack cheese, and sour cream. If you are vegan, I'm sure you'll still be pleased.