RECIPE: Chili sin carne
This quick ‘n’ easy, highly nutritious mid-week meal recipe is deceptively healthy as it contains no added refined salt, oil or sugar. This is known as an SOS-Free recipe.
“Where does the flavour come from?” I hear you ask! Well, it’s all in the clever use of herb and spice seasonings.
This recipe serves 4. Wherever you can, please use organic ingredients – and it is possible to get BPA-free tinned foods these days – so it’s well worth loooking out for these to further reduce your exposure to toxins and hormone-disrupting chemicals. It is also fine to make everything from scratch – but do be diligent about soaking and thoroughly cooking your kidney beans!
By the way – I have topped this bowl of chili with my home-made faux sour cream. Scroll right down for this recipe too if this floats your chili boat.
(By the way – if you are anything like me and you’re thinking . . . ‘is that the correct spelling of ‘chili’?’ here’s what I found for you: ‘Chili, Chilli or Chile?’
Ingredients:
- 1 cup of tinned tomatoes
- 2 cups of kidney beans
- 1 tin of sweetcorn
- 1 cup of dried soy mince (I often use frozen soy mince as a handy cheat if I’m in a hurry)
- 1 cup of hemp seeds
- 1 courgette/zucchini
- 1 red bell/sweet pepper
- 1 red onion
- 2 tbsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1tsp smoked paprika or chipotle peppers, finely ground
- 2 tsp ground chilli – depending upon the strength and your tolerance for heat!
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- water or homemade broth (again, I sometimes cheat by using a low sodium bouillion powder to taste)
Method:
- Cover the dried soy mince with water or homemade broth and soak for 15 minutes
NOTE: if using the frozen variety, start at step two – then add the soy mince once the veggies have softened. - Cut the courgette, bell pepper and onion into pieces and add to 2 tbsp of water/broth in a large pot. “Stir fry” the veggies in the broth until they soften – add more water/broth if necessary.
- Drain the soy mince if using the dried version and add to the vegetables.
- Now add the hemp seeds and tomato puree, beans, corn, herbs and spices.
- Mix thoroughly and bring to cook/boil; then reduce to a simmer until your preferred consistency is achieved.
Remember that the spice and herb measurements above are a guide only – do make sure you adjust to your own taste.
Jayney’s Faux-Yet-Convincing Sour Cream Recipe
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 4 hours or overnight – so that they are extremely soft
¼ cup + 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp garlic powder
1 tsp nutritional yeast
½ cup water
INSTRUCTIONS
Place all ingredients into your blender (I used my Vitamix – other high speed blenders are available!)
Blend on high for 5-7 minutes until very smooth and creamy.
This amazingly delicious, cruelty-free vegan sour cream can be stored in your fridge for 1-2 weeks in an airtight container – if you can make it last that long!
Tags: recipe