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Hot Damn! Meatless Chili

by Kalem

With the New Year just behind us, it’s an opportunity for a fresh start. For many, it’s the time to take those first steps towards realizing our hopeful resolutions. For some, there is one thing on their mind. The Super Bowl!

Try as some may, it’s very difficult to escape the American psudo-holiday. For months, offices across the U.S. have bubbling with excitement over whose fantasy football team was #1 in the office league. People huddle in their cubicles, whispering as they crunch the stats form the previous night’s game, keeping quiet from the boss as they are still on the clock. While I myself am not really into football, with my Hot Damn! Meatless Chili recipe, I can join in on the messy comfort foods that will adorn the tables of many Super Bowl spreads.

As a born-and-raised Texan, I am very much aware of all the rules of “real” chili, but rules are meant to be broken, especially when it tastes so good! My girlfriend Steph and I have made this chili for several parties, and veg and non-veg alike rave over the flavor. Combine with some chips and homemade vegan queso (I really love this Salsa con Queso recipe from fellow Kind Lifer John), and you got yourself some frito-pie or nachos. And for those non-veg friends who are a little nervous about “vegan” chili, it’s super easy to have a little cheese or sour cream on the side. Everyone wins. So, give the recipe a try, break some rules, and when you are up for it add your own ingredients to make this recipe your own!

Kalem’s Hot Damn! Meatless Chili

Prep time: 10 min Cook time: 60 min

Serves: makes 4 generous helpings

Ingredients

2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes (preferably no salt added)

2 15-oz cans of beans (at least one black bean with options of black, pinto, or kidney for the other)

½ medium onion, minced

1 bell pepper, minced—it’s best to use the food processor to retain the liquid from the pepper (green or red; if you use red it can eliminate the need to use sugar, depending on taste)

1-2 jalapeños diced (depending on desired level of spice), seeds removed (or leave in 3-5 seeds for more of a kick)

½ cup salsa verde

1 cup “not chicken” broth or vegetable broth

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tbsp +1/2 tps cumin (or more, to taste)

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 Tbsp brown sugar

½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 ½ tsp salt, or more to taste

½ tsp pepper, or more to taste

2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Start by pouring half of the can of black beans with some of the juice from the can into a food processor or blender. Puree. Empty the remainder of the can and the additional can of beans into a colander and rinse. Set aside.

2. Sautee onions and garlic in a large pot until the onion becomes translucent.

3. Add the bell pepper, jalapeño, and salsa verde and cook for about three minutes with the lid on. Then add all other ingredients and cover.

4. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low-medium heat and let simmer for at least 40 minutes.

Top with…

Vegan Sour Cream

Source: variation on Kozmic Blues’ food.com recipe

Prep time: 5 min

Makes: 1.5 cups

Ingredients

16 ounces of silken tofu

1 tablespoon olive oil (canola oil ok too)

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

3 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon sugar (or your favorite sweetener)

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2-1 teaspoon salt, to taste

Instructions

1. Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor

2. Process 2 minutes, or until very creamy and smooth.

3. Refrigerate for at least an hour to thicken.

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Looks great! Yay! Thank you so much, Kalem! I can’t wait for your next post!

What’s your favorite veg dish to share with your non-veg friends?

