Vegetarian Bean and Pumpkin Chili
Dear Summer: It’s not that I don’t love what you bring…bountiful produce, long days, and barbeque parties by the pool. I love these things, I really do. It’s just time to move on. As you always do around here (in Texas), you overstay your welcome, and you don’t allow Autumn enough time to play. So please, let’s just part ways for the year. No hard feelings? I’ll welcome you with open arms next June, I promise! It’s 95 degrees today here in North Texas. Hot and humid. There is a cold front in sight, they say, bringing cooler temperatures for the weekend. In my mind, it can’t get here fast enough. Apparently, my appetite agrees. My husband and I have been craving cool-weather dishes, as evidenced by my last few posts. (Shepherd’s pie just doesn’t cross most people’s minds when it’s hot outside.) When I was planning meals this past weekend, I decided upon a vegetarian chili – cool weather or not. Even if it won’t act like fall outside, I can still pretend, right? This chili will likely reappear at our home in some version several times in the coming months. It was a snap to make, with minimal prep the night before, and a long, unattended simmer in the slow cooker. (Not to mention it was super-budget friendly!) Once it was nearing dinnertime, I had so little to prepare, I decided that an attempt at a gluten-free biscuit was needed. Last week, I came across a gorgeous gluten-free biscuit recipe from Shelley at This Primal Life. (Shelley has a wonderful blog filled with healthy, gluten-free, grain-free recipes.) Gluten-free biscuits? Yes, it can be done. These babies were tender, with a delicious, cheesy flavor, and a very mild bite from the peppers. Oh, man. They were a dream. And for those of you that are watching your carb intake, these are right up your alley, as they’re made with almond flour. These are about as healthy a biscuit as they come, but you’d swear they were sinful. And they paired with the chili perfectly. So if it’s still hot where you are, then feel free to pocket this recipe for a few weeks, until the air is crisp and those chili cravings set in. Or do like we did, and pretend.
Total Steps
6
Ingredients
18
Tools Needed
6
Ingredients
- 1.5 pound mixed variety of dried beans (yellow eye, African red beans, flageolet or black, kidney, pinto beans)
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 15 ounce can pumpkin puree
- 2 serrano chiles, minced
- 3 inch chipotle chiles adobo, minced
- 4 cup vegetable stock
- 2 cup water
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1.5 teaspoon cumin
- 0.5 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 teaspoon chili powder
- Several dashes Tabasco
- Shredded cheese(optional)
- Cilantro(optional)
- Sour cream(optional)
Instructions
Step 1
Rinse the beans and soak overnight.
Step 2
Rinse the beans again and place them in the slow cooker.
Step 3
Add the crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree, serrano chiles, chipotle chiles adobo, vegetable stock, water, onion, garlic, cumin, cinnamon stick, ground coriander, salt, chili powder, and Tabasco to the slow cooker and stir well.
Step 4
Cook on low for 8 hours or until beans are tender.
Step 5
Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Step 6
Serve topped with desired garnishes.