vegetarian chili

i've posted about chili before.
it's one of my favorite one dish meals.
and especially one of my favorite fall/winter one dish meals.
as it cooks, the whole apartment fills with a deep spicy aroma.
layer upon layer of flavor develops.

and you just keep chopping and adding more items to one big pot.

stirring around after each addition.
sampling of course as you go.
and adjusting till it's just right and you can fill a big bowl after a cold wind.

besides that chili has that comfort food flavor, consistency and warmth about it, it's also quite flexible.
it can cook up in about an hour.
or it can simmer on low all afternoon.
it easily adapts to many ingredients.

i like chili that has beans and corn, but neither are necessary.

it's just my personal taste.
chili can have as many vegetables as you like.
or none if that's your preference.
a hearty meat and bean chili is always popular with a crowd.
i mean you want to be popular right?

love the ridiculousness of this song.

anyway, this particular chili recipe pushed me a bit out of my comfort zone.
because it's vegetarian.
not quite vegan because of the brown sugar and molasses, which could be omitted.

and i topped it with a sprinkle of mexican cheese.

i mean it's chili after all, chili (in my thought process) needs cheese on top.

this chili is quite spicy!
so spicy that i added 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to cut some of the heat.
and i like me some heat.

this chili has some of the usual suspects:

corn

black beans and tomatoes.
btw, did you all see that those three ingredients are organic? go tjs for making organic affordable!

the chili also had a secret.....

some very dark and sticky molasses.
my palette is not refined.
so i probably wouldn't have been able to pick out this ingredient in the chili.
except of course i knew it was there.
you know, since i added it and all?

Recipe: Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil

2.5 servings vegan chorizo

1 can diced tomatoes ( i used fire roasted)

1.5 cups corn

2 garlic cloves

1.5 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnamon

2.5 cups veggie broth

1 tbsp molasses

3 tbsp brown sugar

Method:

-heat pan to low, add oil and garlic, cook 3 minutes to soften, but do not burn garlic

-add chorizo, break apart with wooden spoon, cook another 2-3 minutes, raise heat to medium

-add diced tomatoes and spices (if using regular diced tomatoes, you may want more spice)

-add molasses and brown sugar to taste (note about brown sugar above)

-add vegetable broth and bring up to a boil, simmer 15-20 minutes

-add corn and black beans, stir to combine, taste and adjust seasoning if necessary

-serve with warm, soft rice and top with a grating of cheese, greek yogurt or avocado. or maybe all three.

p.s. i just learned how to make  ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ on my keyboard. you know, since apparently i've been living in a cave for the past 10 years? excellent.