Vegetable Chili

Name: Vegetable Chili
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Olive oil; 1 1/2 cups Sliced celery (4 stalks); 1 1/2 cups Thinly sliced carrot; 1 1/2 cups Diced zucchini; 1 cup Chopped onion; 1 cup Sliced fresh mushrooms; 1 ea Red bell pepper, chopped; 1 ea Green bell pepper, chopped; 2 to 3 cloves Garlic, minced; 2 ea 28-ounce cans Italian tomatoes, chopped; 2 Tbsp or to taste* Chili powder; 1 Tbsp Dried basil; 1 Tbsp Dried oregano; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp (or to taste) Pepper; 1/2 cup Chopped parsley; 1/2 cup (or 1 Tbsp dried dill weed) Chopped fresh dill; 2 ea 19-ounce cans Canned beans, your choice**; as needed Hot cooked rice (optional); to taste Chopped green onion; to taste Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

March 21, 1999 Robin R. - Editor

About

This chili is simple to make, chock full of vegetables, and freezes well for quick dinners. Serve over brown rice or with whole grain bread for a complete meal. May be prepared using stovetop or crock pot methods. It’s great for vegetarians, though meat eaters can add a little cooked organic ground beef if preferred.

Ingredients

Olive oil		1/4 cup
Sliced celery (4 stalks)		1 1/2 cups
Thinly sliced carrot		1 1/2 cups
Diced zucchini		1 1/2 cups
Chopped onion		1 cup
Sliced fresh mushrooms		1 cup
Red bell pepper, chopped		1 ea
Green bell pepper, chopped		1 ea
Garlic, minced		2 to 3 cloves
Italian tomatoes, chopped		2 ea 28-ounce cans
Chili powder		2 Tbsp or to taste*
Dried basil		1 Tbsp
Dried oregano		1 Tbsp
Salt		1 tsp
Pepper		1 tsp (or to taste)
Chopped parsley		1/2 cup
Chopped fresh dill		1/2 cup (or 1 Tbsp dried dill weed)
Canned beans, your choice**		2 ea 19-ounce cans
Hot cooked rice (optional)		as needed

Garnishes

Chopped green onion		to taste
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese		to taste

Stove-Top Method

Sauté vegetables in oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven until carrots are tender.
Add tomatoes and seasonings (if using dried dill weed add at this stage). Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, drain beans and rinse well. Stir in fresh parsley, fresh dill and beans. Cook over low heat, covered, for 20 minutes more.
Serve over hot rice (if using) and add garnishes as desired.

Crock-Pot Method

I prefer this method because it’s so easy and there’s less risk of burning.

Place all ingredients except the fresh parsley, fresh dill and beans into a 6 quart crock pot.
Cook on high for about 3 hours, or until vegetables have almost reached the desired tenderness.
Meanwhile, drain beans and rinse well. Add remaining ingredients and cook for 1 hour more.
If chili seems too watery, remove cover from crock pot, and allow liquid to boil off until chili reaches desired consistency.

Helpful Hints

The 2 tb of chili powder is great for those who like their chili really hot. For those with more sensitive palettes, you can turn down the heat by adding only 1 to 1 1/2 tb, and by cutting the amount of pepper in half.
You can experiment with any kind of bean: red or white kidney, navy, garbanzo, pinto, or others. I prefer the tried and true red kidney bean.
The crock pot method is based on the instructions for my own personal crock. Others may suggest different settings and cooking times. Simply follow the instructions for a basic stew in your instruction manual.