Serves: 6
Whether you are vegetarian or simply want comfort in a bowl, this bean and kale chili recipe will be one of your new seasonal favorites. I always find myself craving a hot bowl of chili and this one is filled with whole foods which makes it the perfect balanced and hearty meal. I’ll make a huge pot of this for the week to save time with meal-prepping as a busy college student. I remember my parents would do the same with chili in the past, so this recipe was inspired by those fall days during my childhood, especially eating it before Trick-or-Treating as a kid. It is the perfect recipe to keep you warm on these upcoming chilly evenings. It’s definitely already fall here in Scotland. Wishing you a cozy autumn season and hope you enjoy this recipe!
Ingredients:
3 yellow onions, chopped
1 pint of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup fresh kale, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
¼ cup babybel mushrooms, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans of unsalted, crushed or pureed tomatoes
⅓ cup vegetable stock
1 (approx 15 oz can) black beans
1 (approx 15 oz can) cannellini beans
2 T extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp ground coriander
¼ cup chopped, fresh cilantro
Lime (cut into wedges)
Dairy free shredded cheese (Violife is my preference)
1 avocado, diced
1½ cups uncooked Basmati rice
Salt and pepper (as much as you like)
Cilantro Topping:
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 fresh scallions
Juice of ½ lime
1 T olive oil
⅛ tsp salt
Prep:
Rice:
Place 1½ cups of basmati rice in a medium pot with 3 cups of water. Bring to a light boil, then turn the heat down to simmer until all the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and cover with a lid. Fluff the rice and set aside to serve with the chili.
Cilantro Topping:
Add the cilantro, scallions, lime juice and salt to a food processor and pulse adding the olive oil gradually. Repeat pulsing until it is a roughly chopped consistency. Set aside and chill.
Chili:
Place the chopped onions and bell peppers in a stock pot with the 2 T of olive oil, cumin, chili powder and coriander, then sauté until semi-translucent. Add the cherry tomatoes, garlic and mushrooms to the pot. Continue cooking until everything is caramelized and the cherry tomato juices form a slight sauce. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, black beans, and cannellini beans. Simmer for 15 minutes. Gradually add the vegetable stock to thin out the sauce. Don’t add the whole ⅓ cup if it becomes too runny. Simmer for 15 minutes more. Toss in the chopped kale and cover with a lid to let it wilt. Stir in some of the fresh cilantro, also make sure to leave some to top the chili when serving.
Serve hot or store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve with the basmati rice, topped with dairy free cheese, more fresh cilantro, squeeze of lime juice, avocado, and if you’re a cilantro lover like me, drizzle on my take of chimichurri to top. I use Violife cheese and I’ll sandwich it between the hot rice and chili so it melts naturally. That’s my little tip for dairy free cheese lovers (ps. Violife actually melts!!)
© Cook It Up Catherine
Comments