Tomato-based vegetarian chili is a staple meal in my house. I thought I would try to make a recipe without tomatoes for some variety. Wow. I'm glad I did. I still love a tomato chili, but this will be in the meal rotation for sure.
I would say the heat level in this recipe is mild to medium. The ingredients that add heat are a serrano chili, ground black pepper (freshly ground if you have it), and ground chipotle chili powder. You can adjust the heat by increasing or decreasing any one (or all) of those elements.
Sometimes, I find the spices can be a bit bitter without the tomatoes. To balance this, I added frozen butternut squash which breaks down when cooked, thickening the broth and adding a bit of sweetness. I like mushrooms and corn in my chili, but chili can be very flexible. If you don't like mushrooms, try zucchini. Don't like corn? Leave it out or try another vegetable you like better. Or leave them both out and try adding another can of beans. Play with the recipe and make it your own.
As always, if you need to follow a gluten-free diet, make sure that you are using ingredients you have made sure are gluten-free.
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
1 Tablespoon dried Oregano
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chili, seeds removed and minced
2 cups vegetable stock
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 pound mushrooms (about 8-10), thickly sliced
1 cup frozen butternut squash
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups cooked or 1 can of no-salt kidney beans
2 cups cooked or 1 can of no-salt black beans
parsley or cilantro to taste (optional)
To your health and happiness,
Beans and Rice