Delicious Vegan Chili

My husband had the guys from his fantasy football league over to watch the Vikings game and have some chili, an owner's event if you will. One of the "owners" is a vegan and when I heard that he was coming, I was excited at the challenge of making a vegan version of my chili for him to eat as well.  I think I liked the vegan version as much as, if not more than, my meat chili recipe.  It was yummy!  And, some of the other "owners" liked it as well!  I'd say the recipe was a success!  (BTW - my "meat" chili recipe will also soon be posted.)

Delicious Vegan Chili

Recipe adapted from www.ohsheglows.com

1 tbsp oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 green peppers, chopped
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
1 tbsp cumin
3 tbsp chili powder
pinch sea salt
pinch cayenne
1 can each: black beans, white kidney beans, red kidney beans (rinsed) (I used 1 large mixed can)
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1-2 c. vegetable broth
2 tbsp chia seeds (see Food for Thought)

Instructions:

In a large pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add garlic, peppers, onion, and carrots.  Saute until veggies are soft, approximately 5 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients, cover, and cook for 30-40 minutes on low to medium heat.  Add additional vegetable broth as needed if the chili seems dry. (The chia seeds absorb a lot of the moisture!)

Food for Thought:

For those of you who don't know about Chia Seeds, I highly recommend you look into learning more about this powerful little superfood!  Chia seeds (yes, the same ones that grow chia pets) are black or white and are said to have protein, calcium, potassium, antioxidants, iron, and large amounts of omega 3 and omega 6.  They are a whole grain, a soluble fiber, keep you hydrated, give you energy, and in my opinion, keep you fuller longer.  Because they keep you fuller longer, they also are said to be a dieter's dream, helping helping you consume less calories yet feel full.

I eat a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds every day with my breakfast.  I scoop a little on my cereal, into my greek yogurt, or into my oatmeal.  They are great in smoothies, tossed into any soup or chili you make, and can be added to many recipes.  Becuase they are flavorless and look a bit like a poppy seed, my kids don't seem to notice them at all. 

For runners, you can use chia seeds to make your own energy gel as well.  They absorb 9 times their weight in water.  I combined 1/3 c. seeds with 2 c. water and soaked it for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Once the chia seeds fully hydrate, they create a gel.  I drink that about an hour or so before a long run and feel great throughout my run.  I have a lot of energy and need less water as I go.  When I recently did my 10 mile race (a first for me) I did the chia seed gel before hand and felt great throughout the entire race, needing very little water along the way!  It was great! 

I have not been paid in Chia Seeds to write this nor have I been reimbursed by any Chia Seed manufacture to endorse them.  :)  I do not have a doctorate in Chia Seed science and am not a Chia nutritionist.  I simply believe in their health value from the research I have found and have seen the positive results of including them in my diet over the last year.  I would encourage you to research it yourself if you are curious.