Chili

I don't know about you, but when the weather gets chilly, I crave warm and comforting food like this delicious chili. It's seriously my all-time favorite! And the best part? Leftovers taste even better the next day.

This recipe is perfect for a crowd and can even be made vegan with the right toppings. Trust me, everyone will love it!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 2 carrots cut to half-circles

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 1 red bell-pepper, chopped

• ½ tsp salt

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tbsp chili powder (adjust to taste)

• 1 tbsp cumin powder

• 2 tsp paprika

  • *MY SECRET: instead of paprika, have two dried chipotle peppers

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 2 bay leaves

• 4 cups tomatoes, diced/ 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes

• 4 cups cooked black beans / 2 15oz cans black beans, washed and drained

• 4 cups cooked pinto beans / 2 15oz cans pinto beans, washed and drained

• 2 ½ cups vegetable broth

• juice of ½ lime

• garnishes of choice: cilantro, sour cream, cheddar cheese, tortilla chips

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Once the oil is shimmering, add in the onions, carrot, celery, bell peppers, and salt. Cook till the veggies are slightly cooked- the onion has to become translucent.

2. Add in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and oregano. Add in the whole dried chipotle peppers, removing the stems, if using. stir and cook for a minute until garlic is fragrant.

3. Add in the diced tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, vegetable broth, and bay leaves. Let this mixture come to a simmer. Continue to cook, let simmer for 30 minutes

4. Discard the bay leaf. Blend with an immersion blender within the pot, being sure to blend the whole dried chipotle peppers if using. You can also blend 1-2 cups in a blender separately if you don’t have an immersion blender.

5. Add the lime juice, and taste for salt.

6. Serve with your favored garnishes and enjoy!