Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Bean-Lovin' Woman


Beans, beans
The magical fruit
The more you eat, the more you....

LOVE THEM!

It's true: I'm a bean-loving woman. No apologies.

Roasted chickpeas? You bet.
Black bean quesadillas? Perfection.
Garlicky White Bean Dip? Oh, yes.

Tonight's dinner? A classic, perfectly-seasoned Vegetarian Black Bean Chili, recipe courtesy of (you guessed it!) the Moosewood Collective.

When it comes to chili, I rarely follow a recipe. Instead, you'll find me dumping every chopped vegetable and available bean in a pot, sprinkling in spices in unknown amounts, and "seasoning to taste" until I'm ready to eat.

Adam, however, prefers a little more guidance in his chili-creating, and since he was the head chef tonight (score!), he went with a by-the-book Moosewood recipe. No complaints here.

I found myself in bean n' veggie heaven after the first spoonful.

I have to admit, this is the perfect recipe to get you in the mood for fall (Sweaters, anyone? Did I hear pumpkin-carving?). Added bonus: the awesome healthiness factor! After you make a full pot, you've got a week's worth of healthy lunches.

We enjoyed our chili with leftover Herb n' Cheese Moosewood muffins. If you're feeling a little crazy, go ahead and top your bowl of bean-lovin' goodness with some shredded cheddar cheese and chopped avocado.


What recipe gets you in the mood for fall?


Festive Black Bean Chili

This recipe truly needs no tweaking--I think they've definitely got it right! However, there's always room for adaptation, so make any changes needed to fit what's in your fridge (or your most current craving). Avocado makes the perfect topping :)

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 cup water (or veggie broth)
  • 1 TBSP ground cumin
  • 1 TBSP ground coriander
  • 1 cup salsa
  • 2 green and/or red bell peppers, chopped
  • 3 cups cooked black beans (two 15 oz. cans, drained and rinsed)
  • One 28 oz. can of whole or diced tomatoes, with the juice
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Tabasco or hot sauce to taste (not for me!)
  • Optional assorted toppings: fresh cilantro, chopped avocado, shredded cheese, etc.
Directions:

1) In a soup pot, cook onions, garlic, and water or broth on high heat, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander, and stir on high heat for one minute. Stir in the salsa and bell peppers, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and tomatoes, simmer for 10 minutes. Add the corn and continue to cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Top individual servings with toppings, if desired. (we just stuck with the cilantro tonight)

2) Enjoy your bean-tastic dinner!

11 comments:

  1. Anything with pumpkin in it gets me excited for fall!

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  2. I love beans! This chili sounds perfect for Fall.

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  3. this looks great! I bet i could fool my husband w/ meatless chili! or... maybe not :)

    and i found pumpkin today so i'm totally feeling fall. woohoo!

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  4. Pumpkin cookies and other pumpkin related paraphernalia as well has hot comfort meals!

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  5. thanks goodness i'm not allergic to beans!

    i had 2 bean salad tonight and it was bean-tastic (:

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  6. Mmm, this looks/sounds fantastic! Chili is definitely one of my favorites and I also usually just improvise to taste. And herb 'n cheese muffins?? Great meal!

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  7. I love chili and this recipe looks fairly simple with lots of delicious ingredients :)

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  8. I also LOVE beans. Specifically black beans. We go through 2 cans a week, and its mostly my fault! I put them in everything lol. I actually have a black bean and salsa soup that I make that is delicious! Althouugh black bean chili looks fantastic as well!

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  9. I love beans as well! I just posted a black bean and corn salad recipe that I think you'd like!!

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