Vegetarian Chili

Vegetarian Chili

The nuts and legumes are more than adequate stand-ins for meat in this vegetarian dish. Because this chili is high in protein and fiber, you'll feel full without eating as much. Choose a variety of beans, such as kidney, black, and garbanzo, to give this dish visual and textural difference.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil or cooking oil
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1-1/2 cups chopped green sweet pepper
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 28-ounce cans tomatoes, cut up
3 15- to 16-ounce cans beans (such as kidney, black, northern, pinto, and/or garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 to 4 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano, crushed
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon bottled hot pepper sauce
1 bay leaf
1 12-ounce can beer
3/4 cup cashew nuts
1 cup shredded Swiss, mozzarella, or cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

Preparation

In a 4- or 6-quart pot heat oil. Add celery, sweet pepper, onion, and garlic. Cover and cook over medium heat about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.

Stir in undrained tomatoes, drained beans, raisins, vinegar, chili powder, parsley, sugar, basil, oregano, cumin, allspice, salt, black pepper, hot pepper sauce, and bay leaf.
Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 1-1/2 hours.

Stir in the beer. Return to boiling. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more or until desired consistency. Discard bay leaf.
Stir in cashews. Sprinkle cheese over each serving. Makes 6 servings.

Tip: If you're concerned about sodium, use low-sodium whole tomatoes, reduced-sodium canned beans, and unsalted cashew nuts.