Oh my, I love chili. It’s always been one of my favourite things to make. It’s taken on many iterations in my kitchen over the years. Now, I mostly stick to making veggie varieties. I like to switch things up and often just throw in whatever I have in my fridge. But, recently, I decided to make this amazing spiced tofu and mushroom crumble, which is a tasty and hearty substitution for meat. I guarantee if you didn’t tell your meat-eating friends this was a veggie chili they would NOT know.
Note: I ALWAYS use only organic tofu to make sure I’m staying way from GMO soybeans. I’d advise you to do that same.
Providing you have a food processor kicking around, this spiced tofu and mushroom crumble is so tasty and so easy to make. I’m actually going to include a separate recipe exclusively for this tofu crumble because, once you know how to make it, you can use it in place of ground beef or turkey wherever you like. Hello taco Tuesdays!
Back to chili.
Nutritionally, this dish is off the charts! You know how I love my legumes so I included 3 varieties of ‘em up in this bad boy. And, since it is the official “Year of The Pulse”, this recipe is so en vogue. Oh snap. Plus, all those beans mean it’s FULL of fibre and will help balance blood sugar to keep you 100% satisfied. The variety of brightly-coloured veggies ensures a hefty dose of antioxidants, loads of immune boosting vitamins like A and C. And, speaking of vitamin C, I don’t skimp on the chili powder, which is also great metabolism boost.
I always have fun with topping my veggie chili. Whether it’s crumbled organic corn chips, chives, avocado, cilantro, lime or even a sprinkle of goat cheese – the toppings take this dish to the next level.
This veggie chili recipe is especially stodgy. I like it that way. But, I also like it a little more soupy on occasion. So, if you want yours with a little more liquid, just add an extra can of crushed tomatoes. That’ll do the trick.
Let’s get started:
- - 2 packages extra firm organic tofu
- - 4-5 cups sliced mushrooms (or 2 packages)
- - 1 tbsp coconut oil
- - 2 tbsp chili powder
- - 1 tbsp garlic powder
- - 1 tsp salt
- - 1 tsp black pepper
- Preheat oven to 375 F and line 3 separate baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut tofu into smaller chunks that will fit into your food processor.
- Add tofu and mushrooms into
food processor (leaving enough room for blades to have some air) and pulse a few times until mixture forms a crumble. You will need to do this in two or three batches to ensure the mixtures has enough air to “dance around” in and avoid forming a “paste”. - Place tofu/mushroom crumble into a large mixing bowl and add 1 tbsp melted coconut oil, garlic powder, 2 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp salt + pepper and mix well until thoroughly coated.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes stirring halfway through to make sure it’s evenly crisped and browned.
- Set Aside
- - 1 tbsp coconut oil
- - 1 small head of garlic (10-12 cloves) sliced
- - 1 large red onion, chopped
- - 2 large carrots diced
- - 6 stalks of celery sliced
- - 2 28 oz cans of diced plum tomatoes (pureed)
- - 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
- - 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- - 2 cups cooked brown lentils
- - 1 red
pepper, diced - - 1 green
pepper, diced - - 1 or 2 jalapeno
peppers, diced fine - - 6 tbsp chili powder
- - 2 cups organic frozen corn
- Heat coconut oil in large soup pot
on med/high heat. - Add onions, garlic, celery and carrots and cook, stirring often for 5-10 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add red, green and jalapeno peppers + chili powder and cook 5 minutes longer, stirring frequently.
- Add pureed tomatoes and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add beans, lentils and corn and mix frequently until heated through (about 3 minutes)
- Add reserved crispy tofu/mushroom crumble and mix well.
- Season with sea salt and pepper to your taste.
Once you have the basics down, you can tweak this recipe to your heart’s content. The best thing about cooking is the ability to have fun and try new things out. Be fearless and chili on!
KD
