Chesterson P. Carrot's Meatless, Murderless Chili

Celery, carrots, onions, green peppers (I like orange or yellow), canned diced tomatoes, black beans, kidney beans, olive oil, vegetable broth, meatless crumbles (Boca or other brand - also known as TVP, or Textured Vegetable Protein). Also: 2 TBSP of garlic, chili powder & cumin to taste. Can also add salt, but you probably knew that.

Small-dice the fuck out of the carrots, onion, celery, and pepper. Sautee the carrots, onion, and celery in 2 tsp of olive oil over medium heat. Save the peppers for later. After 3-5 mins of sauteeing, add the broth, diced tomatoes*, and the meatless crumbles. Bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes just to reduce/thicken the liquid a bit, then add the beans, peppers and garlic. Simmer at low-ish heat for at least 1 hour to reduce & thicken the liquid.

NOTES: I used canned tomatoes because it adds a bit of liquid to the mix, not to mention a bit of natural red color -- much more so than merely dicing up some fresh tomatoes. Also, I like to add in a bit of cocoa powder, just to darken up the flavor. You may not like this, and I am totally cool with that. Finally, you need to be patient with this and all soups -- don't expect to be able to cook it in ten minutes. The key to chili (or any thick soup) is reducing, which thickens the stock and brings out the flavor in everything.

Number of Servings: 1

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user MATTDEBENHAM.