Here’s the recipe for the hearty, 40-minute pot of vegetarian chili I concocted for dinner tonight. Serve it with cornbread and salad and you’ve got yourself a meal.

Cracked bulgar adds a nice texture to this vegetarian chili.

Easy Veggie Chili

2 T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, diced
1-1/2 T. chili powder
1 t. cumin
1/4 t. cayenne
1 pinch each of ground cloves, coriander, and paprika
1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes
2 14 oz. cans kidney beans
1/4 c. cracked bulgar
1/2 cube Knorr vegetable bullion (optional)
salt & black pepper to taste
heavy dash chipotle or Tobasco sauce (optional)

1. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat olive oil. Add onions and garlic and sautee until tender.
2. Add spices and continue to sautee briefly, until spices lose their ‘raw’ smell.
3. Add canned tomatoes and stir well. Then add both cans of beans (include the liquid so you have something to cook the bulgar in).
4. Add bulgar. Add hot sauce and bullion if using.
5. Cover the chili and simmer until bulgar is cooked; about 30 minutes.
6. Add salt and black pepper to taste, and serve.

Garnish

Top chili with grated sharp cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Also good are chopped green onions and/or chopped radishes.

Bonus: Strange White-trash Garnish

This sounds weird, but buttered Saltines are really good with chili. I learned this from one of my parents who used to eat buttered saltines with canned Nalley’s chili when I was a kid.

Servings: 6-8
Cooking time: 40 minutes
Ready in: 55 minutes

Recipe Source
Author: Me!
Source: Here! (goblinbox.com 2005)

P.S. DO NOT rub your damn eyes after handling the chili powder and/or the freakin’ cayenne! I AM SO TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW: NO EYE RUBBING UNTIL YOU’VE WASHED YOUR HANDS! Sheesh!