Méli-mélo: Hearty Chili

(During my brief hiatus between books, I will be posting miscellaneous, aka “méli-mélo” recipes. Enjoy!)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp. olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 2 large carrots, diced

• 1 small red bell pepper, diced

• 1 small green bell pepper, diced

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 cups veggie broth (I used Imagine brand No-Chicken Broth)

• 1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes (I used one 14-oz can regular diced tomatoes, and one 14-oz can of diced tomatoes + spicy green chilies for an extra kick)

• 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

• 1 15-oz. can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 cups fully cooked soy crumbles / vegan ground “beef” (I used Gardein Beefless Ground - skillet cooked)

• 2 heaping Tbsp. chili powder

• 4 heaping tsp. ground cumin

• 1 heaping Tbsp. brown sugar

• 2 tsp. oregano

• 2 Tbsp. Harissa (I used Cava brand, but you can make your own if you feel so inclined!)

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 14-oz can sweet corn

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Add onion and sauté until translucent and soft.

3. Add carrots and bell pepper, and cook until soft (about 3 minutes). Add a little broth to de-glaze if anything begins to stick.

4. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute, or until fragrant.

5. Add broth, tomatoes, beans, beef-less ground/soy crumbles, chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, oregano, harissa, salt, and pepper. Stir well to incorporate everything.

6. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Using an immersion blender, blend until about 1/2 of the mixture is homogenous - still leaving whole beans and veggie pieces for texture. (If you don’t have an immersion blender, WAIT UNTIL COOLED, and then add to a standing blender - a few cups at a time - and blend.)

8. Add corn, and simmer over medium-low for 10 minutes.

9. Enjoy with some toasty bread or corn muffins!