A Chili Con Carne – Sin Carne, I could have just named it Vegan Chili, but some people are often skeptical when something is labelled vegan (I’ll come back to that in a further post).
Despite their bad reputation for making people gassy, beans are actually super duper healthy (see below). They’re also a proof that eating healthy isn’t necessarily expensive as they are really affordable and versatile. You can be really creative when you have for example kidney beans, cannelloni beans, black beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, split (green) peas and/or lentils in your pantry; you can incorporate them in many different dishes such as chilies, dips, soups or salads.
This recipe is easy enough but will take you about an hour; it serves 4 people. You can combine it with some whole rice and quinoa to have complete protein.
Ingredients
Cannelloni beans, 400 gr
Kidney beans, 400 gr
Black beans, 400 gr
Yellow bell pepper, 1
Red bell pepper, 1
Red chilli, 1
Sun dried tomatoes, 80gr
Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons
Diced tomato, 2 cans (400 gr each)
Onion, 1
Garlic, 4 cloves
Dark chocolate 50gr
Balsamic vinegar, 1 table spoon
Spices
Cumin powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon
Chili powder, 1 teaspoon
Paprika, 1 teaspoon
Cinnamon, 1 teaspoon
Ground Coriander, 1 teaspoon
Cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
Slice the onion and chop the garlic, and have your spices ready. Heat some coconut oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and let cook until it’s softened (about 7 minutes), add the garlic and all the spices; fry for another minute.
Add the sun dried tomatoes and fry for about 2 minutes. Then, add the kidney beans, black beans and cannelloni beans, and the chopped tomatoes. Add also the balsamic vinegar, dark chocolate, tomato paste and chopped tomatoes. Let simmer for about 30 minutes.
In the meantime, slice the yellow and red bell peppers, add them to the preparation. Let simmer for another 20 minutes. Add the lime juice.
Serve with some rice (black or brown) and garnish with fresh coriander.
Most importantly, have fun cooking and enjoy!
The super powers of beans*
Beans are packed with soluble and insoluble fibre; they’re low on the glycemic index, low in saturated fat and sodium, and very low in cholesterol. On top of protein, complex carbs and fiber, beans contain a powerhouse of nutrients such as antioxidants; vitamins and minerals, such as copper, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium and zinc.
What does all that mean? First of all, that beans have super powers and should be consumed at least once a week.
Beans slow down digestion and prevent constipation
Beans can help regulate blood sugar
Beans can help lower cholesterol
Beans are good for the heart
Beans reduce the risk of cancer (especially breast, prostate and colon cancer) and chronic diseases
Beans help with weight loss