Most anyone can attest one of the most important things to figure out is how to throw together a quick and healthy meal during the week (with or without kids). In addition to the Kale & Mushroom Stew, I’ve figured out how to throw together a quick and easy vegan chili WITH cornbread in 30 mins.
Yes, you read that right. 30 MINUTES.
While I’m admittedly not a fan of using all these canned goods (the whole BPA lurking on the inside thing freaks me out), I am a fan of making things yummy, healthy and quick. One way to obviously get around from using so many cans is to find a brand that uses boxes (like Fig) or pre-cook a good lot and then freeze them.
The best way to tackle the whole meal is to start with your cornbread so you can get that in the oven and then move on over to your chili. Also for all you meat-eaters, feel free to use turkey meat for a healthy alternative to beef. HOWEVER, many of my carnivore friends eat this chili and LOVE it and they can’t even tell that the cornbread is vegan.
Cornbread
- 1 package cornbread mix (Fancy, I know. But I did say 30mins…. I like Martha’s All Natural or Bob’s Red Mill, the latter you can get gluten free)
- Earth Balance Butter (or preferred vegan butter substitute)
- Almond Milk (or preferred milk substitute)
Follow the instructions and get started on your chili.
Vegan Chili
What you’ll need:
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 serving meat alternative (I like the Light Life’s Smart Ground, Mexican Style)
- 1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and then thinly sliced
- 6 white or crimini mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup “broccoli and carrot slaw” (I get this from Whole Foods in the produce section, but basically it’s julienned carrots and broccoli packaged up and I use it to throw in chili, spaghetti sauce or I steam it and then puree it for the kid)
- 1 – 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 – 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 – 15 oz can vegetarian chili (you pick your heat here. I usually go medium to hot)
- 1 giant can whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- 2-4 cups low sodium vegetable broth (Imagine makes a good one)
- 1 small can tomato paste
- 1-2 cups kale, removed from spine and torn
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
What you do:
- Heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until lightly browned, 5-7 mins. Add meat alternative and cook another 3-5 mins. Add zucchini, mushrooms, carrots and broccoli and cook another 5-7 mins.
- Add beans, chili, tomatoes, tomato paste and veggie broth. The veggie broth varies depending on how you like your chili. Add more for less “stand up chili” (remember those commercials?!?), and more for more stew like chili. Add cumin, oregano, cayenne, chili powder, salt, pepper. Cook 10 mins.
- Add kale and taste. Feel free to adjust taste as needed. I generally add more cumin as my go to, but if it’s too spicy simply add more tomato paste and veggie broth.
Serves 6-8
For all the new mommies out there… I do feed this chili to my almost 9 month old by either pureeing some and serving with his daily avocado or else taking the juices and putting it over barley (with his daily avocado).
