Awesome Meatless Chili
Here's the deal about protein: it all comes down to complete vs. incomplete. A complete protein contains all the essential amino acids our bodies need. An example of a complete protein would be meat or dairy. An incomplete protein still contains amino acids, just not all of them. So any of your grains, legumes, nuts/seeds would fall under that category. But here's the magical part: by pairing certain incomplete proteins together (whether in a single meal or throughout your day), you create a complete protein!
What I love best about this chili is that it's full of flavor, complex carbs, protein and fiber (thanks to beans and lentils). Serve it up with some crushed tortilla chips and a side of cornbread and voila! a complete protein. It's a super powerhouse meal that makes for a happy mouth and a happy bowel ;)
Ingredients:
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 can worth of prepared brown lentils, rinsed & cooked (about 1/2 c. dry)
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 1 can diced tomatoes, pureed
- 1 can worth of frozen corn (or drain a can of corn... I just prefer the flavor of frozen)
- 1 1/2 cans worth of water
- 1/2 onion, chopped -or- 1-2 T. dried onions
- 1 t. garlic, minced -or- 1 t. garlic powder
- 1 T. chili powder (1/2 t. if chili powder is spicy)
- 1 T. cumin
- 1 T. beef bouillon
- 1-2 T. brown sugar
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions: Place all ingredients in a slowcooker and stir well. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Enjoy! I know your heart will. *B
5 comments:
Beth, talk to me about the lentils. When you say a can's worth of "prepared lentils" do you mean
(a) rinsed, but still raw/hard
(b) rinsed and cooked/boiled (aka softened)??
We made this last Sunday. I think DJ was a little skeptical when I said that "meatless" chili was on the menu, but we both thought it was quite tasty and filling. I also got thumbs-up from a couple of guests who stopped by and had some later that night.
I'm experimenting with more meatless meals during the week, so this was perfecto. Muchas gracias.
Very delicious! We loved it!
so how many lentils is that dry? half a bag? a quarter of a bag?
k, I'm using 1/2 cup dry lentils and a 3 qt crock.
funny that chili needs to be specified as meatless. in my mind chili should be meatless. it's about the beans not some spicy meat. though I know any chili purist would scoff at me. whatever.
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