Bean & Lentil Chili: Gluten Free & Vegan

With a perfect balance of spicy and savory, this vegan chili is sure to be a hit!

In discussions of football foot, one dish tends to be particularly important to me: chili.  Sure, it may not be as quintessential as buffalo chicken, but I maintain that it is equally important.  First, it’s one of the few football foods that you can actually make a meal out of without hating yourself after (I mean, I adore nachos but will inevitably feel ill if that’s all I eat).  Plus, the best football weather is when it is freaking freezing out.  Even when it’s in the single digits outside, a hot bowl of chili will always work to warm me up.  Besides, with a chili bar, dinner is totally customizable; people can add as much spice or cheese or whatever so it ends up to everyone’s liking.

Nothing says football like a big pot full of chili

Now, if you listen to Sheldon Cooper, traditional chili is just meat, no beans.  That’s nice, but it’s not how I roll.  This vegan dish is as hearty as any other chili you could find.  The kidney and black beans work well together, and the lentils serve as a great alternative to ground meat.  My favorite part of this chili, though, has to be the spice blend.  The chili powder and cumin are balanced to give a nice smokey, earthy flavor, and there is just enough heat from the cayenne to get your nose running a little bit.  The chili as a whole is pretty thick, which I love, but if you want a soupier consistency, adding a bit extra vegetable stock would work to thin it out.

Whether you eat it on its own, or on french fries, or do the Ohio thing and put it over a bowl of spaghetti, this chili is going to hit the spot.

Vegan Bean & Lentil Chili

Even plain, this chili is absolutely delicious

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 jalapenos, diced
• 1 ½ tbsp. chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• ¼ tsp cayenne
• ¼ cup tomato paste
• 1 lg can crushed tomatoes
• Dash Worcestershire sauce (vegan if necessary)
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• ¾ cup dry lentils
• 2 cups veggie stock

I topped mine with some cheese and Tabasco, but some scallions and avocado slices would also be delicious

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed pot. Sauté onion and jalapenos together until tender; add garlic, chili, cumin, cilantro, and cayenne and sauté until fragrant.
2. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, veggie broth, and lentils. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 30 – 45 minutes, until the lentils are almost tender.
3. Stir in kidney and black beans and simmer for another 10 minutes.

This is my own recipe, but I drew inspiration from the following:

• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/simple-perfect-chili-recipe.html
• http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/30-minute-turkey-chili-recipe.html
• http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/lentil-chili
• http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Vegan-Chili-51216410

Black beans, kidney beans, and lentils work together with a great blend of spices to make this vegan chili hearty and satisfying