Delicious Budget-Friendly Vegan Chili!

Hey all,

I think I've stumbled across one of my best recipes yet. I know I haven't ever really posted a recipe on Brewji, but seeing where my health and life have taken me the past few months...this is where I am now.

Just to get it out of the way: Yes. This chili is Vegan. It's also gluten-free and soy-free.
I also don't add any sugar or thickener. All sugars in this recipe are naturally occurring.

Why? Because this is what's been working with my Crohn's.

Ever since I switched to a mostly plant-based diet in August of last year, I've felt a bit better and the GI doctor reported "there doesn't appear to be much – or any active inflammation at the moment, but there are still signs of narrowing (scar tissue) present from past episodes."

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Now down to business.

I've been searching for a great vegan chili recipe all over the internet, but a lot of them call for veggies that I can't digest, soy products, added sugar and / or gluten-based thickening products.

Finally, I took matters into my own hands and have been experimenting for the past couple of months (my poor wife has had to deal with it) and we've found a winner. Thanks to her suggestion of adding sweetcorn, there is no need to thicken this chili.

Vegan Gluten-Free Soy-Free Chili @ Brewji Dublin
Photo: Brewji

Brewji Vegan Gluten-free Soy-free Chili:

Total estimated cost for entire recipe: €3.55 ($5.55 CAD)
Serves 5
Cost per serving: €0.71 ($1.11 CAD)


Cost calculations are based on the purchase price of the full ingredient. Numbers are in EUR (€).


INGREDIENTS:

- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil	2 cents
- 1 medium red onion	12 cents
- 2 tablespoons garlic puree (I use Al Noor brand)	5 cents
- ¼ teaspoon hot red chili flakes (use more if you can handle it)	1 cent
- 3 large celery stalks, diced finely (1/2 cm or thinner)	19 cents
- ¾ red bell pepper, seeded and diced	17 cents
- 1 can (400mL) diced / chopped tomatoes	45 cents
- ½ vegetable stock cube with 250mL hot water (I use Tesco brand)	5 cents
- 6 tablespoons (90 mL) tomato paste	45 cents
- 1 can (400 mL) kidney or black beans, drained and rinsed	70 cents
- 1 can (400 mL) navy beans or green lentils, drained and rinsed	70 cents
- 1 can (325mL) sweetcorn	31 cents
- 2 tablespoons mild chili powder (or hot if you prefer)	20 cents
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin	8 cents
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano	4 cents
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt	1 cent

METHOD:

1. Using a large pot, sautee your garlic puree and onion at medium-high heat until the onion starts to become soft (5-6 minutes). Give it a stir.
2. Add the diced red bell pepper, celery and the hot chili flakes. Sautee and cook down for 7 minutes to soften up the veggies a bit without losing their bite.
3. Add the vegetable broth (stock cube + boiling water), the can of tomatoes and the tomato paste. Mix the combination together well and increase the heat slightly to a higher "medium-high" heat. Let it cook for 2 minutes.
4. Add the rinsed and drained Black beans, Green lentils and Sweetcorn along with the spices (chili powder, cumin and Italian herb seasoning). Stir together well.
5. Simmer uncovered on medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes (the longer the softer the veggies will be).
6. Turn off heat and serve with rice, corn tortilla chips, or quinoa for a vegan, gluten-free and soy-free complete meal!

Tips:

• Chili will keep well in the fridge for 3 days
• For a complex carb & plant-based protein powerhouse, serve with brown basmati rice
• I did all my shopping at Tesco in Dublin. You could probably find some ingredients cheaper at other stores (Aldi / Lidl in Ireland or Walmart / Costco in Canada)

Vegan Gluten-Free Soy-Free Chili @ Brewji Dublin
Photo: Brewji

NUTRITION INFORMATION
Keep in mind these are estimates!

PER SERVING (5 servings per recipe)

Calories	263
Carbs	36.5g
Sugars	11.8g
Fat	5.4g
Protein	13.6g
Fiber	12.3g

Comment below if you've tried the recipe, or have any questions about it!