Hippie Pepper Chili Stew

Ameliahead's Note:

My quest to find a good vegetarian chili recipe ended with this. It's a combination of a couple of recipes plus some adjustments and additions of my own. My roommate says it is not chili--more like a stew--but still really good, if only I left out the bell peppers. I don't really measure or time my recipes, so this is a bit approximate. Season with salt and pepper every step or two. It's vegan as long as you don't top with the optional sour cream.

• Total Time: 40 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion , chopped
• 1 carrot , peeled and chopped
• 2 celery ribs , chopped
• 1 green bell pepper , chopped
• 1 jalapeno , minced, seeded if you like, depending on preferred heat level
• 2 garlic cloves , chopped
• 1 -2 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 dash cumin (to taste)
• salt and pepper , to taste
• 1 zucchini , diced
• 0.5 (12 ounce) beer , whatever you like
• 2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 (16 ounce) package lite extra-firm tofu , drained, patted dry, and large-diced
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed or 1 (15 ounce) can any other beans
• sour cream (optional)
• cilantro (optional)
• pickled jalapeno pepper (optional)
• tortilla (optional)
• tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:

1. Add oil then onion to a large pot and saute a couple of minutes.
2. Add carrot and celery and saute a couple of minutes further.
3. Add green bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder, and cumin. Saute a further 5 minutes or so.
4. Add zucchini, beer, and 1 can of tomatoes. Cook until heated through.
5. Add the other can of tomatoes, tofu, and beans.
6. Check for seasoning and simmer a few minutes before serving.
7. Garnish with whatever you like (I like a dollop of sour cream, chopped cilantro, and rough-chopped pickled jalapeno. I like to serve it with a few blue corn tortilla chips and a small warmed flour tortilla.).

Reviews

[yaya78006]

HEY! If this is vegetarian, then bring it on! Fixed this for DH & I tonight & will definately be cooking this stew again. The chili powder, jalapeno & green chilies give it a nice kick. Easy to cook, especially because I have one of those chop box things I just purchased at Williams Sonoma. I recommend anyone purchasing one it chops so fast! The only thing I might change is to add the whole beer. This could have used a little more juice. Maybe add a can of vegetable broth. I think the big dollop of sour cream really helped to balance the hotness of the chili powder, jalapeno & green chilies.