Fast Three-Alarm Red Bean Chili - Vegan Friendly

This is one of the things I like to make when I don't have lots of time to cook and want something hearty. I'm a big fan of one-pot cooking and have experimented with chili quite a bit, and this one is my favorite so far. It is spicy enough to make your lips burn, so if you're feeding children or those with less of an appetite for spicy foods I would suggest substituting one or both cans of Ro-Tel for the mild variety and add chili powder to taste. I serve it with flour tortillas heated in a skillet as I always have some hanging around, but it would be great with cornbread. You can also add any kind of Mexican cheese after cooking - I prefer panela or queso fresco, they both have a sweeter taste than bagged cheddar mix. It's not gourmet cooking but it's tasty, fast, high in fiber and low in fat - and will definitely clear out your sinuses.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2 (16 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 2 (10 1/2ounce) cans Mexican-style stewed tomatoes with jalapeno peppers, Ro-Tel Chili Fixins variety (in the black can, has chili spices already mixed in)
• 2  vegetable bouillon cubes (I like Oxo)
• 1 1⁄3 cups water
• 1 -2  teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1  bell pepper
• 1  small  white onion
• 2  garlic cloves
•  salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 8 -12  flour tortillas, for dunking in the chili
•  butter (optional) or  margarine, as desired (optional)

Directions

1. Dice the onion and pepper, chop garlic finely.
2. Open all cans and rinse the beans in a colander until suds are washed out.
3. Over medium heat in a large pot, sautee veggies, garlic and red pepper flakes in olive oil until onions become transparent. Take care not to burn the garlic.
4. Add the 1 1/3 cups water to the pot, increase to high heat. Crumble the boullion cubes into mixture and stir well.
5. Add the rinsed beans, stewed tomatoes and cans of Ro-Tel to the pot, stir well.
6. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 25 minutes.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Stir the chili frequently while preparing tortillas.
9. Wait until there are about ten minutes left on the chili's cook time.
10. Heat a large skillet to medium heat.
11. Once the skillet is hot to the touch, lay a tortilla in the pan for about 30 seconds or until it starts to soften.
12. Flip over and warm the other side.
13. Once it is hot, put it on a plate and dab with butter or margarine if desired.
14. Continue with the rest of the tortillas and stack them on the plate.
15. Cover with an overturned bowl or cloth napkin to keep warm.
16. Once the chili's done, serve up in a bowl with shredded cheese melted on the top if you like. Roll up the tortillas and dunk in the chili (I have to admit I do this so I can start eating before the chili's actually cool enough to eat by the spoonful) As it is the chili is too liquid to wrap in a tortilla, but by reducing the water by about 2/3 cup it would do pretty well as burrito filler.