I don’t know about you, but these icy cold temps make me want to curl up with a hearty home-cooked pot of chili. This is one of my all time favorite chili recipes. Packed with flavor and nutrition for your whole family to love. Feel free to add ground meat of your choice. We’ve made it with lean ground turkey or beef as well. Either way I know you’ll love it!

Veggilicious Chili
Servings per recipe: 4-6
Serving size: 1-2 cups
Prep Time: 20 min Cook     Time: 45 min     Total Time: 65 min

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Avocado oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium carrot, peeled & grated
1 large green pepper, diced
1 jalapeño, seeds removed & finely diced
1/2 medium zucchini, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp Cacao powder
1 Tbsp Cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey or date paste
1 tsp Paprika (I used smoked!)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 15 ounce can no-salt-added tomato sauce
1- 28 ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes, undrained
1-15 ounce can low-sodium white canellini beans, drained & rinsed
1- 15 ounce can low-sodium black beans, drained & rinsed

Procedure:
1. Heat large pot or dutch oven to medium and lightly coat bottom with olive oil. Add onions garlic. Cook until onions are translucent.
2. Add carrots, green pepper, jalapeño, zucchini, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add next 7 ingredients through pepper and cook for another 5 minutes.
3. Next, stir in tomato sauce, tomatoes, and beans. Simmer on low, covered for at least 30 minutes.
4. Allow to cool slightly before serving with whole grain tortilla chips or homemade corn bread muffins.

Quick Tips:
Use organic ingredients where feasible
Olive or Canola oil would work as well
Try overnight slow-cooker dried beans instead of store-bought canned
For an extra-spicy touch, add a dash of cayenne pepper or top with fresh sliced jalapeño!

Storage:
Let cool completely before storing in air tight container. Store in refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.