Meatless Monday: Garden Vegetable Chili

This summer went by so fast! It seems like here in NYC, we had one really hot week that was too
hot even for me, and then, I looked up again and it was September.

*sighs*

One of the highlights of my summer was participating in a 21 Day Cleanse, created by the great ladies over at simplegreensmoothies.com. The cleanse was fantastic in that it really tested me in trying to see if I might be able to go more than a day or so without meat and still feel full and have energy. And while I admit to sneaking in a few pieces of grilled chicken breast after week one, this recipe for garden vegetable chili had me believing that I could become a full time vegetarian...maybe even vegan.

Okay--maybe I'll just be vegan/vegetarian on Mondays.

In the meantime, this recipe is the perfect way to use up the last of your summer harvest vegetables. One taste, and you will share in my enthusiasm of eating vegan at least once a week.

Garden Vegetable Chili
from Simple Green Smoothies 21 Day Fresh Start Cleanse

Makes 6-8 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 bell peppers, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 large can (28 ounces) tomatoes
1 medium zucchini, diced
4 cups cooked beans (kidney, pinto, black or white)
1 cup water, for thinning
1 teaspoon salt or your preferred seasoning, to taste
1 avocado, sliced (optional garnish)
handful of cilantro (optional garnish)
3 green onions, trimmed & sliced (optional garnish)

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot or Dutch oven. Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook,
stirring occasionally and lowering heat if necessary to prevent burning. When they onions and bell peppers have softened, add the garlic.

Cook for another minute or two and add the chili powder and cumin. Stirring constantly so spices don’t burn, cook for 30-60 seconds, until toasty and fragrant. Add the tomatoes. Bring to a simmer. Add a little water if needed, to thin. Stir in the cooked beans. Stir occasionally and adjust temperature so chili doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Add the diced zucchini and continue simmering until zucchini has softened, but is not mushy. Taste and adjust any
seasonings. Ladle into bowls and garnish with desired toppings.