Vegetarian Chile

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You’ll never miss the meat in this hearty, heart warming, heart-healthy version! It is chock full of good-for-you vegetables and protein- rich beans and is sure to please on a cold winter’s day. Irresistable, when served with my cheesy, hot from the oven, cornbread, for sopping up the goodness of it all.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 onions, diced
• 2 green peppers, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 large zucchini, sliced in half horizontally, and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 10 medium sized portobello mushrooms, cut into thick slices and cut in half
• 1 eggplant, unpeeled, cut into cubes
• 3 tomatoes, cut into cubes
• 2  16 oz. cans tomato puree
• 3   8 oz.cans black beans, drained
• 2  8 oz. cans garbanzo beans
• 2 Tbs.cumin powder
• 3 Tbs. chili powder
• 3 !/2 teas. salt
• 3/4 teas. chipotle powder
• 1 Tbs. dried oregano
• 2 teas. sugar
• 1 teas. garlic powder
• 1 teas. onion powder
• 1 bottle dark beer
• 1 Tbs. cocoa powder, or( if you can get your hands on it) 1 or 2 Tbs, grated  Oaxacan   cooking chocolate
• Garnishes:
• 2 cups grated cheddar, monterey jack or oaxacan string cheese
• 1 bunch scallions,  washed and sliced
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped finely
• 1 16 oz. container sour cream

Directions:

In a large cooking pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.Add the diced red and green peppers,  the onions, and eggplant, and cook until onion is translucent, stirring often, for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini, portobellos , garlic and tomatoes. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cans of tomato puree, the spices, the herbs, salt, sugar,  beer , cocoa powder, or chocolate, and the beans. Give it all a good stir, cover and let simmer for about 1 hour over low heat, stirring frequently. Adjust seasonings, if necessary. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkling of scallions and cilantro and plenty of grated cheese. Serve immediately along with the Cheesy Cornbread. Buen Provecho!!!!!!!

Yield: 8-10 servings