Chunky vegetable chilli

Since I've decided to stop eating meat, I've had to think a little more about my meals. Before I could just rustle up something in a matter of minutes, and whilst I can still do that now, I need to get out of the mindset of making meat the focus of the dish.

One of my favourite dishes is chilli con carne. Love the stuff. When I'm being naughty I love it with spicy salsa, sour cream, guacamole and tortilla chips, as well as a sprinkling of cheese and a serving of rice. Mmm. To make my vegetarian version, I literally walked around Morrisons and put whatever I thought would work well into my basket. That must've been a brilliant method because for a first attempt, I am thrilled. It was really enjoyable and I didn't miss the minced beef at all. Yum!

INGREDIENTS

2 x 400g tin tomatoes

410g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed
410g red kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

2 medium courgettes, diced

2 onion, diced

A large handful mushrooms, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 gloves garlic, crushed (I used garlic infused olive oil so omitted this)

1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce (you could also use a fresh chilli instead)

1 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons chilli powder (hot or mild, it's your own preference)

1 tablespoon coriander

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan.

2. Add the onions and garlic (if using) and cook over a medium heat until softened.

3. Add the peppers, courgettes and mushrooms and continue frying for 5 minutes.

4. Add the tin of beans nd cook for a further minute, then stir in the sweet chilli sauce, chilli powder and cumin.

5. Add the tin of tomatoes and coriander and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Serve with rice, couscous, baked potato or salad - whatever floats your boat.

I ate mine as it is in a bowl, topped with spicy salsa and sour cream. The combination of the chunky vegetables and mixed beans really filled me up, and the spices added a ton of flavour to tickle my tastebuds. I devoured my bowl and it really hit the spot! This made a really huge batch, so I've got some leftover for tomorrow and still have enough to freeze, which will be ideal for me when the family are eating their meat-based meals. The first bowl was a little juicier than the others so it seemed like a bit of a soup, but it was delicious nevertheless. If you don't like it as juicy, don't add all of the tomatoes, but it was only my first bowl that seemed extra saucy - the rest seemed the thicken as it stood. This is definitely a staple recipe for me now, and it will be a fabulous way to use up vegetables as the dish is so versatile. I was going to add carrots too, until I realised I'd have nothing left to dip into my houmous. Maybe next time...

What is your favourite meat-free recipe? Please share!

xoxo