What could be better on a cold autumnal evening than a steaming bowl of chilli eaten by the fire?

As I write this I currently have a horrible cold and all I crave is something comforting and spicy that will soothe my sore throat. Chilli is a rather nostalgic food for me. It reminds me of saying goodbye to the summer, the picnics and the long nights and saying hello to orange leaf lined pavements, scarfs and seeing my breathe in the air as I leave for work in the morning. It also reminds me of the annual fair that we have in my home town Nottingham, an event that I have been going to since I was born. Goose fair is the place to go for a night of bright lights, swirling around on the waltzers, winning a coconut on the coconut shy and eating lots of Chilli!

Feeling under the weather and the arrival of autumn were my inspiration for recreating this classic chilli recipe in to one that tastes just as good but is a whole food plant based version. Here’s to cosy nights, onesies, sitting by the fire and big bowls of comforting warming chilli…

 

Ingredients

Fresh stuff 

2 cloves of garlic

1 large red onion diced

3 carrots copped in to small chunks

3 sticks of celery roughly chopped in to small chunks

1 red pepper diced

1 yellow pepper diced

1 red chilli diced

Avocado

2 cups of homemade bone broth or stock

Fresh coriander

Pantry staples

1 tablespoon of coconut oil

1 teaspoon of chilli flakes

2 teaspoons of ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoons of smoked paprika

half teaspoon cinnamon

2 cups of Split red lentils

2 cans of organic kidney beans

1 can of organic black eye beans

1 large jar of passata

3 tablespoons of tomato puree

Quinoa or brown rice to serve

Instructions

1. Melt the coconut oil in a pan and add to it the onion, garlic, chilli, peppers, carrot and celery. Sautè this for 10 minutes, stirring throughout. Add a good crack of Himalayan salt and pepper.
2. Add the spices and sauté for a further two minutes stirring continuously to prevent sticking.
3. add the tomato puree and stir so that everything is coated.
4. Add the passata, the lentils and the bone broth and stir everything together and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for ten minutes.
5. Let this simmer until the vegetables have softened and the lentils have soaked up the liquid (about another 30 minutes) Add more water if necessary throughout this.
6. Add the tins of beans to the pan and continue to cook until they are heated through.
7. While they are cooking, put the rice or quinoa on to boil and chop up some fresh coriander and some avocado to garnish the top of the chilli bowl.
8. Serve with the rice or quinoa in big bowls, get cosy in front of the TV under a blanket and enjoy! x