Jimmy Casar, a Washington, D.C. firefighter, shared his amazing chili recipe with News4 and all our viewers in honor of the 25th Annual Health and Fitness Expo.
Vegetarian/Vegan Chili
Ingredients:
- 1 package shredded Brussels sprouts
- 1 package butternut squash, diced
- 1 bag shredded carrots
- 1 celery root, peeled and diced
- 1 yellow onion
- 1 red onion
- 3 green peppers
- 3 red peppers
- 2 hot peppers(poblano, jalapeno)
- 1 bulb of garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 bag of small red beans
- 1/2 bag of small white beans
- 1/2 bag of black beans
- 1 bag of lentils
- 2 packages of broccoli/cauliflower rice
- 5 pounds of plum tomatoes
- 2 packages sliced mushrooms
- 1 can chipotle pepper in adobo, pureed
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 cup dark chili powder
- 1/4 cup cumin
- 2 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 3 tablespoon oregano
- 2 tablesoon chipotle powder
- 1 gallon water
- Olive oil, as needed
Directions:
- Soak the beans in seperate containes overnight, then drain.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine first for ingredients and roast until dark in color, but not burnt.
- Add 1 gallonh of water to roasting pan and allow to cool.
- Place cauliflower/broccoli rice in a smoker for 2 hours at 250 degrees. If you don't have a smoker, roast until the rice is golden-colored.
- Mince the mushrooms and cook in olive oil until completely dry and dark in color.
- Dice the onion, red pepper and green pepper into medium-sized pieces. Dice the hot peppers into small pieces.
- In a large pot, saute onions and peppers in olive oil until tender. Add garlic and stir constantly for 30 to 40 seconds.
- Add all ingredients from steps one through five to the pot. Also add lentils, chipotle pepper puree. Then add seasonings, bring to a simmer and cook until beans are tender.
- Remove core from tomatoes and mark the opposite end with an X.
- Boil water. Add tomatoes for 30 to 45 seconds or until the skin starts to peel away. Transfer to a bowl of ice and water until cool.
- Peel the tomato, remove the seeds and dice into large pieces. Add to chili.
- Add cilantro, lime juice and salt to taste. Cook on low for 2 hours.
- Adjust seasoning as needed or desired.
If you don't use a smoker, you can use liquid smoke instead. Add one teaspoon at a time until desired flavor is reached.
Enjoy!
