The Best Spicy Vegan Chili

The Best Spicy Vegan Chili

I make the BEST chili. Alex and I voted, and thats what we decided. I mean it! There were a few years when we started dating that we were pretty poor and could really only afford to buy bulk rice and beans and occasionally some veggies. Spices are cheap enough, so chili became our meal of choice. Sometimes it seemed like there were weeks when all we ate was chili scooped form a huge dutch oven for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But that was okay! We bonded, we lost some weight, and we learned to really appreciate good food. There have lots of variations of this recipe depending on what we have in the fridge and in our wallets, but this is my favorite, most adaptable version. 
It's full of veggies and three different kinds of beans, kicked up with cumin, chili powder, and spicy serrano peppers. It's yummiest with a squeeze of lime and some cilantro, and tastes great scooped up with salty tortilla chips. Let's eat!

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon coconut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
3 bell peppers, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 serrano peppers, diced
2 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
2-15 ounce cans diced tomatoes
1-6 ounce can tomato paste
1-15 ounce can kidney beans (about 2 cups)
1-15 ounce can pinto beans (about 2 cups)
1-15 ounce can black beans (about 2 cups)
1 can vegan refried beans (optional-for a thicker chili)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon himalayan pink salt

DIRECTIONS:
In a large pot or dutch oven melt oil over medium heat. Sauté garlic, onion, and peppers (bell & serrano) until soft, about 5 minutes. Add in the sweet potatoes and cook about 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour in the diced tomatoes and paste, plus all the beans- including refried if you're using them. Stir to combine. Add spices and simmer over medium heat 20-30 minutes, or until sweet potatoes are fork-tender and chili has thickened. (If you want to add water or vegetable broth to make the soup less thick, feel free to add up to 1 cup at this point.) Remove from heat and serve with a squeeze of lime and cilantro or fresh avocado slices. Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated as needed for up to a week. Makes 4-6 servings. Enjoy!

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