Meatless Chili

Recipe submitted by Craig Poirier.

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 1 medium turnip, peeled and diced
• 1 medium zuicini diced
• 2 – 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 to 2 tbsp. hot chili powder depending on your need for heat
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. smoked Spanish paprika
• 28 ounce can whole Italian plum tomatoes, with juice
• Sea salt to taste
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• one 14 ounce can  black turtle beans
• one 14 ounce can red kidney beans or pinto beans
• Fresh grated Jack Cheese, for garnish

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a deep soup pot, add the onion and cook until it begins to brown. Add the carrots, celery and turnip. Continue to sauté for about 10 minutes, or until the veggies begin to soften. Add the garlic and continue to sauté.  add diced zuicini.
2. Sprinkle the chili, cumin, cinnamon and Spanish Paprika over the vegetables and continue to cook for about 2 more minutes. Using scissors, cut the tomatoes into pieces, add to the pot along with the juice.
3. Stir to combine the mixture. Add both beans and the bay leaf and let the chili simmer for as long as you can wait, lid off.
4. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro, season to taste. Ladle into oven proof bowls and spread a generous layer of grated jack cheese over top. Place the bowls under the broiler and grill until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Serves 6.