Vegetarian Chili For Those Cold, Winter Nights!

Living with a vegetarian certainly has its challenges, but I must admit living with him has definitely allowed me to expand my palate. I have always been wary of meat substitutes but I think the Morning Star Crumbles have me fooled. I made this vegetarian chilli recently, and I must admit, it was mighty tasty. This meal is perfect for a Sunday afternoon snuggling on the couch watching your favorite Netflix series, or watching your favorite sport’s team. It is hearty without being filling. I’m not one to follow recipes so I kind of just wing it in the kitchen and see what happens.

Since I was raised surrounded by “good” cooks, I have been fortunate enough to only have one or two epic fails in my lifetime. In particular, the veal stew I made nearly twenty years ago pops into mind as I can still visualize the wooden spoon standing firmly straight up because it didn’t have any space in the pot to move – too much flour. Well, this time I was lucky and the chili was a hit. Here is what I did:

Saute garlic, onion, celery and green peppers in a large skillet over medium heat. (Doesn’t everything delicious begin with sauteed onion and garlic?)

Add one package of Morning Star Crumbles and toss that around until everything is moist – and crumbles are browning.

Add one can of diced tomatoes with zucchini
Add a can of diced potatoes
Add sliced mushrooms

Salt and pepper to taste
Few dashes of hot sauce

Simmer on the stove on low for an hour or two and serve and sprinkle with cheddar cheese on top. It may not have been “real” chili, but it certainly was delicious and hit the spot on a snowy evening.

Hope you give it a try and enjoy!