Vegan Chili Recipe (featuring TVP)

Every year spring time rolls around and I start laying out my swim suits, shorts, and sunglasses preparing for nice warm weather to enjoy before it gets too hot and before the bugs come out. So far this spring we have gotten rain just about every other day. This pattern happens every spring, you finally get a hint of warm, nice weather, then it reverts back to cold and wet. So I end up spending the duration of my spring under a blanket, watching netflix, and dreaming about warmer weather. So to combat this, I decided - let's have some chili!

But wait, hold up. I'm a vegan who is supposed to be on a low-carb diet *cries of agony in the distance* THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE. My chili is supposed to have 3 kinds of beans and its supposed to be served over a baked potato. I'm supposed to eat so many carbs that I could run a marathon the next day (ha). Failure. I resign to continue eating salads for the rest of my days. I mean, there is no way a low-carb, high protein, vegan chili is possible...unless...

TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN

It sounded like a supplement, or like an art supply. Frankly, it looks a bit like sawdust. We'll lovingly call it TVP for short - but honestly now that sounds like it could be a disease or something. Honestly in all my days of being vegan/vegetarian, I never cooked with TVP. I've seen it in the ingredients of some of the mock meats out there, but I sort of shelved it as something the big corporations science up and use - not for my home kitchen. After the umpteenth dinner of tofu I plucked up the courage to look it up on amazon and it was almost $20 for 5 pounds or some outrageous number. That is a definite no. After eating only tofu for a solid week (okay, slightly exaggerating) I plucked up the courage to go to whole foods and buy some. FREAKIN $1.50/LB in the bulk section. Alright, alright TVP, your sounding better and better. You still look like sawdust - but I'll forgive you for that.

Then it sat in my kitchen for a few days. Then a few more days. Finally - it hit - TVP CHILI BABYYYYY. And I gotta tell you now, it is almost better than my black bean chili.

TVP CHILI

serves 4

1 Onion - Diced

3 Garlic Cloves - Minced

2 Bell Peppers (any color) - Chopped

2 - 3 Large Tomatoes - Chopped (alternatively you can use a can of diced tomatoes)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp chili powder

2 Cups Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)

2 Cups Vegetable Broth

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp cumin

Hot Sauce, Salt, and Pepper to taste

Heat medium sized pot over high heat until water sizzles in pan. Turn heat down to medium/medium high and add in onions. Cook until transclucent, slightly colored adding a splash of water if it starts to stick to the pan. Add in minced garlic and stir. Add in bell peppers, tomatoes, and spices, stirring to coat. In the meantime bring 2 cups of water or broth to a boil (I use my kettle and a salt-free bouillon). Measure out 2 cups of TVP in a plastic container and mix in spices, pour over boiling water/broth and mix thoroughly then cover. Let sit covered for 5 - 10 minutes. Add TVP mixture to pot and mix until combined. The chili mixture should have released a lot of water while cooking down, if it is dry add in another tomato or some water. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer and let cook for 20 minutes.

Serve over rice, potatoes, quinoa, or tortilla chips for a moderate carb option, or with 1/2 an avocado for a low carb option! This is perfect for anyone trying a vegan keto diet with the avocado as well!

Please share your creations on instagram if you try this recipe out and tag @emily_palamara. We love seeing your spins on our recipes!