Vegetable Chile

It is starting to feel like Fall in DC.  It's time for thick, warm soups and stews. 

The colors and flavors of fall are amazing.  There are warm spices, pumpkins, apples, and squashes.  You get to rediscover your warm sweaters and scarves.   Fall is my favorite season.  

I went on a long bike ride this weekend, and I saw some of the leaves starting to change colors.  The air is getting crisp, and I am anticipating the coming holidays.

A great thing about making chile is that it freezers well.  This recipe makes a pot full of chile, but I put some in the freezer for when I don't have time to make a meal.

The recipe came from allrecipes.  I omitted celery and jalapeno pepper.  

I added sweet potato, zucchini, and hot sauce.  It's packed fully of colorful vegetables and three kinds of beans.

The ingredients for this recipe are 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 small onion, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoons dried oregano, 1 tablespoon salt, 2 green bell peppers, 3 cloves garlic, 2 4-ounce can chopped green chile peppers, 1large sweet potato, 3 small zucchinis, 3 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes, 1/4 cup chili powder, 1 tablespoon black pepper, 1 15-ounce can black beans, 1 15-ounce can kidney beans, 1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, 1 15-ounce can corn, and 1 tablespoon hot sauce.

I sauteed the  chopped onion in the olive oil.  I added the bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt.  I cooked the onion until it was soft.

Once the onion was soft, I added the chopped bell peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers.  I sauteed the vegetables for a couple of minutes.

I added the cubed and peeled sweet potato, tomatoes, chile powder, and pepper.

I added the beans and chopped zucchini.  I added a few cups of water because the chile seemed dry, but I'm not sure it was necessary.  The vegetables release water while they are being cooked.  I simmered the chile for 40 minutes.

I added the hot sauce and corn.

I sauteed the chile for another 3 or 4 minutes.

I ate the chile plain or with Frito's.  Cheese and sour cream would be wonderful condiments too.

 This meal is packed fully of bright, nourishing vegetables, and it sticks to your ribs.

It's fragrant and spicy.

This is an excellent recipe to start with, and the sweet potato and zucchini were great additions.  If you're looking for a toothsome but healthy way to warm up on a cool fall day, look no further than this chile!