Our seven-year-old loves chili so I make some version of it quite often. I love using our Instant Pot for this type of stew but if you don’t have a pressure cooker this can easily be done on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. It’s tomato season and we’re getting lots of fresh tomatoes (along with onions and peppers) from our CSA but you could use a medium can of tomatoes as well. I pureed the tomatoes in a blender before adding them but it’s not necessary.
What you need:
1 Tbs. olive or canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 large bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 medium tomatoes, diced
1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
2 medium carrots, sliced
1 cup diced seitan
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried marjoram
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 cup brown rice
1 cup brown lentils
3 cups water
What you do:
Heat oil in a pressure cooker and add onion and bell pepper. Cook for a few minutes then add garlic and cook for another minute. Add remaining ingredients, mix well then cover and bring up to pressure. Cook on high pressure for 22 minutes and allow for a natural release. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, simmer over low heat on the stove top, covered, for about an hour. We garnished ours with avocado slices and fresh oregano. Also note that we make these types of meals mild for the kids but feel free to add as much hot sauce as you want either during cooking or when serving.
