The New Year brought a new adventure to my family. After almost a year and a half in Malta, we have moved back to Budapest, Hungary and January has been quite hectic with the move, apartment hunting and also settling in. It does not mean we have not been eating though 😜. On most days, we ate homemade food, very often something quick and healthy which could be manageable in the tiny kitchen at our temporary accommodation. I can say that despite the limited space and equipment, we came up with some pretty delicious meals.
For the first recipe on my blog in 2019, I want to share this Lentil & Bean Chili, which is a vegetarian and (depending on toppings) vegan alternative to the Texmex dish Chili Con Carne. It is another favourite of dish of ours, packed with flavour. It is very easy to prepare, healthy and requires minimal equipment.
You can serve this dish with some fresh avocados, sour cream, rice, tortilla wraps or a combination of all. It is a great meal to share with your family and friends, where everyone can assemble their own individual plate. This chili can also be prepared in advance. In fact, by time it will taste better, as the flavours will have time to mingle and evolve.
Vegan Lentil & Bean Chili
A quick, easy and healthy meal ideal for dinner parties to share with family and friends.
Ingredients
⦁ 100g green lentils
⦁ 2 tbsp olive oil
⦁ 1 large onion, diced
⦁ 1 carrot, diced
⦁ 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
⦁ 2 bay leaves
⦁ 1 tsp dried oregano
⦁ 1 tbsp tomato paste
⦁ 1 tbsp paprika
⦁ 1/2 tsp smoked chipotle
⦁ 400g chopped tomatoes
⦁ 300ml vegetable stock
⦁ 250g kidney beans
⦁ 120g sweet corn
⦁ Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
- Rinse the green lentils. Place them in a small saucepan, cover with vegetable stock/water and cook them half way. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and carrot. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the onion is translucent and the vegetables starts to turn golden brown.
- Add the chopped garlic, bay leaves, oregano, tomato paste, paprika and smoked chipotle. Mix and cook for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, lentils and kidney beans. Bring to a gentle boil, lower the heat and let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the sweet corn and season with salt and pepper. Let it simmer again for 20 minutes.
- Serve warm with a side of avocados, sour cream, rice or tortilla wraps or a combination of all ingredients.
