posted by Robin on Cooked Recipes

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Last week we took a 3 day trip to Algonquin to enjoy being out in nature and see the colorful trees and leaves. It had been raining almost every day for the past 3 weeks and we got some too. But we were fortunate to have a mostly clear and sunny day to enjoy walking through the park. Come join me and then I’ll share my favorite – really delicious – hearty vegetarian chili recipe.

The drive to Algonquin park and around Muskoka is beauiful in itself. Many people live, camp and cottage up here. It’s a couple hours north of Toronto and filled with gorgeous lakes and natural beauty.

Mom was feeling adventurous and decided to join us for a walking trail.

Off on the trail..

This chipmunk was very friendly and came and posed for me.

  

Mom took lots of photos!

The beautiful lookout point! You could see for miles.. and all the colors!

This became my favorite spot to eat, Soul Sistas. Lots of great juices, smoothies and delicious meals in a wonderful ambiance. Lorraine who runs it was amazing. I loved this soulful and nourishing place! We even got wraps and treats to go to enjoy in the park!

Speaking of food.. Let’s head to the kitchen to create a delicious, warming and hearty vegan chili recipe. It’s perfect for this time of the year!

Hearty Vegetarian Chili Recipe

Ingredients

2 Red Peppers – chopped
3 Onions – chopped
3 Celery stalks – chopped
1 Zucchini – chopped
2 cups Mushrooms – chopped
4 Garlic cloves – minced
2 Jalapenos – chopped
1 Tbsp Olive oil
16 Tomatoes – blanched and peeled, or 2 cans (1 diced, 1 crushed)
1 small can Tomato paste
2 cups Kidney beans, or 1 19 oz can
2 cups Chickpeas, or 1 19 oz can
2 cups Black beans, or 1 19 oz can
3 cups cooked Lentils
6 to 8 stalks Parsley – chopped (¼ cup)
2 Tbsps Oregano
2 Tbsps Chili powder, or more
1 tsp each of Salt, pepper, Turmeric, Cumin, Basil

Directions

Pan fry the first 7 ingredients together with olive oil for 5 to 10 minutes until the onions are softened. Place all the rest of the ingredients together in a pot with the softened vegetables and bring to a boil. After boiling, lower heat and lower to simmer chili for 30 to 40 minutes to allow flavors to combine.

Then it’s ready to serve.

Chili freezes well. So if you are rushed for time you can make a huge batch and freeze portions for later to save time in the kitchen.

Bon Apetit!

To your glowing health with love,