Your mouth just started watering, right? Mine did. A good, hearty chili with some sweet cornbread? If you don’t want this, well, I don’t know anything anymore. 😉

This version, thanks to the Beyond Meat Beefless Beef, is just like the old fashioned chili I used to eat. But with beans. I grew up in Texas, and adding beans to chili is an outrage, but with this new way of thinking (and eating), I’ve opened up to adding them to this. Beans are actually quite delicious, and add a necessary bite and nutritional value. Let’s call this “chili and beans” to be more precise… In this version, I used both black beans and red beans for a bit of variety in taste and texture.

The cornbread, well, I admit I used a mix – Jules’ Gluten Free Cornbread Mix, and I followed the instructions for the vegan version, and just added about 1/2 – 1 C of corn kernels (fresh! but frozen works just as well). I poured it into my big ‘ol cast iron skillet to bake, and it turned out divine! Nice and crispy on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside. The perfect accompaniment to the stew. (Note: the gfjules.com website will soon be stocking the mixes again; long story, but hang tight and she’ll have them buyable soon.)

• 1 large red onion, diced
• 1 large red or orange bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, minced
• 2 dried chilies (I used California dried chili pods), finely minced
• 1 T chili powder
• 2 t cumin
• 1 t Mexican oregano (or marjoram)
• 2 t paprika (or 1/2 and 1/2 sweet and smoked paprika)
• 1 t smoked salt
• 1 t sea salt
• 1 bag Feisty Beefy Crumbles
• 2 cans fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 C vegetable broth
• 2 cans of beans, rinsed and drained (I used black and red)
• 1 C corn kernels
• 1 t hot sauce

In a large soup pot, heat about 1 T oil (or about 3-4 T vegetable broth, if you want to keep the oil to a minimum). Sautee the onion, bell pepper, and jalapenos until softened and turning golden on the edges. Add the garlic, chilies, and spices. Toast about 30 seconds – 1 minute until frangrant. Add the beefy crumbles, tomatoes, broth, and beans. Stir, turn down the heat, and simmer about 15-20 minutes. Add more broth if you like it more soupy. Stir frequently so it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom. When almost done, add the corn kernels for the last 3-5 minutes. Taste, and adjust any seasonings (including adding the hot sauce, or not adding – depends if you like it spicy).

Serve in big bowls with the cornbread. If you want, you could add a dollop of vegan sour cream, but it’s really not necessary! Make a big batch of this because leftovers are fantastic. The cornbread also freezes really well (and it tends to get stale quickly if not eaten within 1-2 days), so store any extra in single-serving sizes in the freezer, and just defrost and stick in the toaster oven when you want to eat it.