Ready for some hearty, satisfying vegan chili? The recipe that follows contains black beans and wheat berries which give the chili flavor, awesome nutrition, and a satisfying texture and ‘chewiness’.
Wheat berries can be purchased at Liberty Market at the corner of Patterson and Woodman, and a little goes a long way. One bag of wheat berries from Liberty will make a lot of chili (and many other wheat berry recipes, coming soon!).
Black beans are an excellent source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, and this fiber also helps stabilize blood sugar levels, making it a great choice for individuals with either hypo- or hyperglycemia. Combined with the whole grain wheat berries, the black beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. Add to that iron, thiamine, manganese, and molybdenum, and you've got a winter winner with this chili!
Black bean and wheat berry chili
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon ground comino (cumin)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- Dash salt and pepper
- 1 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- ¼ to ½ can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced OR ¼ tsp Tom’s Man Sauce if you don’t want a screaming hot chili
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 cup cooked wheat berries (recipe follows)
Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 5 minutes). Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle or Man Sauce to taste (and be sure to start with a small amount and increase gradually) broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and cover; simmer for 25 minutes and then stir in the cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. Remove from the heat and enjoy!
Cooked wheat berries
- 1 cup wheat berries
- 3 1/2 cups cold water
- Pinch salt
Rinse the wheat berries with cool water and place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water and salt and bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse. Cooked wheat berries keep in the refrigerator (covered) for two days, or you can freeze them for up to a month.
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