Chili Sin Carne

Rich, dark and spicy.

  • 2 c. dried pinto beans OR 4 15-oz. cans pinto beans
  • 4 c. water
  • 3/4 c. dry TVP granules plus 3/4 c. water OR 1/2 - 1 lb. frozen, reduced-fat firm tofu, thawed, squeezed and crumbled
  • 1 c. onions, minced
  • 1 6-oz. can tomato paste
  • 1/4 c. soy sauce
  • 1-2 Tbsp. chili powder
  • 1/2 Tbsp. dried oregano
  • 1/2 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 bay leaf
  • cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. sugar
  • 2-3 Tbsp. cornmeal (optional)

Soak dried beans, if using, in water to cover for at least eight hours. Drain and rinse.

In a large, heavy pot, mix the beans with the rest of the ingredients except for the cornmeal. Bring mixture to a boil and simmer for three minutes. Lower the heat, cover and simmer until the beans are tender and the flavors are mixed (at least two hours or up to four hours, depending on how intense you like the flavor). Alternatively, you can pressure-cook the chili at 15 lbs. pressure for 20-25 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings. If the mixture is too thin, add the cornmeal and simmer for another 5-10 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread, corn bread, tortillas or rice.

6 generous servings

Per serving: 277 calories; 17g protein; 7g fat; 48g carbohydrate; 0mg cholesterol

Source: The (Almost) No Fat Cookbook by Bryanna Clark Grogan (The Book Publishing Company, 1994), ISBN 0-913990-12-4

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