Meatless Monday: Vegan Green Chili

When I saw that the recipe of the month at our Chiropractor's office was "Vegetarian Green Chili", I couldn't wait to try it! I easily veganized it, and the results were delicious. This Green Chili is flavorful and filling, with just the right amount of kick. This recipe makes about 8 servings (more if you serve it over rice or pasta, like we did) and takes about an hour from gathering the ingredients to serving time (about 30 minutes prep, 30 minutes cooking).

What You'll Need:

• 2 Tablespoons cooking oil of your choice (choose coconut!!)
• 1 bunch of green onions (about 1/2 cup chopped)
• 6 cloves (or more!) of garlic, minced
• 2 green bell peppers, chopped
• 3-5 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 12-oz. packages of frozen shelled soybeans (edamame)
• 1 can of chopped green chiles (Original recipe called for a 4.5 oz can. I used a 7 oz can. I don't regret it.)
• 1 Tbsp. cumin
• 1 can each navy and cannellini beans
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 jar of salsa verde (green salsa)
• 6 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3 avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced
• Optional: yogurt or sour cream to top with

What You'll Do:

• First things first, chop everything that needs to be chopped. I'm serious. I tried to do as I usually do and chop as I go, and it almost resulted in an anxiety attack burned chili because I couldn't keep up.
• Do you have a dutch oven? Well go ahead and use it, fancy pants! If your pants are less fancy, like mine, just use a large (6 Quart or larger) sauce pan. Heat your oil in it, then add the onions and garlic and cook and stir for about 2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the bell peppers and celery and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the edamame and green chiles and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
• Add the broth, salsa verde, and cumin. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. 

• Stir in the spinach and canned beans. Cook for about a minute, until spinach wilts. 
• Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro and 2 of the diced avocados. Use the remaining avocado to top each serving. Since I knew I would be freezing about half of this, I didn't stir any avocado into the pot of chili, because the idea of freezing and thawing avocado makes me squeamish. I just stirred some into each serving and then added some on top. 
• ENJOY!

Thanks to Allied Health Chiropractic Center for the great recipe!
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