How often do you hear yourself saying “there’s nothing to eat”, as you riffle through your overflowing pantry and fridge? What normally follows is an impulsive call to your favourite take-out place. The good news is, you can easily take control of this area of your life, by following this easy guide to making the best vegetarian chili by simply cleaning out your pantry and fridge. Here’s how!
Start with the Fridge
Pull out every single wilting vegetable: your single carrot, the large bag of pre-cut celery leftover from last week’s potluck, the three sticks of red pepper, half an onion, a stray clove of garlic, the abandoned sweet potato, and the four cobs of BBQ corn from last nights’ dinner. Any vegetable that is beginning to mold, should be composted. This is also a great time to clean up any spills or residue left behind by your vegetables that you may have missed, using warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth. If you keep your vegetables in a drawer in your fridge, remove the drawer if possible, and clean.
Move onto the Pantry
Take a quick survey of your pantry. You’ll likely discover a few cans of tomato sauce, mismatched beans or canned tomato’s that would make the perfect addition to your chili. Pull out a few cans of each, and set aside. Take the time to also give your pantry shelf a good cleaning, using a solution of one part water and one part white vinegar. Dry thoroughly with a microfibre cloth.
All or Nothing Spice Rack
A pot of vegetarian chilli always needs a little bit of spice. Sort through your spice rack for a little basil, chili powder and paprika. Now is a good time to survey your spice rack as well. If you have any duplicates of various spices, amalgamate them into one container to free up space. Any spices that have become dull in colour, or have lost their fragrance should be disposed of. Give your spice rack a quick wipe down as well, using warm soapy water and a microfibre cloth.
With that, its time to make your chili!
Vegetarian Chili Recipe:
Ingredients:
- Onion, celery, carrot, pepper and sweet potato, diced
- Garlic, minced
- Corn, removed from cob
- Canned tomatoes
- Canned beans
- 1 tbs of extra-virgin olive oil
- Basil, paprika and chili powder to taste
- 2 cup of water
- 2 cups of tomato sauce
Instructions:
- Add 1 tbs. of extra virgin olive oil into a large skillet
- Add onion and garlic to the skillet, cook until golden brown
- Add the remaining vegetables to the skillet, and cook until vegetables are softened, stirring every few minutes, then remove from heat
- In a pot, add 2 cups of water, 2 cups of tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, spices and soften vegetables, and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat and add canned beans and spices to taste, and let simmer for 30 minutes, then serve!
Enjoy!
