This hearty chilli from Meatless Monday features a protein-packed secret ingredient . . . peanut butter. Give it a shot, you’ll be surprised with the rich flavour it offers.
Peanut butter Chilli with Pinto BeansINGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 800g can whole tomatoes with their juices
3 cups pinto beans, soaked overnight (or 3 400g cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed)
1 large sweet potato, cut into small dice
1 cup all-natural smooth peanut butter
6 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Handfuls of fresh basil and cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Optional toppings: avocado, radishes, cilantro, toasted peanuts
METHOD:
• Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
• Add bell pepper and cook for a few more minutes, or until softened. Stir in all spices from sweet paprika through turmeric and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste until it is dissolved.
• Add tomatoes, mashing them lightly with your fingers before throwing them into the pot. Add beans, sweet potato, peanut butter, stock, Worcestershire sauce, basil and cilantro, salt and pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 45 minutes, or until beans are soft and chilli has thickened.
— Serves 8-10
About Meatless MondayMeatless Monday is a global movement with a simple message: one day a week, cut the meat.Launched in 2003, Meatless Monday is a non-profit initiative of The Monday Campaigns, working in collaboration with the Centre for a Livable Future at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, United States.
The goal is to reduce meat consumption by 15 percent for personal health and the health of the planet.
They provide information, news, recipes and free promotional material to help individuals, schools, restaurants, hospitals, food companies and communities to start each week with a commitment to eating healthy, environmentally-friendly, meat-free meals.
Meatless Monday is not a new idea. During World War I, the US Food Administration urged families to reduce consumption of key staples to aid the war effort.
“Food Will Win the War,” the government proclaimed, and “Meatless Monday” and “Wheatless Wednesday” were introduced to encourage Americans to do their part.
The effect was overwhelming — more than 13 million families signed a pledge to observe the national meatless and wheatless conservation days.
• Peanut butter chilli with pinto beans is the winning recipe from Meatless Monday’s Instagram recipe contest with The Natural Gourmet Institute and The Peanut Institute. It was submitted by Patrica of the blog Mrs. Kitchenstein.