Serves 4
Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 30 Minutes on the hob or 3.5 hours in the slow cooker.
There are few dishes as comforting during times of stress and the unknown as Chilli. It's heartwarming, tasty & has just the right amount of heat along with a healthy dose of protein & veggies.
As Traceys recipe for Chilli Con Carne will reference - this is also one of the crowd pleasers that we keep on the go during Rugby tournaments which we are all very partial to watching in the Doyle family. Pineapple juice for breakfast and then chilli for lunch/dinner. This dish would be popular in winter or during cooler weather periods - but is also a great one for during the summer when you can eat it sitting in the back garden or with the windows all open and a nice glass of wine.
This dish can be cooked nice & quick on the stove or you can throw everything together in the slow cooker and cook it on high for 3-4 hours. This is my preferred method as you get a lot of time for flavour development and for the spices to really mesh together - I work from home so I love putting this all together in the slow cooker while on my lunch break and its good to go by dinner time - certainly saves on the dishes a bit as well, which the guys definitely don't mind.
My recipe uses non GMO soy protein mince - but you can easily substitute this for lentils, split pease or even pearl barley if that's not your thing. Regardless of which you choose, this is a hearty meal and freezes extremely well. It's a nice one to have on hand for those days where you really don't feel like cooking but want something hearty to eat just the same. Simply defrost and pop it in the microwave and you're golden!
You will see that we recommend rinsing the beans, this is to remove the residue on the beans from the canning liquids which is what leads to some of the bloating, discomfort and gassiness associated with eating beans.
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Ingredients
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Method
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Local Suppliers
Serves 4
- 2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms (200g)
- 1 Cup Courgette Diced (Half a medium sized courgette)
- 2 Diced Red Bell Peppers
- 1 Finely Chopped Red Onion
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Cups Soy Protein Mince (or Lentils, Pearl Barley or similar).
- 500ml Vegetable Stock
- 3 Crushed Cloves Garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Sweet Paprika
- 1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Flakes
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
- 1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 2 Tablespoons Harissa Paste (Optional)
- 6 Sun-dried Tomatoes Finely chopped (Optional)
- 1 400g Tin Chopped tomatoes
- 1 Cup Tomato Passata (225g)
- 1 400g Tin Butter Beans (Drained & Rinsed)
- 1 400g Tin Kidney Beans (Drained & Rinsed)
- Salt & Pepper to Taste
- Small bunch of fresh Parsley
Life is short so enjoy yourself,
Beckha
- If using slow cooker:
- Combine all of the ingredients in the slow cooker, stir & cook on high for 3-4 hours depending on that strength of your slow cooker - mine is medium and took 3.5 hours.
- If cooking on the hob:
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a pan on a medium high heat, add the onion & garlic and cook for 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the chopped Peppers, Courgette & Mushrooms to the pan along with the spices. Cook for a further 5 minutes while stirring all of the time.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, passata and vegetable stock to the pan along with the drained & rinsed beans. Add Harissa & Sun-Dried Tomatoes here if using. (Add the lentils or barley here if using & skip the next step). Cook for 5 minutes.
- Turn heat down to medium, add the soy protein mince and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then.
- Serve with rice and chopped fresh herbs of your choice -I favour Parsley.
Life is short so enjoy yourself,
Beckha
- Harissa Paste & Sun-dried tomatoes from The Real Olive Company, Toons Bridge, Co. Cork.
- Fresh Parsely from Noinín Organic Herbal Products, Tuamgraney, Co. Clare.
- Mushrooms from Glebe Farm Organics, Killaloe, Co. Clare.