chili with a twist: a veggie favorite gets a four-way makeover

Kick up your chili repertoire with these new takes on the Texas favorite. The low-and-slow cooking method used to make chili lends itself to more than just tomatoes and beans: It's also perfect for melding Asian sauces with protein-packed soybeans in our Chinese chili, or saturating seitan slices--which can be pretty bland-with jerk spice in our Jamaican version. And whipping these up is a snap. Just pile the ingredients in a slow cooker or soup pot, cover, simmer and serve. Supper is that easy!

NEW WORLD CHILI

Serves 8 * Vegan

This chili showcases ingredients that
early explorers discovered in the New
World--pinto beans, corn, tomatoes
and lima beans. Sprinkle diced avocado
and chopped red onion on top for
a flavorful garnish.

1 24-oz. jar medium tomato salsa
1 15.5-oz. can pinto beans,
  drained and rinsed
1 12-oz. pkg. crumbled soy "meat"
2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
1 1/2 cups frozen lima beans
1/4 cup chili powder, or to taste
1/2 tsp. hot pepper sauce,
  or to taste
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1 ripe avocado, diced,
  for garnish
1 cup chopped red onions,
  for garnish

1. Combine all ingredients except
avocado and red onions in 4-qt. slow
cooker or large pot.

2. Cover slow cooker, and cook on
low 4 to 6 hours. Or place lid on pot,
and bring chili to a boil over medium-high
heat; reduce heat to medium-low,
and simmer, covered, stirring
occasionally, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Season
to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Spoon chili into bowls, and garnish
each serving with diced avocados
and chopped red onion.

PER SERVING: 291 CAL; 16G PROT; 7G TOTAL FAT (1G SAT FAT); 44G CARB; 0MG CHOL; 755MG SOD; 13G FIBER; 4G SUGARS

PHOTOS BY RENEE COMET FOOD STYLING BY LISA CHERKASKY

COPYRIGHT 2006 Vegetarian Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group