Taco Lentil Chili

On this sunny, cool, fall Sunday I’m nesting – at least for a few hours – after a wonderful and long week.

Tuesday night my Colorado Springs Vegan & Vegetarian Group co-hosted Dr. Will Tuttle’s local appearance.

When we got home we made the new Beyond Burger for which, ironically, I was quoted about in that day’s Gazette (“Will you miss the beef with Beyond Burger, now available in Colorado Springs?“)

These burgers are freakishly and wonderfully like meat. Wonderful? Yes. As I say in the Gazette piece, vegans like me aren’t the target market. Beyond Meat made a plant-based burger for meat eaters. This vegan just happens to love this new burger. So much so that we had them again last night.

Wednesday night the Colorado Springs Nonfiction Writers hosted a panel discussion with local authors (including me!): So You Want to Write a Book?

Thursday I was off to New Mexico, where I’m thoroughly enjoying my faculty role of Chef Instructor in the UNM-Taos culinary arts program! Friday night my vegan cooking class students made treats for a special event on Saturday. Three of my students joined me at a campus education celebration, where our class served up breakfast: healthy muffins, breakfast bars, and oat snacks!

I drove back to Colorado after the event so I could spend at least a few hours with Dave on our 18th wedding anniversary (I wrote about our relationship’s evolution last year).

This morning I just wanted to nest a wee bit (before heading north to attend the Luvin’ Arms Animal Sanctuary‘s first-anniversary celebration) so I drifted into the kitchen to create an easy chili for lunch. I had three things in mind with this recipe:

1. Meaty: Though I love bean chili, food memories include hearty pots of chili with ground meat. I opted for Butler Foods taco crumbles (soy), quick and longer cooking lentils and shitake mushrooms.
2. Creamy: Rich sauces and broth make vegan food so good! The quicker cooking red lentils, diced potatoes, and red miso add to a thick, hearty broth.
3. Spicy: Because chili! The taco crumbles are already flavored with chipotle and I kept layering the heat with cayenne and chili peppers and went a bit further by adding warm cinnamon and ginger.

The result? This piping hot (temperature and spice) bowl of chili made in a matter of minutes, thanks to pressure cooking!

So grab your pressure cooker, Instant Pot, or Fagor multicooker and try this recipe!

Print

Taco Lentil Chili

Course Main Course

Cooking Method Fagor LUX, Instant Pot, Pressure Cooker

©JLFields JL Fields

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of canola oil optional
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups diced onion
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 cups diced potatoes
• 4 cups quartered tomatoes
• 2 cups diced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon red miso
• 1/2 cup dried Taco Crumbles mild chipotle by Butler Foods
• 1/2 cup lentil trio blend (red green and black beluga lentils)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 1/2 cups water
• cup Juice of one lemon about 1/4
• 1/2 teaspoon to 1 sea salt to taste optional
• Diced avocado for serving

Instructions

1. In an uncovered pressure cooker heat oil on medium-high. Add garlic and onion and begin to saute. Chop and dice vegetables in order listed and keep adding them to the saute. You will end up sautéing for about 8 - 10 minutes (or add all vegetables at once and saute for at least five minutes).
2. Add spices and miso to the vegetables and mix well.
3. Add taco crumbles, lentils, broth and water, stir together, and cover the pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes (adjust for elevatio- if using an Instant Pot, use the manual function. Allow for a natural release.
4. Remove the lid and stir in the lemon juice. Taste before adding salt.
5. Serve with diced avocado.

Recipe Notes

If omitting oil, use water or vegetable broth for the saute. You can substitute dry TVP for the tofu crumbles. Just be sure to add 1 teaspoon chipotle powder. If you cannot find this particular lentil trio, use 3 tablespoons red lentils and 5 tablespoons brown, green or black lentils. Altitude adjustments begin at 3,000 feet: At 3,000 feet elevation, add 5% cooking time. Add an additional 5% for very 1,000 feet thereafter.

Tags: beyond burgerchilivegan colorado springsvegan pressure cooking

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