It's getting downright cold here. Sadly, I know this is nothing compared to the next few months. Feeling my face hurt in 8-degree cold and shoveling in knee-deep snow are among my least-favorite things. To warm up, I've been baking up a storm and making lots of soups and stews. This Three-Bean & Corn Chili from Flour bakery's second cookbook will be making lots of appearances over the next few months. It's full of cannellini beans, black beans, chickpeas, corn, sweet potato, and carrots. Pimenton, or smoked Spanish paprika, gives it an unexpected smokiness and depth. And to mix it up, I used ancho chile powder when the recipe called for chili powder.
I didn't think Joe would like this, expecting his reaction to be along the lines of: "Where's the beef?" But we loved it. I'll be making beef chili at some point also, because we love our red meat. But this bean chili is hearty without weighing you down, and has got loads of flavor. It's also super-healthy and low in the calorie department, both good things as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach. If you're vegetarian or vegan, this will be a welcome addition to your repertoire (minus the cheese if you're the latter, of course). Stay warm, friends!
