I don’t know about you, but I just couldn’t live without pinto beans! I love my beans despite their reputation for excess gas. But, your body gets used to them and adjusts. Furthermore, the longer you cook beans, the less gas you get. They are also high in fiber.

This is my original vegetarian chili recipe below. It helps keep my weight down, fills me up and makes me feel satisfied (and of course, it tastes great!)

I cook it in my four quart crockpot about once a week. I have it almost every day along with brown rice and potatoes.

My chili is really easy and makes its own thick sauce. I call it ‘set and forget.’

You will need a large crock pot, but you can scale it down and add less beans if you have a smaller slow cooker.

Here’s a list of ingredients…

• Bring 2 cups of pinto beans to a boil. Then, you let it set for about an hour to absorb the water. Rinse them off in a colander. Pour them in a crock pot or slow cooker just covering the beans with water
• Add  about a tablespoon of Cumin, Garlic and Chili powder and Parsley
• Then, add about a teaspoon of Paprika, Oregano, Basil and Black Pepper
• Cook on high for at least 12 hours
• Then, add two diced Onions and can of diced stewed Tomatoes and cook for another twelve hours
• You can add other items like Corn, Red Peppers or diced Ortega Green Chili Peppers to add more flavor and color
• It takes about 24 hours total time
• I usually start mine at about noon the day before so it’s done the next day at lunch. Then, I have a fresh bowl of chili right out of the crock pot. You can make plain old beans if you want. Just don’t add spices, the can of tomatoes and onions, etc.

The Shorter Version that tastes just ‘about’ as good if you don’t want to wait 24 hours

• Bring 2 cups of pinto beans to a boil
• Then, you let it set for about an hour to soak up the water
• Rinse the beans off in a colander
• Add all the spices and ingredients from above
• Fill the pot just over the beans with water
• Don’t add too much water or it won’t have a thick sauce
• Cook or simmer two hours or until tender
• Stir every so often
• Stirring will make the beans break apart and make it thicker creating a nice chili sauce

After it cools down you can ladle it into Tupperware containers and freeze it, along with packets of brown rice you’ve made separately to go with the beans. I use sandwich bags for the rice and then I freeze them. The sandwich bags work nice because you don’t get too much rice or beans out of the freezer thawed out at one time 

I love beans and rice. You can also pour your vegetarian chili over potatoes or make your own chili fries. You can add salsa on top of the beans and rice if you like it spicier.

Beans are a part of my lunch and dinner. It fills you up and leaves you satisfied. For desert, you eat all the fruit you want. I have to feel full. There is no portion control on this plant based whole food diet. And, you know what’s in the food you prepare yourself. Bon Appétit!