Healthy Lentil Chili Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add the light-green scallion parts, both bell peppers, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, ancho chile powder, cumin and cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the tomato paste darkens in color and the garlic is softened, about 1 minute.
• Add the tomatoes and their juices, lentils, 2 cups water, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the temperature and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils have softened, 12 to 15 minutes. Fold in the kidney beans, butternut squash and agave syrup and cook, stirring once or twice, until the squash is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Serve the chili in bowls and garnish with the radish, jalapeno, avocado, pepitas and dark-green scallion parts as desired.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add lentils and garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5- or 6-qt. slow cooker. Stir in carrots, broth and seasonings. Cook, covered, on low 4-6 hours or until vegetables and lentils are tender. , Stir in crushed tomatoes; cook, covered, 30 minutes longer. Serve with avocados and, if desired, sour cream, red onion and additional paprika., Freeze Option: Freeze cooled chili in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth or water if necessary.

Steps:

• Mix chili powder, garlic powder, unsweetened chocolate, cinnamon, cumin, salt, cayenne pepper, allspice, cloves, and bay leaf together in a bowl until seasoning mix is well combined.
• Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook and stir onions and green bell pepper until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add vegetable broth and lentils; simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in seasoning mix, tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce; simmer for 1 hour more, adding water if chili gets too thick.
• Remove bay leaf from chili. Blend chili using an immersion blender until desired consistency is reached.

Steps:

• Combine lentils and 7 cups of water in a Dutch oven.
• Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
• Peel and chop the onions. Peel and mince the garlic, and put it in a small bowl with all the spices.
• Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and saute for a minute, then add the seasonings.
• Stir in 2 cups of water with the onions. Add the onion mixture to the lentils.
• Partially cover and cook for 45 minutes more, stirring every 10 minutes until thick.
• Add the vinegar and sprinkle with a little chopped cilantro if desired.