Summer Chili

Although it's been John Blazin' hot outside around these parts, I was still craving something spicy, warm, and filling one night after work. I also knew it needed to be good enough to save for leftovers for lunches. I found a recipe online for something called Spicy Skillet Mac, which seemed like a recreation of a dish my mom used to make when I was young, lovingly called "Friday Night Special." It was ground beef and and pasta and cheese with a spicy tomato sauce.

I was immediately intrigued by the idea but knew I wanted to keep it gluten free. (Not that we have gluten intolerance, but we try to eat as gluten free as possible). Combine that with an overwhelming amount of summer squash from our garden, and this idea was born.

I call this summer chili - it still has the beans and the meat (faux for us vegetarians) and the spiciness. But the zucchini keeps it lighter than normal, and you could easily add in any other veggies that float your boat. We used onion, bell peppers, jalapenos, and squash from our garden, but I could see carrots, corn, eggplant, and a host of other options.

Oh, and for those keeping track - I did actually use my stove for this, making a grand total of 3 times since May.
Enjoy!

Summer Chili
Serves 6-8

3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cup diced green pepper
2 jalapenos, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups diced zucchini
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 (12oz) package Morningstar Crumbles
1/2 cup water
1 (15oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, pepper, and jalapeno.
 Saute for 3 minutes, then add zucchini and garlic. Saute for another 5-8 minutes, until peppers and onions are soft. Add remaining ingredients, except for cilantro, and stir well. Bring to a boil and then lower heat to a simmer. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until zucchini is soft. You can let this simmer much longer if you need to. Stir in cilantro before serving. Enjoy!