Mixed Bean Vegetarian Chili

I feel like I am finally on the highway to health (renewed health)!! I spent the entire morning (until this very minute: 1:11) in the kitchen preparing my delicious Vegetarian Chili. The weather has turned cooler ('tis the season) so I fondly thought of my recipe for (repeat) Vegetarian Chili. I put the variety of beans to soak on Friday. (Tip: Soak your beans for a day, or two, and change the water frequently. Result: No gas!!) Yesterday I shopped for the extra ingredients: Red, and green, bell peppers, onions, garlic, canned diced tomatoes, and canned chopped green chilies, etc. This morning I started cooking the beans in (good) filtered water while I cut up the peppers, onions & garlic. ~~ It has been, conservatively, twenty months since I last prepared this (one of my favorite recipes) so I put a lot of love into the preparation. Two things differed this time: I did not unpack, and use, my Cuisinart food processor and I did not unpack, and use, my Kuhn Rikon pressure cooker. (Where would I put them after I unpacked them??) Confession: The finished product (although very good) lacks the unique flavor when the ingredients are pressure cooked. In my humble opinion, the taste is exquisite when prepared according to the original recipe. Try it?!?!

Mixed Bean Vegetarian Chili ~~ Servings: 8-10

1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely minced, or more to taste, optional. (None this time but on previous occasions I've only used one-half jalapeno pepper.)
1 can (4 oz.) chopped mild green chilies. (I've used a 7 oz. can and was OK.)
4 cloves garlic, minced
Leaves from 1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
3 cans (15 oz. each) pinto, kidney, and/or black beans, rinsed and drained. (I always use dry beans, not canned.)
1 can (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes
4 teaspoon salt (I don't use salt. I think it has enough flavor w/o salt.)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili power (I only use one teaspoon.)
2 cups water (As mentioned above, I used filtered water, not tap water.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Cut bell peppers into roughly one-half inch squares. Heat oil in the pressure cooker over medium heat and saute onions until softened. Add bell peppers, jalapeno, green chilies, garlic, chopped parsley and beans. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add to mixture with salt, cumin, oregano, chili powder and water. Seal cooker, bring up to high pressure, reduce heat to stabilize pressure and cook for 15 minutes. (I found that 12 minutes was fine.) Remove cooker from heat and release pressure. Add chopped cilantro, taste and adjust seasonings.

Variation: Meaty Three Bean Chili
Brown 1 pound ground beef or turkey and add to cooked beans.

Note: These recipes make large batches of chili. Do not exceed your pressure cooker's capacity, reduce the recipes if necessary.

Lorraine comment: I usually use 1 cup each, dry, soaked overnight, pinto, kidney and black beans (nice variety of color). I see in my notes that (on one occasion) I used one cup Pinto, one-half cup Kidney, one-half cup Black, one-half cup Great Northern, and one-half cup Soy beans.) ~~ I've been making this recipe for almost a decade (since December 17, 2001). Suggestion: Please take the time to prepare dry beans rather than canned; the flavor is better and you've saved money!! ~~ I doubled the recipe, using a very large kettle. I'm sharing with some of my friends in the RV Park who frequently invite me to dine with them. ~~ I'll freeze most in small containers for a later day.

It's a gloomy day outside but very pleasant inside with beautiful Christian music and delicious smell throughout the apartment. Lots of Cardinals feeding on sunflower seeds just outside the living room--for my viewing pleasure.

Postscript, 3:33 PM, Sunday 11/13/11: I failed to say that I enjoyed every single minute in the kitchen cooking and cleaning up!!