Three Pea Chili

Ingredients

for the chili
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 3-4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
• 3-4 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups of crimini mushrooms, cut into quarters
• 1 15oz. can Fire-Roasted Tomatoes (organic and BPA-free, like Eden’s Organic)
• 1 cup of corn kernels (fresh or frozen and thawed)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh black-eyed peas, or 1 15oz. can, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 15oz. can, rinsed and drained
• 1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
• 2 1/2 – 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 bunch chard, stems removed and roughly chopped
• salt and pepper to taste (smoked salt is really good here, if you have it)
for the sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
• 2-3 tablespoons Sriracha Sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 2 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon coconut sugar (or vegan brown sugar)

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the carrots, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms and sauté for about 5 minutes. If things begin to stick, lower the heat a bit.
2. While the vegetables are sautéing, make your sauce. Combine the sauce ingredients, tomato paste through coconut sugar in a small cup and mix thoroughly. Add this sauce, along with the fire-roasted tomatoes to the pot and mix to fully combine. Allow to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the corn, the three types of peas, and 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth and stir to fully combine. Cover the pot, increase the heat and bring to a boil. Once the chili is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer, partially uncover the lid (just a crack) and let cook for about 30-40 minutes, until most of the liquid has cooked away. If it cooks too quickly, add another 1/2 cup broth, lower the heat a bit, and let cook until most of the liquid has cooked away.
3. Once the liquid has mostly cooked away, remove from heat, mix in the chard and cover the pot. Once the chard has wilted a bit, the chili is ready to serve, preferably with some Chickpea Cornbread Biscuits. Enjoy!