Vegetarian Chili

Note: This recipe is especially for kids with lactose intolerance, who need to limit or avoid dairy products. It's also a healthy, delicious choice for almost anyone.

Prep time: 1 hour

What you need:

• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1-1/2 cups zucchini, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup yellow squash, finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 42 ounces diced canned tomatoes
• 1 can (16 ounces) light red kidney beans, drained
• 2 cans (16 ounces) dark red kidney beans, drained
• 8 ounces soy cheddar cheese

What to do:

1. In a large stockpot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Cook until soft (several minutes).
2. Add chili powder, basil, oregano, and cumin to the stockpot and mix.
3. Stir in zucchini, squash, and carrots and blend well. Cook 1-2 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Add tomatoes and kidney beans.
5. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until thick.
6. Top each serving of chili with 1 ounce of soy cheddar cheese and enjoy!

Nutritional analysis (per serving):

• 270 calories
• 19g protein
• 4g fat
• 0g sat. fat
• 43g carbohydrate
• 13g fiber
• 0mg cholesterol
• 1,111mg sodium
• 482mg calcium
• 3.2mg iron

Serves: 8

Serving size: 1 cup of chili and 1 ounce of cheese

Note: Nutritional analysis may vary depending on ingredient brands used.

Variations and suggestions:

• To reduce the sodium content, rinse the kidney beans thoroughly and use low-sodium tomatoes.
• Freeze leftovers in 1-cup servings to eat at a later date. Do not add cheese before freezing.
• Consider sprinkling pepper and more onions on top for added flavor.