I started making chili long ago because I love chili! In fact I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone that doesn’t like chili. For most of my life meat has been a part of my diet. Until recently I would eat meat a couple times a day so I could get my Protein intake and have a balanced meal.

Over the past couple years I shifted my diet to include more plants, beans and less meats. I did this for a couple reasons. First, my good friend and former teammate Derrick Rodgers had me over for dinner a couples years back and he cooked me a meat free meal that was outstanding. After that I found myself craving more veggies, fruits and beans and less meat.

The other reason for exploring a vegetarian/plant-based diet with no meat is the fact that big ag and the meat industry are wreaking havoc on our environment. 41% of land in the contiguous US is used to raise cattle. With that comes the methane gas they produce, the energy used for transport and processing of the animals, polluted waterways and the overall effect this industry is having on the health of our lovely Mother Earth along with the humans that inhabit her.

Besides, mushrooms are an entire food group. They are the only good non-animal source of Vitamin D, they have more potassium than bananas, and are full of vital minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.

Recently I became a mushroom farmer. Becoming a farmer of the Fungi gave me the opportunity to experiment with these culinary delights in my own diet. I love to cook and prepare food for people. Having these lovely mushrooms to experiment with and implement into recipes I love has allowed me to eliminate meat from my diet.

One such recipe I love is my Chili recipe. I would like to share this recipe with you so you can explore living a life with one less dish containing meat. Your stomach can thank me later.

I usually prepare my own beans, so if you do this you will need to soak your beans overnight or cook them in a pressure cooker the day of. I use a pressure cooker most times so I’m going to share with you my method using pressure cooked beans.

• 1 cup Pinto beans
• 1 cup black beans
• 1 cup kidney beans
• 1 onion diced
• 6 cloves of garlic diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp Cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper

Fill cooker with water about two inches above beans and other ingredients  and add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil (*this helps release the gas buildup from cooking beans in pressure cooker, do not forget this step).

• 1 Tbsp of Better Than Bouillon mushroom broth paste

Start cooker on med-high until the cooker starts releasing steam and making that noise, reduce heat a bit and cook for 15-20 minutes more. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a skillet on medium-high heat add:

• 2-3 tbsp olive oil
• 4-5 cups of chopped up gourmet mushrooms (I like to use Lions Mane, Black Kings, Chestnuts and/or Oyster mushrooms. Basically I grab whatever is fresh from MyCOLove Farms supply. Check your local health food stores for fresh mushrooms)

Sauté and cook the mushrooms. Keep in mind they will shrink in size as the water is cooked out of them so continue stirring frequently for 4-5 minutes while paying attention to the heat, so as to not burn them once the water content cooks off.

3-4 minutes into this process I like to add seasoning that you would normally add to your meat for taste:

• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Sauté and cook another 3-5 minutes more and when done set aside.

In a dutch oven or large pot on med-high heat add:

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 diced onion
• 7-8 cloves of diced garlic
• 2 Anaheim peppers diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper diced
• 1 Poblano pepper diced
• 1 bunch of cilantro 

Sauté for a few minutes then add:

• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp coriander
• 1 tbsp smoked or regular paprika
• 1 tbsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 1 tsp salt

Reduce heat to medium and stir in the seasonings. When the peppers are nicely coated with seasoning and partially cooked add 1 can of beer.

I like to use a stout or a seasonal ale of some kind. Turn up the heat and stir every couple minutes. The beer will cook off and when its a nice gooey mess lower the heat and add 1 large can of fire roasted tomatoes, the beans and the mushrooms.

Stir contents together. Take note that you may need to add water and more mushroom bouillon if it needs it. Mix and stir contents together and then cook on med-high heat, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes or until it starts to boil.

Lower the heat to low, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes, be sure to check it and stir it so it doesn’t burn on bottom of pan.

In Joy!!