Every Vegetable Chili

Ever since I moved to Chicago I’ve been fascinated by some of the unusual architecture in the city. It seems that on every corner, in every park there is a different statue – a different interpretation of classic American or modern art.

Even though the American Gothic is both awe-inspiring and fascinating (and bone-chillingly creepy. Yeah, I went there) I’m a lot more perplexed by “the bean” (pictured above) in Millennium Park. Actually titled “Cloud Gate” the sculpture is actually a 110-ton series of polished stainless steel plates inspired by liquid mercury. At 66 by 33 feet, it’s the largest sculpture of its kind and offers a mirror image of the city skyline.

But this is a food blog, not an art blog or an architecture blog. Even though “the bean” is a noteworthy Chicago landmark, we’re here to talk about a different kind of bean: the kind that mixes well with diced tomatoes, ground beef or turkey and vegetables.

To me, chili is a one-pot go-to meal for busy nights. Even though some chili recipes suggest cooking it for hours, I’ve made plenty of chili recipes that are especially suitable for busy weeknights: Classic Turkey Chili, Spicy Chicken Cornbread Chili and White Bean & Apple Chili. I’ve even experimented with other vegetable chili recipes.

Yet, you can never have too many healthy, vegetable-laden recipes in your repertoire. This one has plenty of colorful vegetables and is so hearty that you don’t even need to serve it with rice. Even so, a hunk of cornbread with caramelized onions never hurt anyone.