Veggieful Oven-Baked Chili

Ingredients

• 2 lbs vegetarian ground beef, substitute
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned-15 ounces)
• 4 ounces tomato paste
• 1 cup diced green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons dried cilantro (good) (optional)
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper or cayenne pepper (optional) or 2-3 dashes hot sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 1/2-1 cup water
• 1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans or black beans, well-drained
• vegetarian cheddar cheese (optional)
• lime zest (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   In a large skillet, warm the veggie burger a bit.

2. 2

   Add the chopped onion, and cook until the onion is soft and the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, peppers, spices, and cornmeal, stirring to combine and allowing to simmer for about 1 minute, just till everything is hot.

3. 3

   Spoon the chili into an ovenproof 2- to 2 1/2-quart crock or casserole dish; add sufficient water to cover.

4. 4

   Cover the dish, with a lid or foil, and bake the chili in a preheated 275°F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

5. 5

   Stir the chili after 1 hour, adding a bit of tomato juice or water if most of the liquid has evaporated, and it seems dry.

6. 6

   Half an hour before serving, stir in the beans, and cook until heated through. Garnish the chili with fresh cilantro and and grated veggie cheese (with a bit of lime zest added to it), if desired.