INGREDIENTS
1 stalk celery with leafy tops, chopped
1 yellow onion, diced
2 zucchini, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup fresh corn
4 oz can green chiles mild (or seeds removed)
2 16 oz cans of fire roasted tomatoes, diced
1 16 oz can of kidney beans rinsed and drained
2 large vegetable bullion cubes (or 3 of the regular sized ones)
4 cups water
16 oz carton vegetable broth
½ tspn red pepper flakes
1½ tbsp chili powder
1½ tspn ground cumin
½ tbspn salt (and more to taste)
1 tspn freshly ground black pepper
¼ tspn dried thyme
DIRECTIONS
1. Spray large soup pot with cooking spray and add prepped celery, onion,and zucchini; cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes
2. Add kidney beans, garlic, bullion cubes,tomatoes, chiles, corn, water, and broth allow to cook for 10 minutes stirring occasionally
3. Stir in red pepper flakes, chili powder, cumin, salt, thyme and black pepper and allow to cook for 20 minutes
4. Salt to taste. For a higher heat level add in more chili powder or red pepper flakes
5. Chili can be eaten at this point, but is best if left simmering at a medium-low heat for another 30 minutes
NOTES
This recipe yields many servings. To store leftovers allow chili to cool, then ladle individual portions into Ziploc bags and freeze laying horizontally.
Before serving break frozen chili into smaller pieces. Place in the microwave and cook on high stirring occasionally, or bring it up to serving temperature on the stove top.