Smoky Mole Vegetarian Chili

HomeClinics & ProgramsELLICSR KitchenSmoky Mole Vegetarian Chili

Skill Level	Intermediate

Preparation Time	15 minutes	Total Time	60 minutes
Servings	10	Cost Per Serving	$1.75

Chili

1	Onion,roughly chopped
3 cloves	Garlic, minced
3	Carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 cup	Squash (any variety)
2 cups	Black Turtle Beans (dried and reconstituted or canned and rinsed)
2 cups	Portobello or Cremini Mushrooms, roughly chopped
1 cup	Red or Green Bell Peppers, diced
1 28 oz can	Diced Tomatoes
2 cups	Vegetable Stock
1/2 tbsp	Olive Oil
To Taste	Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Smoky Mole

2	Dried Pasilla Chilies (mild and smoky), deseeded and stem removed
2	Dried Ancho Chilies (medium heat and smoky), deseeded and stem removed
1/2 cup	Dried Mushrooms (porcini or any mixed variety)
1/4 cup	Dried Cherries (or any dried fruit)
1/4 cup	Whole Cacao Beans (or Cocoa Powder)
1/2 cup	Whole Almonds
1	Lime, juiced
1 tsp each	Ground Cumin, Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp each	Ground Anise, Ground Clove, Ground Black Pepper
1/2 cup	Cooked Quinoa

In a medium saucepot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the dried chilies and dried mushrooms, turn off the heat and place a lid on top of the pot. Leave for about 5 minutes.
Remove the chilies and mushrooms from the water and add to a blender with all remaining mole ingredients. Add about ½ cup of the steeping water.
Blend and add more water as necessary until mole has a smooth consistency. Set aside mole and refrigerate.
Add olive oil to a large saucepot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add carrots and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Add squash, peppers, beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, stock and ½ cup of mole (use more for a bolder flavour). Raise heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer for about 35 to 45 minutes.
Season to taste and serve. Try garnishing with a little Mexican cheese, and crispy tortilla.

PDF link to nutrition facts table for smoky mole vegetarian chili

What gives hot peppers their kick? A compound called capsaicin! Capsaicin is an antioxidant, so the hotter the pepper the higher the antioxidant content. As a bonus, research suggests that hot peppers release endorphins, a type of hormone associated with feelings of pleasure.
Research in mice has shown that capsaicin causes cancer cell death and helps to shrink tumours in prostate and pancreatic cancers. We need to study the effects of capsaicin in people before we will know what effect it has on human cancer cells. In order to have the same doses of capsaicin as in the mouse study, a 200 pound person would have to eat 8 habanero peppers (one of the world’s hottest) per week. That much capsaicin could cause other side effects, like digestive problems.
Did you know cocoa naturally contains caffeine? Caffeine levels depend on cocoa content, and therefore are higher in dark chocolate compared to milk chocolate. Three ounces (about 3 squares) of dark chocolate contains around the same amount of caffeine as 1 cup (8 ounces) of coffee (65-120 mg).