We've actually had a lot of snow/wintery mix in SC over the last couple of weeks.  Well, it's a lot for SC at least.  I'm not a cold weather person so I'm ready for this to go away!  I'm so ready for Spring!  It's nice to have one snow day a year but that's all I want to see.  I could never live up North!

When it's cold like this, a bowl of chili is the best dinner to warm everyone up.  For dinner tonight I made my bean chili. 

I came up with this recipe last year.  It was one of SC's cold days and I had been running errands all morning.  All I wanted was a bowl of soup or chili for lunch.  At that time, I had only been a vegetarian for a few months so I had no idea what I would make.  On my drive home, I came up with this recipe...



3 cans Great Northern Beans (rinsed and drained)
1 can diced green chiles
1 can Original Rotal tomatoes
1 medium onion (chopped)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 cups vegetable broth (I use jarred Vegetable Base Better Than Bouillon)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

In a large pot, heat one teaspoon extra virgin olive oil over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and garlic.  While the onions and garlic are softening.  I prepare the Better Than Bouillon mixture in a separate pot.  If you use prepared stock, you can skip this step.  For the Better Than Bouillon, boil 2 cups of water and stir in 2 teaspoons of the Better Than Bouillon.  Remove from heat.

Next, add the beans, green chiles, and Rotels to the softened onions and garlic.  Once combined, add the salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.  Stir the ingredients together and add the vegetable stock.  Simmer the chili on low for 30 minutes to an hour.

Tonight, I also made homemade tortilla chips.  I usually make these with plan Carb-Balance tortillas but I changed it up tonight.  Tonight, I used Trader Jose's Habanero Lime Flour Tortillas.

Per serving, cut a tortilla into tortilla size chips (usually makes 8 triangles/chips).  Spray cooking spray on a baking sheet and add the tortillas.  Then spray the top of each tortilla with cooking spray and sprinkle about 1/8 teaspoon of kosher salt over the triangles.  Bake for about 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven (turning the chips over after 5 minutes).  I added a little extra yumminess to the chips tonight...I sprinkled cheese over the top of the chips and put them back in the oven for 2 more minutes.