vegan black bean chili

This hearty, medium-spicy chili pairs beautifully with my vegan skillet cornbread.  Put some fresh greens alongside, and you’ve got a complete easy make-ahead dinner that tastes even better the second day.  How nice to eat chili and feel satisfied but not stuffed afterwards!  Bulgur wheat idea is from Scott Jurek’s Eat and Run recipe, and I found basic bean-to-onion and such ratios at eat, live,run, a nonvegetarian blog.  Guess a lot of runners want the protein and calories of vegan chili!  I ground whole cumin seed just a bit, more like, ‘cracked’, with a mortar and pestle.  If you have a spice grinder, use whole cumin seed and grind briefly for freshest cumin flavor punch. Cacao is optional; it adds a sweet dark undertone, and pushes up the antioxidant level.

Prep Time: 20 minutes (+ bean-soaking & cooking time if using dry beans)
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
2 jalapenos
2 t cumin, freshly ground if possible
1 tsp cayenne
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 can tomato paste (the 6 oz can)
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, julienned
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup bulgur wheat
2 1/2 Tbsp cacao powder
4 cups black beans, cooked    

Method:
Step One: Chop onion and peppers. Thaw corn in microwave.  In a large pot, cook onions and peppers in olive oil till onions are soft.

Step Two: Add cumin and cayenne, stir. Add diced tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Stir, then cook for five minutes, till fragrant.

Step Three: Add all other ingredients and cook on medium heat for twenty minutes. Adjust seasoning/heat and simmer on low for another ten minutes. Serve hot with cornbread.