For a cold day: cherry chipotle chili

Its a new year: time to eat healthy(ier), keep up all those good habits, and also experiment with some new recipes. Today, I'm trying all three with this very surprising chili, with cherries and chipotle! 

For some reason around the house, we had extra cherries lying around, and due to their high water content, cherries go bad fairly quickly. Therefore, I needed a recipe that would use cherries, but I didn't really want to make a pie (remember those resolutions?). There aren't a ton of savory cherry recipes lying around, but I found this one from Epicurious and veggie-fied it. It could also easily be done the original way as well, which is with ground turkey. 

I use Quorn brand veggie ground beef style crumbles because they are soy free, high in protein as well as fiber.  Not that I have a problem with eating soy, but as a vegetarian I feel that I eat a lot of soy anyways, and some research says that eating too much soy isn't good for you (what isn't these days). Therefore, why not try some other plant-based proteins? 

If you don't have canned chipotle chilies, you could easily just roast some of your own. I think any pepper would do well, maybe a serano chili? To do this, just turn your gas burner on, and using tongs, hold the chili over the open flame. Turn and roast it until the entire thing is burned and looks like it might catch on fire at any moment. Then, place it in a paper bag and use a chip clip (or whatever you have on hand) to close the bag. Keep the chili there for 10 to 15 minutes. After that, take the chili out of the bag and use a paper towel (or hands) to remove all the charred skin. Then, cut the chili open and remove the seeds, and then chop the pepper and add it to the chili.

Cherry Chipotle Chili

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 and 1/3 cups Quorn Brand veggie "ground beef"
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (preferably kosher)
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 cups pitted black cherries
• 2 canned chipotle chiles, diced, plus sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 can (15 ounces) white beans (such as cannellini or navy), rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt (optional garnish)
• Chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)

In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook meatless crumbles with salt and pepper, stirring, until thawed and browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add carrots, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in chili powder. Add tomatoes, cherries, chipotles, bay leaves and 1/2 cup water; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cook, stirring once or twice, until chili thickens, 15 to 20 minutes. Add beans; cook 2 minutes. Flavor with chipotle sauce to taste. Remove bay leaves. Divide chili among 4 bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon yogurt and garnish with cilantro, if desired, before serving. This chili would go really well with a hearty cornbread and crisp salad, if you're feeling adventurous.