Vegan Chili with Sweet Cherries

I found myself stuck in an airport last week for several hours due to bad weather. While waiting for my very delayed flight, I flipped through a stack of magazines and ran across a recipe for a meaty chili with fresh cherries. I made a mental note to incorporate some fresh cherries as a seasonal twist on my favorite vegan chili recipe. I made the chili this weekend and despite how unconventional adding cherries may seem, the chili turned out to be sweet and delicious. I would highly recommend trying it out while they’re still in season.

Vegan Chili with Sweet Cherries

Creates: 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, diced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons chipotle sauce

1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 cups fresh cherries, halved and pitted

In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the diced onion, carrot, and minced garlic. Allow the onion, carrot, and garlic to soften and cook for a few minutes. Add the spices- chili powder, ground cumin, and chipotle sauce to the vegetable and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the can of diced tomatoes and beans to the pot. Bring the vegan chili to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Add the cherries and stir to combine, cook for 15 minutes.

[This recipe also freezes well if you don't want to eat chili four days in a row! ]