Chilli 'non carne'

This chilli 'non' carne is a new recipe for me. I've made vegetarian chilli for years with vegetable and beans, but have only just started experimenting with soya mince. It has a high protein content and gives dishes a meat like texture. Also when bought dried, it stores really easily and is very inexpensive. I will be getting some for my daughter to try at University.

Feel free to mix up the veggies. I tend to use whatever is in the veg drawer. Add more beans and if you want to up the spice add some fresh chilli's or extra chilli powder.

Enjoy and please let me know what you think in the comments.

Ingredients

• 1 chopped onion

• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped

• 1 chopped pepper - colour of your choice

• 70 grams of dried soya mince

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 dessert spoon of soy sauce

• 1 vegetable stock cube or bouillon powder

• 2 teaspoons of paprika and mixed herbs

• 1 teaspoon each of smoked paprika, cacao or cocoa powder and ground cumin

• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne or chilli powder (adjust to taste)

• 2 tablespoons of tomato puree

• 1 tin of tomatoes

• 1 tin of kidney beans

• 1 can of sweetcorn or 110g of frozen sweetcorn

• Black pepper to taste

• Optional: leek, grated carrot and courgette, fresh chilli.

Method

1. Place the dried soya mince in a bowl with the soy sauce, vegetable stock cube and 120 ml of boiling water. Stir, then leave for the mince to rehydrate.

2. Heat a large pan and add the olive oil, chopped onion and optional leek. Fry for 3-4 minutes

3. Add the garlic, pepper and optional carrot and courgette and fry for 3-4 minutes

4. Add the now rehydrated soya mince to the pan with the mixed herbs and dry spices, and stir together for 1 minutes

5. Add the tomato puree, kidney beans, sweetcorn and tinned tomatoes. Fill the empty tomato tin with water and add this too.

6. Add some black pepper and simmer for 20-30 minutes until thickened. (If it's too thick add more water.

7. Serve with rice, tortilla chips or a baked sweet potato. You may want to add a side of guacamole.

Health benefits

• Soya mince is an excellent alternative protein source to meat containing 15 g of protein per 100 g. It also contains high level of amino acids. Eaten regularly it can lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

• Peppers are high in vitamins A and C, potassium, folic acid and fibre

• Tinned tomatoes contain high levels of lycopene which can help lower the risk of heart disease and macular degeneration (poor eyesight as you get older)

• Kidney beans and sweetcorn contain high levels of fibre which helps to keep you fuller for longer and keeps your bowel healthy.

• Cacao powder contains high levels of flavonoids which help lower blood pressure