Spicy Lentil Chili

Super Bowl Sunday is tomorrow, and across the US people will gather to watch the game and enjoy food and drink. While I am not a big football fan, this is the one game I do watch. I enjoy the commercials and I attempt to pay attention during the game. I’ve always prepared an array of snacks and hearty foods such as little smokies and a pot of chili. 

This year, in accordance with my plant based lifestyle, I am forgoing the meat laden dishes and sweet treats, and dining instead on new favorites such as roasted potato wedges, homemade hummus with veggies and veggie pizza on a gluten free crust. I wanted to include a pot of chili that was tasty as well as good for me. I found a recipe, from littlebroken.com, that I tried out tonight. 

Spicy Lentil Chili
I love lentils. They are inexpensive, easy to prepare and packed with protein. This simple recipe appealed to me immediately. 

Spicy Lentil ChiliSpicy Lentil Chili
I added 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes for a little kick. Less could be used, or none at all, for a milder chili. I also didn’t feel that the chili needed thickening, so I skipped the last step. 

Spicy Lentil Chili
In thirty minutes, the lentils were tender and I had to sample this fragrant chili tonight. I couldn’t wait until tomorrow. It was delicious, with just the right amount of heat for me. This recipe definitely goes on my favorites list. 

As I chopped veggies this evening and sautéed them in a little olive oil, I recalled how many times in the last three years I have expressed a desire to cook more, and have creative fun in the kitchen. All that longing to learn new recipes and improve my cooking abilities has found an outlet. Switching over to a different way of eating has necessitated a flurry of fresh cooking techniques and opportunities to learn. 

The ways of the Divine make me smile. 

I am loving this journey. 

Spicy Lentil Chili