Mother Linda’s Vegetarian Chili 

I am not a vegetarian, but sometimes I enjoy a meatless lighter chili. Call it a soup and you won’t hesitate to make it when your garden is brimming with vegetables. I always use organic vegetables and sometimes I replace the eggplants with zucchini.

2 eggplants, cut into mouth-sized pieces

¼ cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, finely diced

1 pepper each red, yellow and green

1-15 oz. can garbanzo beans or chickpeas

1-15 oz. can kidney beans

2-28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes

½ tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. chili powder

Cut the eggplant into inch-thick slices, sprinkle liberally with sea salt and set aside for 30 minutes in a pan elevated on one end to let some of the toxic juices drain out of the eggplant. Rinse and chop into mouth-sized pieces.

Sauté the onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the eggplant, garlic other prepared vegetables, beans and tomatoes to a 5-quart pot and set on a medium fire covered. When the soup almost boils, turn down to a simmer and continue cooking until the vegetables are done. Turn off the heat and add the spices and garlic. Serves with corn bread for a light meal.

© Mother Linda's