In quilting, there is fabric known as cheater cloth. It’s printed to look like a pieced quilt. I wasn’t so sure what to think of cheater cloth when I first saw it, but now I am all in on anything that looks good and is easy. (Check out this cool new fabric from Connecting Threads.)

I love chili, and I have been making Nora Cooks amazing Ultimate Vegan Chili for four years. I just needed a way to make it fast and easy. So here’s my cheater cloth version. Make it hot, medium, or mild to suit your tastes.

Ingredients

• 2-3 cans of chili beans in mild sauce, with liquid (I use the Safeway brand)
• 1 can of salsa-style fire-roasted tomatoes (don’t drain)
• 1 can of diced tomatoes (your favorite, don’t drain)
• 1 bag of frozen seasoning blend (onions, celery, red peppers, green peppers, and parsley flakes. I added extra frozen peppers)
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 jalapeño, seeded, small dice (optional)
• 1 can of green chiles, mild, medium, or hot
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon of maple syrup (I often leave this out)
• ½ to 1 cup of water, if needed

Chili spices:

• 3 Tablespoons of chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 2 teaspoons of cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon of salt

TVP (Optional, but increases the protein, and I like the texture.) 

• 1 cup of TVP (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1 cup of hot water
• 1 teaspoon of bouillon paste or enough for 8oz of water
• 2 Tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes (Trader Joe’s)
• 2 Tablespoons of soy sauce, liquid aminos, or coconut aminos
• 2 teaspoons of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika

Directions:

1. Heat up water and dissolve the bouillon in a one-cup measuring cup of hot water, and stir well
2. Add TVP, nutritional yeast flakes, and spices to a small bowl and mix well to combine.
3. Add bouillon water and soy sauce to TVP and mix. Set aside for 5-10 minutes to hydrate.
4. Sauté the seasoning blend or equivalent. I put the frozen blend in without thawing and let the ice crystals steam off without a lot of stirring. Add the garlic and jalapeño for 90 seconds more.
5. Add the TVP mixture and sauté for a few more minutes.
6. Add undrained chili beans, tomatoes, green chiles, and spices, and stir. Add water if needed. Bring to a soft boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 10-20 minutes, stirring regularly.
7. Serve with tortilla chips, rice or quinoa and your favorite toppings.

Enjoy!