This truly tasty half-hour vegetarian chili is made possible by using convenient canned beans and tomatoes (no pantry should be without them). Whole-grain bulgur adds another layer of toothsome texture and nutritional heft. This chili is relatively mild, so it's a good crowd-pleaser. If you like it spicy, add extra chili powder or serve with hot sauce.

Half-Hour Chili

Serves 6

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 medium onions, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 to 2 tablespoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 28-ounce can plus one 14-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped, with juices

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, rinsed

1/3 cup bulgur

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt for garnish

1/3 cup chopped scallions for garnish

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions, carrot, jalapeno, garlic, chili powder to taste and cumin. Cook, stirring often, until the onions and carrot are soft, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes with their juices, sugar and salt; cook for 5 minutes over high heat. Reduce heat to low; stir in beans and bulgur. Simmer until the chili is thickened, about 15 minutes.

3. Garnish with yogurt, scallions and cilantro, if desired.

Recipe notes: Bulgur is made by parboiling, drying and coarsely grinding or cracking wheat berries. Don't confuse bulgur with cracked wheat, which is simply that -- cracked wheat. Since the parboiling step is skipped, cracked wheat must be cooked for up to an hour whereas bulgur simply needs a quick soak in hot water for most uses. Look for it in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets, near other grains, or online at www.kalustyans.com, www.buylebanese.com.

Recipe nutrition: Per serving: 217 calories; 3 g fat (0 g sat, 2 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 40 g carbohydrate; 1 g added sugars; 10 g protein; 13 g fiber; 697 mg sodium; 854 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (49 percent daily value), Vitamin C (43 percent dv), Potassium (25 percent dv), Folate & Iron (24 percent dv), Magnesium (20 percent dv)

2 Carbohydrate Serving(s)

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean meat

(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)