This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there’s no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

Servings: 6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each
Total Time: 1 hour
Ease of Preparation: Easy
Health: Heart Healthy, Low Sat Fat, Low Cholesterol, High Fiber


Ingredients:

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion , chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
5 cloves garlic , minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 15-ounce cans black beans , rinsed
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes , undrained
1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce , minced (see Tip)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries (recipe follows)
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado , diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Steps:

1: Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

2: Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.

Nutrition: (Per serving)

Calories - 386
Carbohydrates - 61
Fat - 11
Saturated Fat - 1
Monounsaturated Fat - 7
Protein - 14
Cholesterol - 0
Dietary Fiber - 15
Potassium - 311
Sodium - 703
Nutrition Bonus - Vitamin C (130 daily value), Fiber (72 dv), Folate (48 dv), Iron & Vitamin A (25 dv).

Tip: Canned chipotle peppers (smoked jalapeños) in adobo sauce add heat and a smoky flavor. Look for the small cans with other Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

Related Links:

  • Cooked Wheat Berries
  • More Healthy Chili Recipes