^[1]Here’s an offbeat chili and a great introduction to whole hominy, if you’ve never tried it before. It’s easy to find—you’ll likely be able to get it in any supermarket shelved right near canned corn. Hominy is dried corn whose hull has been soaked off. Reconstituted, it’s whole hominy; ground, it becomes hominy grits. Photo by Evan Atlas. Adapted from Vega ^[2]n Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons. ^[2]

Serves: 6 to 8

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium red or green bell pepper, cut into short, narrow strips
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
• One 16-ounce can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
• One 16-ounce can kidney or pinto beans
• One 28-ounce can whole white or yellow hominy
• One 16-ounce can salt-free diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 or 2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce, chopped (these are HOT!)
  or one 4-ounce can chopped mild green chilies
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, plus more for garnish
• Salt to taste
• Dried hot red pepper flakes to taste
• Peeled and sliced ripe avocado for garnish, optional

Heat the oil in a large soup pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is golden.

Stir in the bell pepper, sweet potatoes, and 2 cups water. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently until the sweet potato dice are just tender but still firm, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the beans, hominy, tomatoes, chilis, cumin, and oregano. Simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes longer. Stir in the cilantro, and taste first befored adding any salt. You may not need any due to the canned beans and hominy. Add red pepper flakes to taste.

The stew should have the consistency of a thick chili—moist, but not soupy. Add a bit more water if too thick. Serve at once, or let stand off the heat for an hour or so before serving, then heat through as needed. Garnish with extra parsley and cilantro as well as the optional avocado.

• Here are more of VegKitchen’s Vegan Dinner Recipes ^[3]
• Here are more recipes for bean stews and chilies. ^[4]