By Jules Shepard

Gluten-Free Comfort Food Chili

SERVES 16

A must-have staple that warms the stomach and the soul, chili is also a very forgiving dish. If you don’t have one of these ingredients, improvise! Taste-test as you add ingredients to be sure you like the direction the gluten-free chili is taking. For thicker consistency, simmer longer uncovered over low heat. Add more liquid if you like thinner chili. This recipe will feed your family for days. Spoon it over cornbread, rice or quinoa or enjoy it on its own.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, diced
14 ounces firm tofu, chicken or ground beef, diced
4 ounces green chiles, diced
3 tablespoons chili powder
1 pint gluten-free beer or vegetable stock
30 ounces diced tomatoes
15 ounces tomato sauce
30-32 ounces light red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
30-32 ounces dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
15 ounces black beans, rinsed and drained
15 ounces Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
11 ounces white “shoepeg” corn or 1-2 ears cooked and cut off the cob
2 tablespoons fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1-2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch processed)
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons lime juice
Cheddar cheese or dairy-free cheddar-flavor cheese, shredded, optional
½ cup raw sunflower seeds or peanuts, optional

1. In a stock pot or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add diced tofu or meat and sauté just until cooked through. Then add chiles and chili powder. Stir in gluten-free beer, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Reduce flame down to low.

2. Stir in the beans and corn. Add oregano, cocoa, cumin and lime juice, stirring to combine. Continue cooking until the liquid has cooked down to the consistency you prefer. Cover pot if the mixture is getting thick.

3. Serve warm, topped with shredded cheese and sunflower seeds, if desired.

Each serving contains 365 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0g trans fat, 0mg cholesterol, 450mg sodium, 60g carbohydrate, 20g fiber, 21g protein.

Jules Shepard (julesglutenfree.com) is author of several special-diet books, including Free for All Cooking (Da Capo Press), and is creator of Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.

Read More on These Topics

• Celiac/Gluten Free
• Cooking
• Meals