Instant Chili

dinner lunch recipes savory

We all know that the healing power of the Whole Food Plant-Based lifestyle comes from consistency. By this, I mean that the healing process is really amplified when we consistently fuel it with nourishing WFPB meals. Since there are not many restaurants serving truly WFPB dishes, this means we need to prepare the bulk of what we eat ourselves. But doing so takes time, and sometimes we may feel like we don't have enough time to prepare ourselves a healthy plant-based meal. That is where "emergency meals" come in. When time is limited, it may be tempting to reach for that take-out menu, but if you have a kitchen stocked with what we call "emergency ingredients," you can make yourself a meal that is 100x healthier than what you would get from the take-out restaurant.

"Emergency meals" are meals that can be made in an instant. Well, at least under 5-10 minutes. Sometimes they include less fresh ingredients that store well in the cupboard or freezer, such as frozen vegetables and canned beans. While some people may shy away from these convenient "emergency ingredients," it's important to know that any meal you prepare for yourself at home following WFPB principles is going to be healthier than the oil, salt, and sugar-laden options from restaurants.

This instant chili is our all-time favorite emergency meal because it takes about 5 minutes to make and is delicious. I don't use many packaged foods in my cooking, but one product I have taken a considerable liking to is Primal Kitchen's Classic BBQ Sauce. This BBQ sauce adds a delicious smoky and spicy flavor to the chili and is free from any processed sweetener, preservative, or other junk.

I always make sure to have a few cans of beans, a few cans of tomatoes, and a few bags of frozen veggies on hand so that I will be able to make this meal in a pinch!

Let's take a look at some of the nutrition found in this "emergency meal."

Black Beans are one of the most antioxidant-rich legumes available. They contain a high amount of anthocyanin, which provides their dark, black color. They are also rich in folate, manganese, phosphorus, b-vitamins, iron, copper, potassium, zinc, and calcium. Black beans contain specific flavonoids called delphinidin, petunidin, and malvidin that have been shown to support fat metabolism and help lower cholesterol. Like all legumes, black beans are a fantastic source of fiber. This fiber is the ideal fuel for the beneficial bacteria in the gut, making beans a spectacular food for digestive health.
Tomatoes, like other nightshades, have received a bad reputation as being inflammatory foods when the opposite is true! Tomatoes contain many antioxidants such as naringenin that have a powerfully anti-inflammatory effect. Most notably, tomatoes are very high in lycopene, a nutrient shown to support skin health, cardiovascular health, eye health, and more. Additionally, tomatoes are high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K. To learn more about why nightshades aren't bad for you, listen to our podcast episode on the topic here.
Frozen vegetable mixes are highly underrated. Some people even think frozen vegetable mixes are unhealthy! The truth is that frozen vegetables have been harvested at peak ripeness and prepared and frozen in a way to maintain as much nutrition as possible. While they may not have the same texture as fresh vegetables, they contain a great deal of nutrition and make for an excellent "emergency ingredient" to have on hand at all times.
Spinach is very high in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin K1, folate, iron, and calcium. Spinach also contains many phytonutrients, including nitrates (which helps to manage blood pressure), lutein and zeaxanthin (which are known to support eye health), kaempferol (which has anti-cancer effects), and quercetin (which supports the immune system and fight off infection).
Kale has earned the reputation for being one of the healthiest and most nutritious foods, and for a good reason! It is exceptionally high in Vitamin K, vital for bone health and cardiovascular health. It is an excellent source of beta-carotene (Vitamin A) and Vitamin C. It is also rich in manganese, calcium, copper, potassium, and magnesium. It is high in sulforaphane, a phytonutrient known for supporting detox processes, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function. It contains other healing antioxidants such as quercetin (known for immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory effects) and kaempferol (known for its anti-cancer effects.) There are some myths out there about kale containing dangerously high levels of heavy metals, including lead, arsenic, and thallium. While some soils may contain trace amounts of these nutrients that could be sequestered in the greens, the kale toxicity claims have never been published in a peer-reviewed journal and are not considered scientifically valid.
Primal Kitchen BBQ Sauce is my favorite clean barbeque sauce. It is made almost entirely of whole foods. There is no added sugar, which is rare in the BBQ kingdom. The only slightly processed ingredients it contains are tapioca starch and liquid smoke, which are harmless in this amount. It does contain some sea salt, making this a "yellow-light food" or an ingredient to enjoy in moderation.
Coconut Aminos is a nice, slightly sweeter alternative to soy sauce, soy aminos, or tamari. They are called "aminos" because they contain 17 naturally occurring aminos acids. They are also rich in potassium, vitamin B, and vitamin C. It is derived from the sap of a coconut tree and is considered a very minimally processed food. Sea salt is usually added to coconut, making this a "yellow-light food" or an ingredient to enjoy in moderation.