Black Bean and Vegetable Chili

My husband is always wanting me to make more vegetarian meals and I've been wanting to make chili for awhile now so I decided to make this recipe this week.  It's been years since I made this.  When I had made it before I didn't know the difference between chili powder and the red chilli powder we use in Indian cooking.  I thought they were the same thing.  The recipe called for 1 tbsp chili powder.  That seemed an insane amount to me and I thought it would be way too spicy.  I reduced it but it was still pretty spicy.  Now I understand that the recipe was not calling for what is labelled in the Indian grocery stores as Red Chilli Powder.

This turned out really good.  We didn't miss the meat at all.  The recipe suggests to eat this with rice but we had it with Light Whole Wheat Baguette (recipe to come).  Everyone loved it..even Hasan and Bilal.  Usually Bilal wants to eat his Minigo with his dinner.  When I sit him down for dinner he will start saying "Muh...Muh" right away meaning he wants Minigo.  So I end up giving him one bite Minigo...one bite dinner.  But this time he didn't even ask for it!

Black Bean and Vegetable Chili
Adapted from Canadian Living's Best Vegetarian Dishes

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
2 carrots, diced
1 zucchini, diced
1 red pepper, diced
8 oz mushrooms, quartered (I used mini bellas)
1 tin diced tomatoes (28 oz)
1 tin black beans (19 oz), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup water or vegetable stock
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped 

In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic, carrots, zucchini, red pepper and mushrooms.  Cook until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Add tomatoes, black beans, water/vegetable stock, chili powder, basil, oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper and cilantro.  Mix well.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce to medium-low and partially cover.  Stir occasionally.  Cook until thick and everything is cooked.  Taste and check seasoning.  Serve hot with some bread (we had it with baguettes).