What?! FAT-MELTING chili?! Yup. According to Dr. Oz…
“Eating the right foods is crucial to weight loss. This vegetarian chili is hearty, tasty and has all of the right fat-fighting ingredients to help you slim down. The protein-rich beans help build muscle, while the hot spices boost your metabolism to burn fat. Perfect for a family meal or to freeze and eat later, this recipe will help you drop those extra pounds.”
Sign me up! I didn’t know hot spices could boost your metabolism. If that’s the case, Hubs should be skin and bones cuz he eats a LOT of spicy food. Once when we had company over, I asked him to refill the salsa bowl. Well, he snuck ‘a little’ hot sauce into the bowl, too. When a few of us unknowingly dipped our chips and took a bite, our mouths were ON FIRE. I had a FIT! He ruined the whole bowl of salsa! And he acted like it wasn’t hot at all. (Insert lots of eye-rolling and head-shaking.)
When I found this recipe on Dr. Oz’s website, I almost passed it up because of the very long ingredient list. But at second glance, I realized I already had most of them. And it’s all basic stuff – no special trip to the health food store required. I will say, though – make sure you look at the quantity of each spice (like 3 TABLESPOONS of cumin) to make sure you don’t need to add those to your grocery list as well.
I’m glad I decided to make it because this chili turned out GREAT! It’s got some heat, but not too much. Tons of flavor. Very hearty, very filling. And I could feel the fat just melting off my thighs as I ate it. Not really. But, it doesn’t hurt to visualize, eh?
YIELDS ABOUT 14 CUPS
***
INGREDIENTS:
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
VEGGIES:
2½ cups diced red onions
1 cup diced carrots
2 peppers, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
2 cups diced mushrooms
1 (10 oz) bag frozen corn
FLAVORS:
3 Tbsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp. chili powder
4 Tbsp. chopped garlic (I only used 2 Tbsp.)
2 Tbsp. chopped jalapeños
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
CANNED GOODS:
3 (14.5 oz) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans
1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans
1 (15 oz) black beans
1 (15 oz) can Adzuki beans*
2 Tbsp. chopped chipotle in adobo sauce*
3 Tbsp. tomato paste
OPTIONAL:
1 to 2 cups vegetable broth or vegetable juice (You can also just use water.)
TOPPING SUGGESTIONS:
sliced or diced avocado, vegan sour cream, vegan shredded cheese, tortilla chips/strips, chopped scallions/green onions/cilantro, lime juice
*NOTES:
Yes, all of the portions above are correct, there are no typos. I know that’s a ridiculous amount of onion/cumin/chili powder/garlic/oregano, but I trusted Dr. Oz and followed it exactly (except for the garlic, which I cut in half)… and it tasted great. The only thing I might change next time is the cumin – I might do 2 Tbsp. instead of 3. You can find Adzuki beans at most health food stores, but you could also substitute another bean like chili or northern. If your grocery store has an Hispanic or ethnic aisle, you’ll likely find the little can of chopped chipotle in adobo sauce there. Just a thought – you could use the leftover tomato paste, chipotle and jalapeño as part of a marinade.
No cooking process photos this time. It’s pretty basic stuff…
STEP 1
In a large, heavy-bottom pot, warm the oil and sauté the onions, carrots, peppers, sweet potatoes and mushrooms, stirring occasionally until vegetables start to soften, about 10 minutes.
STEP 2
Stir in the cumin, crushed red pepper flakes, chili powder, garlic and jalapeño and cook a few more minutes until fragrant.
STEP 3
Add the tomatoes, beans, oregano, chipotle in adobo, tomato paste and cinnamon. At this point, you can add a little vegetable broth, vegetable juice or water if you like your chili a bit thinner. (I added about 2 cups of vegetable broth because it was REALLY thick.)
STEP 4
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stir in the corn; cook 5 more minutes, until corn is heated through. Serve with your favorite toppings.
Time to go melt some fat away while I eat a bowl of chili and watch Michigan slaughter Massachusetts. GO BLUE!
Welcome to 86 Lemons. My name is Livvy. Thanks for stopping by! I test a wide variety of seemingly fun DIY projects, vegan recipes and consumer products (like the latest mascara, for example). Then I report to you with the inside scoop. You'll get the real story on which ones are worth your attention and which ones are "lemons" to be avoided. Read more on my 
How spicy is this for little ones? I love heat but the kiddos do not! Also you got me hooked on the brown rice tortillas! I changed up your previous quesadilla recipe. I use hummus (home made) saute mushrooms, red peppers and kale and that is it! Oh so good and even toddler approved!!!
I would say it’s definitely too spicy for little ones. Maybe you could split it into two batches and do one spicy, one mild? I love those brown rice torts!!! Your quesadilla sounds delish!
Looks good!
If a person were to take a BATH in it would you see an immediate difference with the fat melting?
That sounds disgusting, but if were true, I would do it!!!
Hah, don’t you love ‘fat-melting’ foods? Yeah, riiiight. Well, the chili looks amazing, no matter what it does to your thighs. Yay for hearty chilli!
I’m willing to bathe in it…. just sayin’.
*like*
How do we eat it to lose weight? 1x, 2x or everyday?
The chili is not meant to be a diet plan. It’s just a healthy, vegan recipe with some metabolism-boosting spices and muscle-builing protein (which together will burn fat).
This looks delicious! I really love your photos.
Amanda told me about your site, and I love it!! Just made the chili today. It is exceptional:) Thanks for checking processes out and then passing on the good (or bad) word.
Tomi, thanks for checking out the blog. Glad you liked the chili!
Hello Livvy,
First time visiting your blog. Your well-chosen recipes, writing style and photos.. all make me wanna try (and devour!) the dishes, pronto!
Hi Nilu! Thanks for visiting/reading. Glad you found some recipes to try. If you make any of them, let me know what you think!
Hi Livvy, I made this chili on a chilly, rainy night. We (our friends too) all relished it very much. Thank you!
Hi Nilu, so glad everyone enjoyed it – thanks for leaving feedback!
This is a perfect chilly/rainy gameday food!!! Love the Go Blue comment at the end! Hoping they can beat Nebraska tonight!! :D
Ali Reyher
South Carolina
should the beans be rinsed and drained first?
Angela, the original recipe didn’t say so, but yes, that’s what I did and what I would recommend.
Will this cook up in a 6 qt Dutch oven?
It’s been awhile since I’ve made this, but yes, I *think* it should fit.