vegetable chili

I got the resounding, "Thanks for making this, Mom!" from the kids (and Mike), which automatically makes it post-worthy. (I didn't grab a photo, but you can imagine what this chili, chock full of veggies and legumes, looks like.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• (optional) 2 (4 ounce) cans chopped green chile peppers, drained
• (optional) 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
  
• 2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, crushed
• 1 lb lean ground beef
  
• 1/4 cup chili powder (I added about half of this, since the kids don't like it too hot)
  
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
• 1 (15 ounce) can black beans
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and season with bay leaves, cumin, oregano, and salt. Cook and stir until onion is tender, then mix in the celery, green bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, garlic, and green chile peppers. Cook ground beef separately, drain any grease. When vegetables are heated through, mix in the ground beef. Reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer 5 minutes.
2. Mix the tomatoes into the pot. Season with chili powder and pepper. Stir in the kidney beans, garbanzo beans, and black beans. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn, and continue cooking 5 minutes before serving.