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Yield: 16 cups chili; 8 large servings or 16 side servings

1 large sweet onion, approximately 4 inches in diameter

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced

3 cups vegetable broth

1 medium jalapeno, stem cap and seeds removed, cut in 1/8-inch dice

2 large carrots, cut in large dice (if not organic, peel first)

16 ounces of fresh mushrooms of your choice, roughly chopped

1 large green pepper, seeded and cut in a ½-inch dice

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 (14-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 ¾ cups cooked dried beans)

1 (14-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 1 ¾ cups cooked dried beans)

1 medium zucchini, cut in a large dice

1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup yellow corn (drained before measuring if canned)

2 tablespoons date syrup or maple syrup (see notes)

3 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup coarse bulgur

Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Notes: You will need a 5-quart or larger Dutch oven or stockpot to cook this recipe at full size.

• For ease in making this dish, chop and measure ingredients in advance.

• San Marzano tomatoes are readily available in St. Louis. They are grown in the Valle de Sarno region of Italy and are known for their flavor, rich texture, low acidity and low ratio of seeds to pulp. If your quarantine pantry doesn’t have them, regular canned whole tomatoes will substitute, but the flavor and texture will be different.

• To make the date syrup, place 5 to 6 pitted dates in a blender and as it is running drizzle in warm water, just enough to form a paste. Alternately, substitute maple syrup for this ingredient.

• Bulgur is available at most grocers. It is a wheat product.

• The cooked chili freezes well.

1. Preheat 5-quart or larger stockpot or Dutch oven. Add onion and stir over medium-high heat until you see the onions begin to caramelize and turn brown, then stir in the garlic, taking care not to let it burn or it will become bitter. If any of the ingredients begin to stick, add vegetable broth 1 or 2 tablespoons at a time.

2. Add in the jalapeno, carrots, mushrooms, green bell pepper and spices. Mix well and cook until the mushrooms release their juices, stirring as needed. This step takes 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Next, hold a whole tomato over the pot and squeeze with your hands to release juices and break tomato into large chunks. Repeat with all tomatoes and then pour in leftover juices. Add kidney beans, black beans, zucchini, roasted red pepper, corn, date syrup (or maple syrup) and tomato paste. Pour in 3 cups vegetable broth. Stir well to blend.

4. Add bulgur and stir well to distribute throughout. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 20 minutes or more.

5. To serve, ladle chili into bowls and squeeze a little fresh lemon over each if desired.

Per serving (based on 8): 291 calories; 3g fat; no saturated fat; no cholesterol; 15g protein; 58g carbohydrate; 14g sugar; 15g fiber; 135g calcium

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