Saute in about 2 T. oil:
- One big onion, chopped
- several fresh (or frozen!) chilis, minced
- a few carrots, diced
- a big 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
- small (15 oz.) cans of chickpeas, red chili beans, and black beans, or some other combination of beans (but the chickpeas are essential)
- salt
- really quite a lot of chili powder
- much more modest shakes of powdered ancho chili, white pepper, and red pepper flakes (or whatever similar items you have around to complicate the spice profile)
- a tomato-can-full of water
- about 10 oz. of firm tofu, diced small
- about 1 c. of whole raw cashews
- 1/4 c. molasses (yess)
- juice of half a lime
This chili has a delightful sweetness due to the cooked carrots and onions, naturally sweet cashews, and molasses. The molasses, as it turns out, also gives it an amazing, complex depth of flavor. I also like the filling sturdiness of the multiple proteins: several kinds of bean, tofu and nuts all in one place. And it was very easy and quick.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium-sized bowl, mix:
- 1 c. all-purpose flour, or whatever
- 1 c. cornmeal
- 1 t. baking soda
- 1 t. baking powder
- generous 1/2 t. salt
- brown sugar to taste (I probably used about 1/4 c.)
- 1 1/2 c. milk
Brown sugar instead of white took this cornbread to a whole new level. Both the bread and the chili were addictive. I kept going back to the kitchen to take little bites. So will you. The whole thing took approximately 45 minutes.