Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili

From EatingWell: March/April 2007, EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook — Subscribe Now!

This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there's no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

READER'S COMMENT:

"I have tried wheat berries before, but never cooked with them myself. They are so easy and delicious. I love the texture they give this chili. And the chipotle peppers give this chili the right amount of kick. Great chili. "

Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili Recipe

6 servings, about 1 1/2 cups each

Active Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large yellow bell pepper,chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (see Tip)
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries, (recipe follows)
Juice of 1 lime
1 avocado, diced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

This recipe calls for:

Cooked Wheat Berries

Preparation

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.

Tips & Notes

Tip: Canned chipotle peppers (smoked jalapeños) in adobo sauce add heat and a smoky flavor. Look for the small cans with other Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.