Let's Do The Can Can

Vegetable Chili

We watched the weather news this week as the path of Hurricane Laura aimed towards the Texas/Lousiana coast. I have been thinking about those who will be impacted. One of the widespread problems likely will be power outages. When it covers a huge area, it can last for days.

Which brings me to today's recipe. It's a vegetable chili made from canned ingredients. Now I am totally in favor of fresh foods. And most of us use frozen vegetables to some extent. But canned vegetables have lowly status for many of us. But take a minute and think about it. If you are buying fresh produce, out of season, it may have been shipped thousands of miles to get to your grocery shelf. (Grapes from Chile? Peppers from Mexico? Blueberries from Canada? These foods have traveled more than I have.) So it may not be as fresh as you think. Frozen fruits and vegetables are a good choice as these items are prepped and frozen soon after picking. They will keep in your freezer for months. But our lowly canned vegetables can last for years in your pantry.

Canned foods are good for an emergency stash even if you are not a fan in general. Most canned vegetables will last beyond the date on the can. Google for specific information. The big exception is canned tomatoes. Because of their high acidity. you need to be mindful of the date and use them up accordingly. In fact, good management is good for all groceries. Unpack your groceries and put them away like the stock boy at the market. Put the new items toward the back of the shelf, pulling the older items forward. That's a good habit to acquire. 

If this truly is for your emergency stash, make sure you have a manual can opener. That electric can opener is not going to help you if the power is out. 

Are canned vegetables healthy? Canned vegetable count toward your daily servings of vegetables. They go from field to can while the vegetables are still fresh and full of nutrients. Do they have as many nutrients as you'd get from grocery store fresh vegetables? It depends. The "fresh" tomatoes may have been picked a long time before you buy and use them, losing nutrients as they travel across the country. One big concern is that canned foods are high in sodium. Look for salt free or low sodium items. READ YOUR LABELS. Some cans of beans contain nothing but beans and water and maybe salt. Others have additives to maintain color, etc. But canned vegetables/fruits still can be a better choice than those highly processed "food like substances" or bought fast food. But let's not get crazy from thinking about this. 

We are all suffering from decision fatigue right now. All I'm saying is it's not a bad idea to have a recipe or two or three that can be prepared with ingredients from your pantry shelf. This can be your backup plan if something happens to keep you from going to the store. (Like a pandemic quarantine?) And there are some tasty options. I like to keep an assortment of beans, peas, tomatoes and tomato sauce on hand. And there is almost always 100% juice packed pineapple—chunks, tidbits, and crushed—in the pantry. Canned pumpkin puree is another staple. 

I have been following one of the new WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) plans since the quarantine started. I am not new to WW. This is yet one more time for me. It's one good option to keep track of what and how much you are eating. Makes me pay attention to what I put in my mouth. This recipe started with a WW recipe I found online. A couple of adjustments made it mine. Years ago I often did a much simpler version of this—three cans (corn, kidney beans, diced tomatoes) and a teaspoon of chili powder. This one has a little more flavor to it. And it's still as easy.

VEGETABLE CHILI

2 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced (I used 1 teaspoon from a jar)

1 (15-oz) can diced tomatoes (mine had green peppers, celery & onions)

1 (15-oz) can light kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-oz) can whole kernel corn, yellow or white, drained

1 (15-oz) can no-salt tomato sauce 

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (adjust to your desired level of hot)

1/4 teaspoon dried minced onion flakes

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, about 1 minute being careful not to burn. Stir in remaining ingredients. (It's helpful to measure the spices before you start.) Bring chili to a boil and let simmer 5-10 minutes to let flavors blend. 

Can serve topped with cheese, or over brown rice or a baked potato. 

I made this to have my lunches decided for the next several days. (Did I mention decision fatigue?) This was so much better the next day. So making it ahead would be a good thing. 

Here are some other "mostly made from cans" recipes that my friends and I have made over the years. Carol's Taco Soup even adds canned chicken. And it's yummy! And Missy's Santa Fe Soup has ground beef and onion, but then it's canned vegetables. You will notice the flavor profile of all of these are similar. It's a good things these are flavors I like. This marinated vegetable salad call for celery, onion and green pepper, but it's still mostly canned vegetables. And the recipe for Spiced Fruit Compote has been in our family for so long that I've forgotten where it started. These canned fruits are spiced up and make a tasty side dish. It's good for the novice cook who needs to take a dish to add to the table.