Soup's On! : Veggie Chili

I started writing this last night, but was so tired I fell asleep. Not at the computer, but in the general vicinity.

The first batch of soup I made was a vegetarian chili I originally found in the Looneyspoons cookbook. However... it's chili. You don't measure things exactly, you leave some stuff out, you add other things, and play with the ratios. So, here's how I make it:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 1 medium or half a large onion, chopped coarsely
• 1 green and 1 red pepper, chopped into medium-sized pieces
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped into medium-sized pieces
• 2 carrots, chopped into bite-sized pieces (not too big, but not too small)
• 2 potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes (make sure you use a boiling potato, like Yukon Golds, as opposed to a baking potato, because they'll fall apart during cooking)
  
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• chili powder and/or dried chilies (to taste)
• a dozed medium-to-large mushrooms, cubed
• 1-2 (depending on size) zucchini, cubed
• 1 can (28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (19 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (19 oz) kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can (12 oz) corn, undrained
• oregano, basil, cumin, and cayenne pepper to taste

In a large pot, combine oil, onions, peppers, celery, carrots, garlic, chili powder/dried chilies, and potatoes. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until vegetables are soft (about 6 min.) Add mushrooms and zucchini, and cook for another 5 min. Add tomatoes, beans, corn, and spices, and stir well. When it starts to boil, cover and reduce heat and let simmer for 20 min. Ta-da!

Some notes:

• The original recipe called for chickpeas; I don't really like them, so I substituted potatoes.
• Like I said, it's chili, so it's naturally better the second day, which is when I'd recommend freezing it.
• Don't leave in the freezer for more than a few months, because the mushrooms get rubbery and the zucchini fall apart.
• If you prep all the vegetables at the same time, it takes less than 20 min to prepare.
• Normally I don't add celery - I've always thought of it as water in annoying stringy form. But since the other recipe calls for it, and I had to buy a bunch, I added it.
  

Bon appetite!