Kitchen Sink Chili

Good news: just about everything works out in chili.

I thought I had a can of tomato paste at home but when I started cooking I realized it was tomato soup. Oh well -- it certainly worked. I thought I had Quorn but no, I had Morningstar protein on hand. I remembered that I had carrots but I only had mushrooms.

Here's what wound up in the pot tonight:

1/2 yellow onion, 3 cloves of garlic, 3 stalks of celery and 1/2 c mushrooms -- diced and sautéd in 2 T of extra virgin olive oil
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of chili beans
1 can of diced tomatoes (flavored with garlic)
1/2 can condensed tomato soup
1/2 can water
1 c leftover pea soup
1 cup Morningstar tofu crumbles
a liberal sprinkling of chili powder and black pepper
1/4 c cheddar cheese.

Voila~ I am now eating it with corn chips and it is mighty tasty. And full of protein. Which I need. So hooray.

In other news, check out this little bear cub that was recently painted in our office-turned-nursery: