Quick & Easy Vegan Chilli Con "Carne"

If you're on a plant based diet, how many times do you get asked the question: "but where you do get your protein from?"

I may not be on a plant based diet myself, but I have recently been trying to substitute my meats for plant based protein to see if it is possible to cut down and still receive a good intake of protein from my meals. I was surprised by how many fantastic options there are out there, and not only because of the protein content, but also by how tasty they are!

In a previous post I'd conjured up some vegan burgers using Meatless Farm mince (which is made from soy protein), so this time I decided to try out Naturali's pea based protein to create a vegan version of the beloved chilli con carne dish - perfect for the colder days!

This recipe is absolutely delicious and can be whipped up in no time! Best of all, it is fully loaded with plant based protein - an impressive 23.5g per serving! So I can confidently join those of you on a plant based diet to say "yes you can get protein on a plant based diet and this is how!"

Chilli Con Carne is typically enjoyed with rice - but I quite like it with some wholewheat spaghetti!

INGREDIENTS (serves 4):

• 400g Naturali's pea based mince (or other plant based mince)

• 400g tin red kidney beans - drained

• 1/4 cup tinned sweetcorn

• 400g passata

• 1 tbsp minced garlic

• 1/2 tbsp minced green chillies

• 1 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp coriander cumin powder

• 1/2 tsp turmeric

• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 1/4 tsp garam masala

• 2 tbsp fresh coriander - chopped

• 1 tsp rapeseed oil

METHOD:

1. In a large pan, heat the oil on high heat then sizzle in the garlic and chilli. Add the minced and kidney beans then stir. Sprinkle in the coriander cumin powder, salt, turmeric, cinnamon, cloves and garam masala and mix well. Cover and allow to cook on low-medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the mince is fully cooked.

2. Pour in the passata and sweetcorn and mix again. Cover and leave to simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes.

3. Garnish with the coriander and give it another mix before serving with some rice or spaghetti.

NUTRITIONAL INFO (per serving):

308 kcal

26.4g carbs

11g fat (8.1g saturated)

23.5g protein

7.4g fiber

4.3g sugar