Hearty Vegetable Chili
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cooking Time: 25 minutes
- Serves 4-6

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 small zucchini, cubed
1 small butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons fresh minced thyme
Salt to taste
Grinding coarse black pepper
1 cup chopped button mushrooms
3 Backyard Farms Tomatoes on the Vine, diced
1 cup canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained or 1 cup cooked wheat berries, orzo, or rice
1 cup grated cheddar cheese for sprinkling
Preparation
Pour the olive oil into a medium size soup pot along with the onion, celery, zucchini, and butternut squash. Cook together covered over medium heat until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes.
Sprinkle them with the celery salt, celery seed, oregano, paprika, chili powder thyme, salt and black pepper.
Stir in the mushrooms and continue cooking until the mushrooms soften. Add the tomatoes. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
Add the beans, wheat berries, orzo or rice. Stir well. Serve in bowls and sprinkle with cheese.
Recipe courtesy of Mary Ann Esposito of Ciao Italia