Test Kitchen: Cheesy Vegetarian Chili Mac

Easy, healthy recipes tested for you weekly at the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen
Jay Patruno, Dietetics Student, SAR ’18

About the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen: We’re all about making healthy taste delicious here at Sargent Choice.  That’s why we’ve teamed up with faculty-in-residence Dr. Karen Jacobs to offer students a one-of-a-kind opportunity to trial and taste-test new Sargent Choice healthy recipes each week at the Sargent Choice Test Kitchen.  Dr. Karen Jacobs invites students of all majors (not just nutrition) into her home on Boston University’s campus to cook up a recipe developed by Sargent Choice Registered Dietitian, Jennifer Culbert.  Feedback from the weekly Test Kitchen gets incorporated into future Sargent Choice recipes and helps shape the face of healthy dining at BU.

Why we chose this recipe: It’s that time of year when the weather gets gloomy and savory, satisfying meals hit the spot. This chili mac recipe is perfect for a cold winter day. This is a recipe that is easily scaled up for a bigger group. It allows for versatility with what vegetables you add, how spicy you want it, or whether or not you want to add meat or poultry. Also, all the ingredients in this dish are affordable and have a long shelf-life which makes it easy to stock up in advance of meal prep.

Feedback from the Test Kitchen: Everyone has different taste preferences, so we talked about how the recipe could be adjusted to suit different taste buds. For extra spice, we decided an equal amount of red pepper flakes to chili powder at the start would add some heat, or you could sprinkle them on top before serving. If cheese is not for you, the recipe still works well without it. To turn this into a dip, you could leave out the whole wheat pasta and serve with chips or veggies on the side. Any way you choose to make it, the meal makes for a warm and comforting game day dish.

Sargent Choice Cheesy Vegetarian Chili Mac
Recipe modified from Budget Bytes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can kidney beans
1 15-ounce can black beans
1 15-ounce pinto beans
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 cups diced zucchini
2 cups vegetable broth
1.5 cups uncooked whole wheat macaroni
1 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

 Directions:

1. Sauté the onion and garlic with olive oil in the bottom of a large pot (5 quart) over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent.
2. Add the flour and chili powder to the sautéed onions and garlic. Sauté for about 2 minutes, or just until the flour and chili powder begin to coat the bottom of the pot.
3. Drain and rinse the kidney beans, black beans, and pinto beans. Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, all three beans, corn, zucchini, and vegetable broth to the pot.  Stir to combine and to dissolve any flour and chili powder off the bottom of the pot.
4. Add the uncooked macaroni and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium high, and let the mixture come to a boil. Stir every other minute or so to loosen the noodles from the bottom of the pot as it heats up.
5. When the mixture reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low, so it continues to gently simmer. Let it simmer for 12-15 minutes, or until the pasta is tender and the liquid is thick and saucy. Stir frequently as it simmers to make sure the pasta does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
6. Once the pasta is tender, add the shredded cheddar and stir until melted. Serve hot.