If you prefer a chili with a little kick, leave the seeds in the jalapeno when chopping. Using no-salt-added canned tomatoes and beans lets you adjust the amount of salt in the recipe to suit your taste, but if you can’t find these products in your grocery store, taste the cooked chili before adding salt.

Ingredients

• 2 tsp (10 mL) canola oil
• 2 cups (500 mL) chopped mushrooms
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced
• 1½ Tbsp (22 mL) chili powder
• ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
• 1 can (28 oz (796 mL)) no-salt-added diced tomatoes
• 1 can (19 oz (540 mL)) no-salt-added bean medley, drained and rinsed
• 1 cup (250 mL) water
• ½ cup (125 mL) pot or pearl barley
• 2/3 cup (150 mL) shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan over medium, heat oil. Add mushrooms and onion; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add jalapeno, chili powder, and salt; cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add tomatoes, beans, water, and barley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for about 35 minutes or until barley is tender. Sprinkle each serving with cheese.

Makes 5 servings (1¼ cups (300 mL) each).

Nutritional Information (per serving): Calories: 320; Protein: 15 g; Carbohydrate: 48 g; Fibre: 10 g; Sugars: 7 g; Fat: 8 g; Saturated Fat: 3.5 g; Trans Fat: 0 g; Cholesterol: 16 mg; Sodium: 433 mg; Potassium: 291 mg