Zesty Wheat Berry-Black Bean Chili

By blum099

This rib-sticking chili offers a hearty mix of wheat berries, beans, peppers and onion. Feel free to add an additional chipotle pepper to crank up the heat in this one-pot meal. Cooked wheat berries will keep for up to 1 month in your freezer and there's no need to thaw them; just stir them directly into the chili.

serving: 386 calories; 11 g fat ( 1 g sat , 7 g mono ); 61 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 15 g fiber; 703 mg sodium; 311 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (130% daily value), Fiber (72% dv), Folate (48% dv), Iron & Vitamin A (25% dv).

Carbohydrate Servings: 3

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 very-lean meat, 2 fat

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 large yellow bell pepper,chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
• 2 14-ounce cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, minced (see Tip)
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 2 cups Cooked Wheat Berries, (recipe follows)
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 avocado, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add beans, tomatoes, chipotle to taste, broth and brown sugar. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.
Stir in cooked wheat berries and heat through, about 5 minutes more. (If using frozen wheat berries, cook until thoroughly heated.) Remove from the heat. Stir in lime juice. Garnish each bowl with avocado and cilantro.
TIPS & NOTES
Tip: Canned chipotle peppers (smoked jalapeños) in adobo sauce add heat and a smoky flavor. Look for the small cans with other Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

cooked Wheat Berry:
Cooked Wheat Berries
From EatingWell: March/April 2007
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Contrary to popular belief, wheat berries do not require an overnight soak before cooking. Simply boil them for 1 hour to soften the kernels, which will produce their characteristically chewy texture.


READER'S COMMENT:
"I cook this in a black and decker steamer (2.5 cups wheat berries and fill the bowl with water to the top). I don't add salt or broth re: sodium. I turn on the steamer for 75 minutes and it cooks like rice, comes out perfectly, not mushy...
Recipe
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About 4 1/2 cups

Active Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

NUTRITION PROFILE
Low calorie | Low cholesterol | Low saturated fat | Low sodium | Heart healthy | Healthy weight | High fiber |

View Our Nutrition Guidelines » INGREDIENTS
2 cups hard red winter-wheat berries, (see Tip)
7 cups cold water
1 teaspoon salt

Sort through wheat berries carefully, discarding any stones. Rinse well under cool running water. Place in a large heavy saucepan. Add water and salt.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Drain and rinse. To serve hot, use immediately. Otherwise, follow the make-ahead instructions.
TIPS & NOTES
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month.
Tip: Wheat berries can be found in natural-foods markets and online at King Arthur Flour, [phone], bakerscatalogue.com, and Bob's Red Mill, [phone], bobsredmill.com.
NUTRITION
Per 1/2 cup: 151 calories; 1 g fat ( 0 g sat , 0 g mono ); 0 mg cholesterol; 29 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 6 g protein; 4 g fiber; 265 mg sodium; 2 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 2

Exchanges: 2 starch