When the weather starts to chill as it has been the past few days, cornbread and black bean chili becomes my favorite meal. Here’s my recipes.

Cornbread
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup low fat milk
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup canola oil
2 – 3 eggs

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl until everything is moist. Pour/spread into a greased 9 inch square pan. Bake at 400 F for 30 minutes or until done. Best when eaten hot from the oven, but great the next day warmed with maple syrup on top. Sometimes I’ll add pecans or raspberries to this recipe too.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili

1/2 large onion chopped
1-2 garlic cloves chopped
1 dried guajillo chili whole
1 cup vegetarian broth
2 cans black beans
1 large can chopped tomatoes
oil for frying

Put a small amount of oil in a soup pot and cook onion, garlic and chili until onion is transparent; 5-10 minutes. Add black beans, broth and tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes or more until flavors meld. Add salt, pepper and hot pepper if needed.
Options: If available I will often add 1/2 cup of chopped winter squash or green pepper as well.

Enjoy and keep warm.