Pineapple-Chocolate Chili

I know the research in the China Study indicates that we don't need that much protein, but as a bodybuilder (can I say that? I mean I lift serious weights five days a week) I'm really nervous about protein to rebuild my muscles after I stress them out. I also had a friend that really lost some muscle going whole food all plant-based, who is about as serious with exercise as I am. Anyway, the things I cook lately have a lot of beans or tvp (soy protein). I eat a serving for dinner, and one other time through my day I'll have leftovers from the night before. This is one of those recipes. My sister was raving the other day about pineapple. She had it in a chili at a church thing and was blown away. When she asked for the recipe though, it was barbeque sauce, ketchup, all of these processed sugary things.

I decided to make it tonight, and started with Cooking Light's All-American Chili which I remembered as a sort of sweet-spicy recipe. Then all heck broke loose. What I ended up doing wasn't close to that recipe at all. Now, this isn't a vegetarian recipe, because I use beef bouillon. If you object to this, you'll need something with umami to balance out all of the sweet. I could suggest a miso, or liquid aminos, or even a mushroom or olive paste/pate. I had the bouillon, and since my object in going meatless is for health reasons I didn't have a problem with the boullion. No cholesterol or animal fat or protein.

2 cups chopped onions
8 cloves garlic -pressed
1 chopped red bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped hot peppers (anaheim -if using a hotter pepper you might want less)
1T. EVOO
2 T. chili powder
2 t. cumin

saute these up. Then add:

3 cans diced tomatoes -undrained
16 oz. concord grape juice
3 cups tvp (dry measure. cover with warm water to rehydrate)
1.5 T. beef bouillon
2 cans kidney beans rinsed and drained
1 can tomato paste
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup cocoa powder mixed with 1/4 cup water
20 oz. can crushed pineapple in it's own juice undrained

Bring to a boil, stirring to combine, and let simmer for about an hour. I left it on low and took Ari to speech therapy. When we came back almost two hours later, driving into town I saw a big smoke plume rising from what looked like my neighborhood. But, yeah, it wasn't my house and the chili turned out great.

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