A Tex Mex Favorite When the Weather Gets "Chili"

I’ll be traveling to Houston in a few weeks, and that has started me thinking about the arrival of fall, Tex Mex cuisine and tailgating parties. To ward off the chill in the autumn air, the menu at almost every tailgating party features a pot of chili con carne: beans, beef and vegetables in a tomato-based sauce. But while chili is a staple of Tex-Mex cuisine, the meat-heavy dish is dangerous to your health.

So skip the meat, or use just a tiny amount shredded in for flavor, and enjoy this popular fall food. You can make a delicious, satisfying, yet healthy meal to serve at your next tailgate party with our Easy Tex Mex Vegetable Chili, which acquires its chili flavor and texture from tofu, spices and beans instead of red meat.

The problem with animal protein

Over the years, some popular diets have popularized the idea that lean animal protein – white meat chicken, egg whites and lean meat – were among the most healthful food choices we could make, especially for those who wanted to lose weight. This concept is wrong, Americans eat dangerous amounts of animal proteins and pay the price with a cancer epidemic. 

Meat, like other animal proteins such as fish, fowl and dairy, contain high-biological proteins that raise the level of Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) in the body. In addition to promoting the growth of fat, high levels of IGF-1 results in reduced insulin sensitivity, and increases the risk of cancer.  We know today, that reducing consumption of animal-based protein is important to prevent cancer and for longevity. 

As a healthful alternative to meat in some of my chili recipes, I like using crumbled tofu – it provides the chewy texture of ground beef without the troubling animal protein or saturated fat. Simply blot dry a block of firm tofu and freeze it overnight. When the tofu defrosts, it will form crumbles that can be added straight to the pot.

The benefits of beans

I like to use different kinds of beans in my chili: red kidney beans, black beans and red adzuki beans are among my favorites. Kidney beans, in particular, are great in chili recipes.

Beans are a nutritionally superior food. Because they are high in fiber and resistant starch, beans do not spike blood sugar, which means they are a perfect food for those with diabetes. Beans are high-nutrient and low-calorie, which means you can eat them in large quantities and not gain weight. Plus the high fiber and resistant starch content of beans means they are very satisfying.  They also give us the protein we need without elevating IGF-1 to harmful levels.

Add veggies for the win

 I like to amp up the nutritional power of my chili recipes by adding lots of vegetables – they’re not only delicious, but they add a wide range of phytochemicals to the meal. Onions and garlic, which are members of the Allium family, supply anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds to your diet, in addition to their unique blend of savory, spicy and sweet flavors.

Green vegetables are the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat – even when cooked, greens are five times more nutrient-rich as any non-green vegetable. Cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, broccoli and cauliflower, are rich in glucosinates, which form anti-cancer compounds called indoles, nitriles and isothiocyanates.

Tomatoes are a major component of almost every chili recipe, and that’s a great thing for both our palates, and for our health.  Cooked tomatoes are rich in lycopene, which is an extremely potent antioxidant. Lycopene has amazing benefits: it helps prevent UV damage from the sun; it has anti-inflammatory properties and it protects against cardiovascular disease. And in case I forgot to mention it, they are delicious, too!

 This Tex-Mex vegetable chili will score a touchdown with your friends

The Nutritarian version of Tex Mex chili is hearty enough to please the biggest appetite, and healthful enough to suit the most discerning diner. Filled with cruciferous veggies like cauliflower and broccoli, as well as onions, zucchini, corn and beans, this crowd-pleasing dish would get a thumbs-up from most die-hard Texans. And that’s a theory I plan to test in October, when I travel to Houston for my first-ever Weekend Immersion event in Houston.

Easy Tex Mex Vegetable Chili

Serves: 6

This chili comes together quickly thanks to the convenience of frozen chopped vegetables. Tofu that’s frozen, then defrosted, adds body and a “meaty” texture.


1 pound firm tofu, frozen, then defrosted

2 tablespoons chili powder, or to taste

1 teaspoon cumin
10 ounces frozen onions

3 cups frozen broccoli, thawed and finely chopped

3 cups frozen cauliflower, thawed and finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, chopped

3 (15 ounce) cans kidney beans, no salt added or low sodium, rinsed and drained

28 ounces no-salt-added or low sodium diced tomatoes, packed in BPA-free cartons

4 ounces chopped mild green chilies, drained

2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 large zucchini, finely chopped



Squeeze excess water out of thawed tofu and crumble. Place the crumbled tofu, chili powder and cumin in a soup pot and quickly brown. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer, covered, for 1 hour.