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Make a batch of this Instant Pot Lentil Chili and enjoy Mediterranean feel-good comfort food that is not only good for you but also delicious!

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By now, pretty much all of us have heard about the benefits of following a Meditteranean-based diet.  It’s no longer a secret that people living in “Blue Zones” are known to live longer, be happier, etc.

While we all cannot just uproot and move to one of the Blue Zones such as Ikaria, Greece, we can ditch our Standard American Diet (SAD) and adopt a Meditteranean diet, which has been recognized by the World Health Organization as healthy and sustainable.

This recipe for Lentil Chili by Kelly Jaggers is in her latest book, The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot® Cookbook: 300 Recipes for Healthy Mediterranean Meals―Made in Minutes.  It is made from healthy plant-based whole foods and is vegan-friendly.

The lentils cook down into a creamy blend and when combined with earthy cumin and chili powder, create a nourishing, comforting chili that you will want to devour.

Ingredients in Lentil Chili

The ingredients in this simple dish are: red lentils, onion, poblano pepper, garlic kidney beans, tomatoes with green chilis, a little olive oil, vegetable broth, and herbs and spices.

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Yield: 6 servings

Instant Pot Lentil Chili

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Traditional beef chili is made with fatty cuts of beef that are loaded with saturated fat. This version replaces beef with lentils, so you can enjoy a bowl of chili anytime a craving strikes.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 40 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed and drained
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 1 (10-ounce) can tomatoes with green chilies, drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Instructions

1. Press the Saute button on the Instant Pot and heat oil. Add onion and poblano pepper, and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Add cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, and salt, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Press the Cancel button.
2. Add lentils and broth, close lid, set steam release to Sealing, press the Manual button, and set time to 25 minutes. When the timer beeps, let pressure release naturally, about 15 minutes.
3. Open lid and stir in tomatoes, beans, and lime juice. Let stand uncovered on the Keep Warm setting for 10 minutes. Serve warm.
   
   

Notes

Excerpted from The Everything(r) Mediterranean Instant Pot(r) Cookbook by Kelly Jaggers. Copyright (c) 2020 by Simon & Schuster, Inc. Used with permission of the publisher, Adams Media, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 210Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1329mgCarbohydrates: 31gFiber: 9gSugar: 5gProtein: 11g

Nutrition information is an approximation.

About The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook

In Kelly’s cookbook, cooks learn how to recreate classic Mediterranean dishes in the Instant Pot.  The chapters are divided into the following sections:

• The Number-One Diet Meets the Top Kitchen Appliance
• Breakfast
• Dips and Appetizers
• Rice
• Grains
• Pasta
• Beans
• Lentils
• Vegetables
• Seafood
• Fish
• Poultry
• Pork, Lamb, and Beef
• Fruits and Desserts

Included in the book is the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid outlining a contemporary approach to healthy eating with a foundation of being active.  I, personally, appreciate the focus of plant-based foods of the Mediterranean Diet and this cookbook.

Look for The Everything Mediterranean Instant Pot Cookbook by Kelly Jaggers at your local bookstore or at Amazon.com.