Chili and Cornbread / Chili et Pain de Maïs

Chili is something that I make slightly differently every time because just make it with whatever ingredients I have on hand. Instead of a strict recipe, I've given you a formula you can follow when you make your own chili.

Ingredients: Needed
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Chili powder
Cumin
Peppers - bell peppers, poblanos, jalapeños, or basically any peppers you like
Beans - black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, black eyed peas, or pretty much any kind of bean will work
Optional meat substitutes - crumbled veggie burger pieces, tofu, tempeh, wheat berries, lentils
Optional vegetables - corn, sweet potato, carrots, celery, squash, zucchini, mushrooms
Optional spices - I sometimes add bay leaves or cinnamon if I'm feeling fancy
Optional garnishes - cheese, sour cream, chives

Directions
1) Pre-cook your beans and any meat substitutes you're using.
2) Chop all your vegetables.
3) Saute everything together, adding enough water so the chili won't stick to the bottom of the pan while you're cooking it. The chili is done when everything is heated through and tastes how you want it to taste.
4) Garnish the chili and serve it with cornbread.

Buttermilk Cornbread
2 c buttermilk
1 c flour
1 c cornmeal
2 eggs
1 tbsp baking powder  (substitute with half baking soda for a fluffier cornbread)
1 tsp salt

Mix everything, pour it into a pan, and bake it at 350 degrees F for about half an hour until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Vegan Cornbread
2/3 c maple syrup
1/3 c canola oil
1 c nondairy milk
1 c flour
1 c cornmeal
1 tbsp baking powder (substitute with half baking soda for a fluffier cornbread)
1 tsp salt

Mix everything, pour it into a pan, and bake it at 350 degrees F for about half an hour until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.