Red Lentil Chili Instant Pot (Vegan)

Recipe from High Carb Hannah

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes about 5 cups (5 servings if paired with Brown Rice and No-Oil Hummus)

My, my my!  This was especially good and great to serve on a cold winter's day.  This was also very easy to prep and with the Instant Pot, took no time at all to finish.  I was afraid that with the unusual (to me) ingredient of dates, that the chili would be sweet, but I was pleasantly surprised.  The subtle sweetness of the dates dances perfectly with the acidity of the tomatoes and vinegar. I served this over some brown rice and put a little dollop of Delicious No-Oil Hummus which took it over the top.  I have a 6-quart Instant Pot, but the recipe author said she uses a 3-quart Instant Pot for this.  You can certainly double the recipe and then freeze the chili for another time.

3 Medjool dates, pitted

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups water

15 oz. can diced tomatoes

3 oz. tomato paste (about 1/2 of a small can)

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 cup dry red lentils

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 Tablespoon ume plum vinegar

Blend the dates with the water until they are completely blended.  (If the dates are a bit hard, let them soak in the water for 1-2 hours or heat the water you plan to use in the blender until hot and then leave the dates in the hot water for about 15 minutes.)

Place the date water and the rest of the ingredients except the vinegar in the Instant Pot.  Set the Instant Cooker to High Pressure for 17 minutes.  Allow the Instant Pot to naturally release for 15 minutes.  If after 15 minutes the pressure pin is still up, use the valve to quick release the pressure.  When the pressure pin has dropped, open the Instant Pot and stir in the vinegar.  

Note:  Ume Plum Vinegar, also known as Umeboshi Vinegar, has a sour, fruity flavor.  It is a by-product of pickling umeboshi plums.  Most supermarkets carry it.  I did see on Google that you could substitute red wine vinegar in a pinch, but since it lasts a looooooong time, it might be a lovely addition to your pantry.

Stovetop Method:  Bring the ingredients to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer about 30 minutes or until thickened and the lentils are tender.

Nutritional Information: (1 cup chili) 246 calories; 0.7 g fat; 0.1 g sat. fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 847 mg sodium; 52.1 carbohydrates; 16.4 g fiber; 23.1 g sugars; 12.5 g protein; 66 mg calcium; 4 mg iron; 718 mg potassium