Cashew Chili Con RV Cooking.com

I'll admit that this sounded a little "unusual" to me at first.  Chili with no meat and cashews instead?  Since I put implicit trust in my RV'ing friend, Evanne, I vowed to try it and WOW.  This is my choice to bring to the Vegetarian Pot Luck Feast on the last Saturday of August.  If you like the idea don't hesitate to bring your own special version.  The more the merrier.  Let's add to OUR health and the health of the planet by trying to go, at least a little, meatless. 

'Cashew Chili from Evanne's RV Kitchen'

Below I'm pasting in the recipe from Evanne's website RV Cooking Show.com, along with a link to her very interesting accompanying video, "Dinner and a Movie at Flying Flags - Cashew Chili, Firestone Walker Brewing and Monte Roberts..." which not only makes the recipe 'step by step' easy, it also sheds some light on something many of us have a passion for...good home brewed beer.  Watch the second half too so you can be entertained by the horse whisperer and his country brand of humor and sarcasm. 
Here's the
CASHEW CHILI
Ingredients

1 medium onion - chopped - 1/4 reserved for chili topping
2-3 fresh peppers - chopped
splash of canola oil

1 28 oz can of high quality diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
2 cans of beans - kidney and pinto - rinsed
1 bottle beer (lager or porter work great)*  
1 packet chili seasoning (I like the no-salt versions)
1 c roasted low salt cashews - use 1/2 c at the start, 1/2 c right before serving

How-to

In a large pot saute onions and peppers in canola oil. When soft add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans, beer, 1/2 c cashews and seasoning. Stir well and allow to bubble for 30-45 minutes until the flavors mix and meld. Add the remaining 1/2 c cashews, stir and serve.

Additional Tips

To me a bowl of cashew chili just isn't ready until I top it with plenty of goodies. Choose one or more of these topping suggestions:

shredded cheddar cheese
finely minced raw onions
sliced avocado
chopped cilantro
sour cream
jalapenos - fresh or pickled

I usually put all the topping choices into separate small bowls and allow my dinner guests to mix and match as fits their taste buds. Turns into a terrific dinner and a movie meal event!

*I used "Shiner Bock" a dark beer from Shiner Texas