Tomato-Free Lentil Chili & Corn Muffins (vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium, oil-free, and, whole-food plant-based)

Here in NY State the fall season is showing off more of its beauty. The temperature is getting cooler and soon it will be winter. I thought for today's blog post, I would share my recipe for Tomato Free Lentil Chili and Corn Muffins. These recipes are vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium, oil-free, and, whole-food plant-based. If you top the chili with a little shredded vegan cheese or use some vegan butter or margarine on the muffins then it won't be 100% oil-free and whole-food plant based. I eat whole-food plant-based most of the time and I firmly believe in balance, treating myself to the occasional processed vegan product.

I have a tomato sensitivity, so I avoid using tomato products in my recipes. I make my own beet ketchup and other beet sauces as replacements for tomato based ones in recipes. The lentils and beans are a heart healthy source of protein and fiber.

Check out the video I made showing how to make this.

This is a lot of ingredients, but pretty simple to make. It's also cozy, healthy, and satisfying. I make the beet ketchup and spice blend first. Then I organize the rest of the ingredients before making.

Tomato Free Lentil Chili

-2 cups of rinsed dry lentils

-2 cups-chopped onion

-1 cup-chopped red bell pepper

-2 cups-chopped carrots

-1 handful of chopped cilantro

-1 can of reduced sodium kidney beans 

-1 can of corn no salt added corn

-1 10oz bag of frozen cauliflower rice

-2 limes

-6 1/2 cups of water

Beet Ketchup (Tomato Paste Replacement)

-1 can of no salt added beets

-1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

-1 tbsp maple syrup

-1 tsp onion powder

(Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Set aside)

Chili Spice Blend

-1 1/2 tbsp chili powder

-1 tsp cumin

-1 tsp onion powder

-1 tsp garlic powder

-1 tsp paprika

-1 tsp smoked paprika

-1 tsp cinnamon 

-1 tsp allspice

-1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

(Combine all the spices together in a small dish and set aside.)

• To make the chili sauté onions with a little water (about 2 tbsp) for about 5 minutes.

• Add garlic, carrots and bell pepper.

• Stir everything together and cook for about 5 minutes.

• Stir in cauliflower rice, corn, kidney beans, spice blend, and cilantro.

• Stir in the beet ketchup with a 1/2 cup of water.

• Add the lentils and squeeze in the juice of the 2 limes.

• Cook for about 30 minutes.

• Season with salt and pepper at the end as needed. 

Notes

Top with shredded vegan cheese or vegan sour cream (not oil-free). There are also recipes for oil-free vegan cheese sauce and sour cream out there that would be good on this as well. Avocado also makes a nice topping for this.

Corn Muffins (This is my modified version of the Forks Over Knives Cookbook recipe on page 228)

1 1/2 tbsp ground flaxseed 1 cup of water

1/4 cup of maple syrup 

1/2 cup of unsweetened applesauce

1 cup of cornmeal

1 cup of oat flour (make your own blending 1 cup of old fashioned oats into a powder)

1/4 cup of nutritional yeast 1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 cup of canned no salt added corn (you can also use fresh or frozen)

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a muffin pan with 12 liners.

• Combine the water and the ground flaxseed and set aside for about 3 minutes.

• Mix the applesauce, maple syrup, and flaxseed mixture together and then mix in the cornmeal, oat flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder, and baking soda.

• After mixing everything together, mix in the corn.

• Spoon the mixture into the muffin pan liners (about 2 heaping spoonfuls each)

• Bake for 20 minutes

• Store leftovers in the fridge for 3-5 days.

What other types of healthy vegan recipes would you like to see me share? Let me know in the comments.

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Jennifer Shlomovich is a recovering people-pleaser turned confidence coach. As the only vegan in her household, she knows firsthand how challenging it can be to stay true to your values when the people around you aren’t on the same path. For years, she put everyone else’s needs ahead of her own, but through her journey, she discovered the power of setting boundaries, living by her values, and confidently prioritizing her well-being. Now, she helps busy women simplify plant-based living so they can improve their health, save time, and feel supported—even if their family isn’t on board. On her YouTube channel, The Confident Vegan, she shares inspiring interviews, practical tips, and empowering conversations about what it really means to live in alignment with your values. She is also the co-host of That Vegan Morning Show with Kimberly Winters of the Did You Bring The Hummus podcast—where they help you start your day the vegan way, live every Monday at 7 AM ET on YouTube.