Veggieful Oven-Baked Chili - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 lbs vegetarian ground beef, substitute
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 cups chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned-15 ounces)
4 ounces tomato paste
1 cup diced green bell pepper
2 tablespoons dried cilantro (good) (optional)
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 - 1/2 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) or 2 -3 dashes hot sauce (optional)
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1/2 - 1 cup water
1 (15 ounce) can dark red kidney beans or (15 ounce) can black beans, well-drained
vegetarian cheddar cheese (optional)
lime zest (optional)

Preparation

In a large skillet, warm the veggie burger a bit.
Add the chopped onion, and cook until the onion is soft and the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, peppers, spices, and cornmeal, stirring to combine and allowing to simmer for about 1 minute, just till everything is hot.
Spoon the chili into an ovenproof 2- to 2 1/2-quart crock or casserole dish; add sufficient water to cover.
Cover the dish, with a lid or foil, and bake the chili in a preheated 275\u00b0F oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Stir the chili after 1 hour, adding a bit of tomato juice or water if most of the liquid has evaporated, and it seems dry.
Half an hour before serving, stir in the beans, and cook until heated through. Garnish the chili with fresh cilantro and and grated veggie cheese (with a bit of lime zest added to it), if desired.