When I was a kid, my stepmother made a mean vegetarian chili, and my dad has since adapted the recipe by adding okra, vegetarian ground beef, and more of everything else. I guess I’ve learned that you can pretty much include whatever you want when it comes to chili. So here’s what I came up with this week:

Steamy.

No recipe—just beans, diced tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, TVP chunks, quinoa, garlic, and spices. (To taste.) It cost about $7 for four large servings, and the cost of the biscuits was negligible (seriously, look up a recipe for drop biscuits—it’s quick and easy and definitely better than storebought). Last time I bought a large chili in Manhattan, I spent $6.50, so using that cost, this saved me $19. And the proceeds go to…

http://www.ifaw.org

The International Fund for Animal Welfare was involved in the formation of ARCH (Animal Relief Coalition for Haiti), which has been assisting in the relief efforts in Haiti where animals are concerned, including food, water, and vaccinations. It’s important that both people and animals continue to be protected, since it’s not over yet just because people stopped tweeting about it.