Quick Emergency Black Bean Chili

Growing up in California, I was prepared at a very early age for earthquakes. I felt a tremor here and there when I was young but didn't experience my first true emergency until high school when the Northridge earthquake hit. Eventhough there was damage to some of the homes in our neighborhood, our home was unscathed. We only had to live without water and power for about 24 hours. My father thought it was the greatest thing...just like the ol' days on the farm. I don't think we really had an "emergency" supply of food or anthing, but somehow we managed to eat leftovers/pantry supplies and used the grill to cook food.

Now that I live here in Virginia, I actually DO need to have some emergency food on hand. Just a couple of weeks after we moved here, Hurricane Irene hit, and a power pole on our street went down. We were without power for 5 days. In an all-electric house, that isn't much fun. No lights. No stove. No hot water. I was so thankful that I had picked up the very last camping stove at Walmart in the days before the hurricane hit. We were able to cook some food and heat water to clean the dishes.

In the year since the hurricane, we've lost power several times -- at least twice this summer. I've found myself scrambling to find something that I can cook on my campstove. This recipe is of the dump-it-in-the-pan and heat it variety. It's pretty healthy, and all the ingredients can be stored for emergencies.

Quick Emergency Black Bean Chili

1 can (15.25 oz) no-salt whole kernel sweet corn, drained
2 cans (15.5 oz) black beans, undrained
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
3 - 4 Tablespoons homemade taco seasoning mix
tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, combine the canned ingredients and the water. Add taco seasoning mix, and adjust the amount according to your tastes. Simmer for about 25 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

If it's not an emergency and you actually have access to refrigerated ingredients, you can also top the chili with shredded cheese, sour cream, and avocado.

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For other healthier recipes, check out Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free. For "emergency" recipes, stop by Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as MOM.