Veggie Chili with Cornbread Topping

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and fry until lightly browned.

Next, add the garlic and all the spices, and fry for 1 minute.

Add the sun-dried tomatoes to the pan (remove any excess oil if using tomatoes in oil).

Drain and rinse the canned beans, then transfer them to the saucepan along with the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and dark chocolate.

Bring the chilli to a boil and let it simmer with the lid on for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the chili is simmering, prepare the cornbread batter.

In a medium bowl, whisk the egg and milk until well-combined.

In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.

Preheat the oven to 375. Spray a deep 9x13" baking dish.

After the chili has simmered for 40 minutes, remove it from the heat and stir in the bell peppers and jalapeno. Stir in the lime juice and season with salt.

Pour the chili into the deep baking dish.

Pour cornbread batter on top, spreading with a spatula to make sure the chili is covered completely.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cornbread is fully cooked and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it sit for 10 minutes.