Vegetarian Skillet Chili

I scaled up this recipe from the NY Times. It's very filling and loaded with fiber and protein. My goals for this modified version were:

1. 4x 2 cup servings that can be frozen. I use 2 cup Souper Cubes.
2. No wasted/partial cans
3. Amp up spices

Ingredients:

• 2 tb Olive oil or grapeseed oil
• 2 lg Onions; chopped
• 5 Garlic cloves; minced
• 1 tb Chili powder; (increased)
• 1 tb Dried oregano
• 3 cn Beans (15oz); drained
• 1 cn Diced tomatoes (28oz); w/ juice
• 1 1/2 ts Kosher salt; (plus more)
• Juice of 1 lime

Optional:

• Pickled onion
• Sour cream or greek yogurt
• Avocado

Directions:

1. Saute Aromatics: Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes.
2. Bloom Spices: Add the minced garlic, chili powder, and oregano. Saute for 1 to 2 minutes until very fragrant. (Do not skip this step; frying the spices ensures the flavor deepens).
3. Simmer: Add the 3 cans of drained beans, the full 28-ounce can of tomatoes (with their juices), and the salt. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 20-25 minutes until the mixture thickens and the tomatoes break down slightly.
4. Final Seasoning: Taste the chili. It should be slightly "over-seasoned" to account for the flavor dulling in the freezer. Add more salt or chili powder if needed. Stir in the lime juice or vinegar now if you aren't planning to add fresh toppings later.
5. Cool and Portion: Remove from heat and let the chili cool completely to room temperature (this prevents ice crystals). Ladle evenly into your four 2-cup silicone molds.
6. Freeze: Place molds in the freezer. Once frozen solid (approx. 12 hours), pop the bricks out and store them in a gallon freezer bag.
7. Reheat: Place one frozen brick in a bowl. Microwave on high for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through.
8. Optional: add toppings – sour cream, avocado, pickled onion

Notes:

• I ended up increasing the spices after tasting significantly. It really depends on your taste
• Definitely don't skip cooling it down, because you will get ice crystals in the freezer