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Tonight I cooked for the first time since I've been back from Oman. It was very exciting to actually use a real recipe and chop veggies and use spices so forth. And, I happened to pick an awesome recipe, which turned out so fantastic that I have to share it with you all. I ate the whole thing, but I have a crazy metabolism, and this amount is probably more likely to serve two or three, particularly if you put it on top of rice or noodles. Adapted from One-Dish Vegetarian Meals by Robin Robertson.

Orange and Thyme Chili

1 TBS olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 1/2 TBS chili powder
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
1/2 TBS brown sugar
Half a 14.5 ounce can of diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 cup salsa (store bought is fine. I really like Trader Joe's 'Salsa Authentica')
1 1/2 cup (1 can) black beans, drained
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tsp orange zest

1. Cook the onion, bell pepper, and jalapeno with the olive oil until softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the chili powder, thyme, paprika, brown sugar, tomatoes, salsa, and beans. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add the orange juice and orange zest. If the chili seems dry, also add 1/2 cup water. Simmer for another 15 minutes.

4. EAT.