Chili Cornbread Bake

Helllloooo! It is winter. And while the weather is calming and beautiful, it is also REAL cold. On those days where the snow is coming down and the heater is going up, there is nothing to do but make some good ol' comfort food in the oven. This recipe is adapted from something I ate while I worked in a daycare--before I went vegan. Once I quit eating meat, I wanted to copy the recipe but could not find ONE, SINGLE recipe without meat! So, I created one! I love that this dish makes a ton of food and doesn't cost much money. It's great for meal prep.

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Ingredients:
-1 yellow onion
-1 red bell pepper
-1 jalapeno
-1 12oz bag frozen corn kernels
-2 cups cooked black beans (kidney or white beans would also be great)
-1 15oz can tomato sauce
-3 cloves garlic, crushed
-1 1/2 cups AND 2/3 cup vegetable broth (see my recipe here)
-2 teaspoons each salt and pepper
-1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon chili powder
-1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cumin
-1 teaspoon mustard powder
-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
-2 boxes, 8.5 oz each Jiffy Vegetarian cornbread mix
-2 egg replacers (I used Bob's Red Mill Vegetarian Egg Replacer)*
-1 cup shredded cheese (preferably cheddar) **

*You can also use 2 flax eggs. (1 tablespoon ground flax seeds soaked in 3 tablespoons of water) If you aren't vegan, use eggs.
**Alex eats cheese and so I mix this into his portion. If you're vegan, you can try Daiya cheese or leave it out. It's just as tasty without the cheese!

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Finely chop both peppers and onion. Saute in a large skillet on medium-high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add frozen corn, black beans, tomato sauce, crushed garlic and 1 1/2 cups of vegetable broth to skillet. Add seasonings, stir, and let cook on low-medium for about 15 minutes or until the mixture turns a deep red and everything is soft.

After about 10 minutes, mix both cornbread packages, remaining 2/3 cup of broth, and egg replacers in a large bowl. Stir in shredded cheese, if using. Allow to sit for about 4 minutes.

Remove chili from heat and pour into a large 9x13 casserole dish. Spoon cornbread on top and carefully spread around to create an even layer.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the cornbread topping is cooked through and the chili has thickened. Allow to cool. Garnish with parsley or cilantro and serve!