I'll never forget dorm chili debates during my freshman year at Stephens College in Missouri. My classmates from Texas were horrified with the concept of including tomatoes and beans in a chili recipe. This was a culture shock for me, having grown up with black-bean chili made with ground chuck, hot peppers and tomatoes.

A suitemate from upstate New York introduced me to this version, made without meat. It changed my attitude. Since then, I've tweaked the spices and beans several times. But each time I make it, it reminds me of the first time I sampled this spicy chili.

Donna Pierce writes for the Chicago Tribune, which provided the recipe analysis.

Five-Bean Vegetarian Chili

Serves 8 -- Total time: 40 minutes

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 each, chopped: sweet onion, green bell pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 each, finely chopped: drained chipotle peppers, oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

1 can (about 16 ounces) each, drained: black beans, garbanzo beans, red kidney beans, white kidney beans, cannellini or butter beans

1 can (14 ounces) vegetable broth

2 cups water

1 tablespoon chile powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon each: salt, dried thyme leaves, red-pepper flakes

freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add celery, onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring, until vegetables soften, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Stir in chipotle peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. Add crushed tomatoes, beans, vegetable broth, water, chile powder, cumin, oregano, salt, thyme, red-pepper flakes and black pepper to taste.

Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; lower heat to a simmer. Cover; cook, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes.

Per serving: 324 calories, 6 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 milligrams cholesterol, 59 grams carbohydrate, 15 grams protein, 1,510 milligrams sodium, 18 grams fiber