Zoë's Vegetarian Chili, Slow Cooker or Crockpot Recipe

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups cooked kidney beans, with 6 cups cooking liquid
• OR: 3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed, plus 6 cups water or stock
• 1 cup bulgar or cracked wheat
• One 6 oz can unsalted tomato paste
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• Optional: 1 can crushed or chopped tomatoes
• Optional: Hot sauce to taste
• Optional: 1 medium red onion, peeled, quartered and diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 cup brown lentils

• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 medium carrot, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced small
• 1 jalapeno peppers, halved, seeded, and minced - approx. 1 Tbsp ((add another for more heat)
• 1 - 2 Tbsp fresh ginger (2 - 4 thin slices) peeled & minced, OR 1 tsp dried
• 2 - 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced (approx. 1 Tbsp)
• 1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder to make it mild, 1 tsp to make it hot, more to make it fiery
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cinnamon stick
• 2 tsp each: paprika, gr. cumin, coriander

• 1 tsp each: dried thyme, basil, oregano
• 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 1/2 c. minced parsley or cilantro
• 2 Tbsp Braggs Liquid Aminos, or low sodium soy sauce
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Kidney beans:

1. 1 cup dried dark red kidney beans
2. Soak 4 hours in hot water, or overnight
3. Drain, rinse, add 6 cups unsalted water
4. Bring to a boil, skim foam, cover and simmer 2 hours

Chili Directions:

1. Add bulgar & tomato paste to lentils and kidney beans + cooking liquid or water
2. Add bay leaf and cinnamon stick
3. Return to boil, cover and simmer
4. Preheat sauté pan or frying pan on medium-low and add oil
5. Prep veggies
6. Sauté minced garlic, ginger and jalapeno on medium heat for 5 minutes
7. Add remaining veggies and sauté 5 more minutes
8. Add remaining spices, sauté another five minutes
9. Transfer the veggies to the bean + bulgar mix, cook another 30 minutes
10. Add corn, parsley or cilantro, and braggs or soy sauce to taste
11. Cook for a few more minutes and serve

Slow Cooker or Crockpot Chili Directions:

1. Turn an 8 - 10 qt crockpot on high
2. Add cooked beans, cooking liquid or water, bulgar or cracked wheat, lentils, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to the crockpot
3. After sautéing the veggies & spices, transfer them to the slow cooker
4. Reduce crockpot heat to low, cover and cook 4 - 6 hrs
5. Add corn, minced parsley or cilantro, Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce to taste. Cover and cook for another 1/2 hr on high heat.

Cooking Tips

Vegetarian chili is a great vegan meal by itself, or with salad and cornbread. Good with sour cream or parmesan cheese - non-dairy or dairy. You can also use black beans in this recipe, or a mixture of red chili beans & black beans, as pictured.

Note: If you're going to soak and cook beans, it's worth making extra, to freeze in small amounts for future meals (think soup).