IN THE POT | VEGETARIAN CHILI

I made this dish on the weekend and we’ve been eating it ever since.  It makes a mountain of chil, so be prepared.

I was surprised that it was more soup like than what I thought it would be.  I was expecting something that could have been served on nachos or in a burrito, but you totally need a bowl for this one.

I ended up adding mince to it a day after to try and give it a little bit more appeal to HUBBY and see if that would thicken it up.  It did to an extent, but it’s still soup like.  I’m sure I could have added cornflour to it to get it to thicken.

We actually made a corn chip bake type dish with it on Monday night – just put a layer of corn chips in a lasagne dish, put the meat enhanced chili over the top, some diced tomato and a layer of cheese and then baked in the over until the cheese melted.  Great idea, except because the chili was so watery the chips turned to mush. But you could avoid that if you “drain” the chili before using it.  (Something HUBBY didn’t think to do before making his masterpiece.)

It’s not a bad dish and again it’s a slow cooker recipe so it’s easy to just put on and leave.

Vegetarian Chili

3 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed, plus 6 cups water or soupstock

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 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 soy sauce

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

1.  Turn an 8 – 10 qt crockpot on high

2.  Add cooked beans, cooking liquid or water, bulgar or cracked wheat, tomato paste, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick to the crockpot

3.  After sauteing 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.

Source: Savvy Vegetarian