Vegetarian Chili

All of this has to fit in the slow cooker.

I used to be a vegetarian. Twice. The first time was in high school. I think it was a mild form of rebellion, growing up in a meat and potatoes area where missing school or work because it’s deer hunting season is a perfectly legitimate excuse. The second time was my first year of college. That was mostly because the dining hall meat freaked me out. What I’m getting at is that I can appreciate a good vegetarian meal. I have my own recipe for vegetarian chili which mostly involves dumping anything that looks like it could belong in chili in a pot and cooking it with beans and tomatoes. This is surprisingly tasty. Since I’m all about trying new things and this seemed really easy, I thought I would try this recipe for Vegetarian Chili from the Food Network website.

This recipe is so simple to make; the only thing you have to chop is an onion, pepper, pickled jalapenos and some garlic. The rest is just opening cans and putting their contents in a slow cooker. I just realized I haven’t used my slow cooker since April 2012 when I made some pulled pork, and I don’t know why I ignored it for so long because it’s so easy to use. There isn’t much better than being gone all day, unlocking the door, and being greeted by the aroma of dinner, just waiting for you to eat. Unless the power goes out mid-way through the cooking cycle and you end up with lukewarm chicken (this happened to me once). If all goes as planned, my crock pot and I are about to get a lot closer in the coming weeks.

Lucky for me, chili allows for lots of substitutions. The recipe uses four kinds of beans: black, cannellini, red kidney, and lima beans. When I reached into the cupboard to get my can of black beans, I realized that the expiration date said August 2012. I decided not to risk it, botulism and all. “No problem,” I thought. “I’ll just use these pinto beans instead.” Turns out the pinto beans also expired in August 2012. I guess it’s been longer since I’ve cooked than I thought. Scouring the cabinets for anything resembling beans, I found that my only options were chickpeas or lentils. Lentils make good soup, so I used about 1/2-2/3 a cup of those instead. I also love lots of spice in my food, so I tossed in some chipotle chili powder, cayenne pepper, and a little extra hot sauce.

In the morning

8 hours later

The end product was very tasty, but not unique or mind-blowing. It probably ranks somewhere in the middle compared to all the chili I’ve ever eaten. Any less spice and it would’ve been too bland, but that can be adjusted based on individual taste. It also had a very liquid consistency, but this is a minor grievance since the liquid can just be ladled out.  Instead of topping the chili with cheese like the recipe suggests, I ate mine with sour cream and cilantro.

On the plus side, this is a very healthy dish. The recipe makes about 11 cups, and each cup only contains 157 calories, 0g fat, 32g carbohydrates, 9g protein, and 9g fiber. I also made a pan of cornbread to go with the chili, which was a nice combination for a snowy evening.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 4 cups reduced-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can white (cannellini) beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup frozen baby lima beans or regular lima beans
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced pickled jalapeno (from can or jar)
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons dried Mexican oregano or regular oregano
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 to 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1/3 cup couscous
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a slow cooker, combine all ingredients but the couscous, shredded cheese, cilantro and salt and pepper. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Five to 10 minutes before serving (depending on temperature of slow cooker) add couscous, cover and cook, until couscous is tender. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Just before serving, top each serving with shredded cheese and cilantro.