Crockpot Chili

This is a simple chili recipe that takes less than an hour of actual work. Use at least a four or five-quart crockpot, because this recipe makes a lot of food. I enjoy it with cornbread (the Post-Punk Kitchen has a good recipe) or tortilla chips.

Ingredients

2 large or 4 small boullion cubes
2 cans kidney beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can black beans
1 can great white northern beans
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste

1/4 cup vegan butter
2 yellow onions, diced
4 stalks celery, diced
2 red peppers, diced
4 jalapenos, seeded and minced
4 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
4 bay leaves
2 dried New Mexico chiles, seeded (optional)
2 dried California chiles, seeded (optional)

2 tbsp chili powder (4 tbsp if omitting dried chiles)
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp cayenne
15 cracks or 1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp molasses
1 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (optional)
1 can corn, drained
1 cup TVP


Equipment

Large crockpot
Saute pan


Instructions

Drain the cans of beans and dump the beans in the crockpot with the boullion cubes, tomatoes and tomato paste. Set the crockpot to high.

Saute the vegetables in the vegan butter at medium-high. Start with the onions and add the peppers, celery and jalapenos after a few minutes. After a few more minutes add the garlic and saute till fragrant, then toss the vegetables into the crockpot.

Now place the bay leaves and dried peppers into the pan and saute until the bay leaves start to brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add these to the crockpot as well.

Clean your kitchen and go do something else for two to three hours.

After the beans have been cooking for about three hours, come back to the kitchen. Fish through the chili and try to remove the bay leaves and whole chiles.

Blend the cornstarch and spices together in a small bowl, and add enough water to make a smooth liquid. Stir that into the crockpot. Add the remaining ingredients (molasses, Bragg's Aminos, corn and TVP), stir, and let simmer for an hour.

This is a good time to make some vegan cornbread.


Variations

For stove-top chili, saute the veggies, bay leaves and chiles in a large soup pot. Once they're approaching tenderness, add the beans, tomatoes and boullion and simmer for 30 minutes. Toss in all the other ingredients and simmer for another 30 minutes.