Meatless Monday – It’s Chili Outside

I love a flexible recipe, and this one for vegetarian chili fits the bill.  You can add in any number of ingredients depending on what you have on hand.

Chili photo via Flickr by Will Clayton

Ingredients:

• 1 28oz can chopped tomatoes {I love to use Muir Glen Fire roasted}
  
• 1 15oz can red kidney beans {add 2 cans of beans if you don’t want to use the meatless crumbles]
  
• 12 oz package of meatless crumbles {rinse and crumble before adding to remove sodium}
  
• 1/2 an ancho chile finely chopped
  
• 2 carrots finely chopped
  
• 1/3 c. quinoa
  
• 1/2 onion finely chopped
  
• I also had some cauliflower which I finely chopped. {this is what i mean about the flexibility, as long as it is chopped fine}
  
• 1 T chile powder
  
• 1/2 t. curry powder
  
• 1T honey
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• red pepper flakes to taste
  
• one beer-the tastier, the better {his gives the flavors an unexplainable depth and the alcohol cooks away}

Put everything together in a Crockpot and cook on high until it is bubbling, turn down to low and let it cook all day. {at least 3 hours, but up to 8} If you find it with a bit too much liquid at the end-turn up to high for a while and cook with the lid off.

 Garnish  with shredded cheese, dollop of sour cream or yogurt, chopped cilantro, jalapeño peppers, chopped avocado {use any or all of the list depending on your tastes} As you can see from above-ours gets everything!
This will make enough for 4 hearty eaters-stretch it out with salad and bread if need be.
PS-I’ve had to re-think my post of last Monday{as often happens when I think I have a good blogging idea} -Cooking Through Meatless Monday.  I will still be cooking my way through super natural everyday, but I know my readers want recipes, so I’ll post that series when a link is available to the recipes from the author.