Slow Cooker Vegetarian Chili with Quinoa

Do you have a love affair with your slow cooker? 

For someone who works full time and doesn’t get home until dinner time, or even for the stay-at-home mom who’s day is consumed with running around after kids, shuttling them to and from school and sports, a slow cooker is a saving grace. It affords you to opportunity to make a fabulous meal, that is ready to serve the moment you get home. You don’t have to worry about cooking an elaborate meal or spending even more of your energy in the kitchen. One pot does it all for you.

It’s a genius invention if you ask me. And the perfect vehicle for a sensational vegetarian chili like this.

So why don’t I use my slow cooker more often? Honestly, I think it’s because using a slow cooker is about changing the way you prepare a meal, and I haven’t really experimented with it enough. But I can say that whenever I do make something in my slow cooker, I’m thrilled with the results. A perfect, throw-together, one pot meal.

In the morning, I’m on a schedule. I know, pretty much down to the minute, how long it takes me to do everything to get ready for work (and yet, I still find myself running late for work every single day – it’s funny how that happens, huh?). And fixing a slow cooker meal breaks my routine. It may sound silly, but my mornings are me time. Not a time to spend worrying about dinner.

But what about those nights when I come home from work, totally exhausted, where making dinner is the last thing I want to do. My options? Sandwiches. Eggs. Takeout. Leftovers. Freezer Digging. Blah. Boring. No thanks.

I’d much rather scoop a hot bowl of vegetarian chili out of my slow cooker.

What about you? Are you with me?

 

Print

prep time

10 mins

cook time

8 hours

total time

8 hours 10 mins

 

Ingredients

• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28 oz) can Fire Roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 (28 oz) can water
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 (15 oz) cans chili beans
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 – 2 teaspoons salt (more or less to taste)
• ½ teaspoon chili flakes (more or less to taste)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a slow cooker, minus the quinoa, and turn on high. After 2 – 3 hours, turn the crock pot down to low and keep covered for another 4 – 6 hours. (Alternately, you could just leave the slow cooker on low for 8 hours).
2. Before you’re ready to serve, remove the lid and turn back to high for another 30 minutes.
3. Stir in the quinoa, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

Notes

gluten-free | dairy-free | vegan

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This post was shared on Whole Food Fridays

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