Stop Light Vegetarian Chili

2 tablespoons of oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 small onion
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 yellow Pepper, chopped
One finely chopped jalapeno, seeded (can be omitted if you prefer a less spicy chili)
1 can of chili beans, chickpeas or black beans, according to preference
2 tablespoons of chili powder, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon of cumin
2 tablespoons of Trader Joe's tomato paste, or more for a thicker chili
1 box of Trader Joe's Tomato Starter Sauce, or one can of tomato sauce
1 cup of beer, such as Bavarian Style Hefeweizen, or water
1 cup of Trader Joe's frozen sweet corn
12 ounces of vegetarian meat crumbles

This recipe gets its name from the red, green and yellow vegetables, as TJ's conveinetly sells its peppers in rainbow packs. Chili is one of the most versatile meal you can make in a slow cooker. You can also try adding shredded carrot and or celery (Trader Joe's Mirepoix), chipotle peppers or adobo sauce for a smoky flavor, or diced or fire roasted tomatoes. You can even add molasses and apple juice to make a sweet chili. As this cooks all day, the spicy aroma will fill your kitchen.

Directions-
Saute the onion, garlic and peppers in a large pan with the oil, until onions are translucent about ten minutes. Add in the chili powder and other spices, including salt and black pepper. Take the veggies from the pan and put into a 4-6 quart slow cooker, along with the other ingredients except for the veggie crumbles. It is recommended not to fill the cooker more than 3/4 of the way full, to prevent overflow. Allow the chili to cook for 6-8 hours. Avoid lifting the lid, as it will increase the cooking time. During the last half hour of cooking, add in the veggie crumbles, stir in and replace the lid.

For a sweet accompaniment serve with Trader's Joe's cornbread mix, or with Trader Joe's shredded mexican cheese blend and Trader Joe's Organic Spaghetti noodles for a Cincinnati style meal.

This makes for some great leftovers, and freezes well.

It can also make an easy casserole-make the above chili as directed, boil some rotini or penne, mix chili in well, top with shredded cheese and place in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melty.

Serves 6 or more



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