When I decided to venture deeper into the vegetarian world, I have to admit that I was a bit lost. However, this presented a great opportunity to test those “best of the slow cooker” recipes that arrive in my inbox. I was skeptical after trying so many bad recipes when I first started using my Crock-Pot but I was also up for a challenge, or better said, challenging the recipes that call themselves the best.
Typically, a chili recipe for me must involve meat, but  not poultry. There have been plenty of opportunities to try a white meat or white bean chili, and I have never been brave enough. Somehow though, going meatless all together didn’t seem quite as scary, and as I learned with this recipe it was actually quite enjoyable. I started with a Betty Crocker Three Bean Chili recipe that landed in my e-mail inbox, made a couple of modifications based on my pantry, and the result was delicious. If you’re feeling skeptical about going vegetarian when it comes to chili, this is a good place to start. It was delicious!
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chick peas), rinsed and drained
1 15-ounce can small red beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup dried lentils, rinsed
2 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
1 envelope chili seasoning mix
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (don’t drain)
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
What’s next:
Mix all ingredients in slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours.
For an optional added garnish, add 1/2 an avocado, sliced, and grated cheddar cheese.
Notes from my experience:
This recipe was so easy that I literally threw it together.
If the chili seems a little thick at the end of cooking, go ahead and add some water, 1/2 cup at a time.
I don’t believe in chili without cheese and while the chili alone was tasty, the added avocado and cheese were really amazing.
