very veggie three-bean chili

this is the chili that dreams are made of. when fall arrives and the weather cools, the crockpot comes out. there are many things that can be made in a slow cooker, but chili was destined for it. this recipe has many of the usual suspects, however, i kicked pinto beans out of the club. no hate, i just don't like them in my chili. i find that they don't hold their form and "dissolve" too easily in chili, especially when slow cooking. inevitably, i went with my favorite legume ever: the chickpea. this versatile bean takes on flavor like a champ, so it is no surprise that it is delicious in chili. this recipe made enough to feed three people for dinner, two for lunch the next day, and one for later (i froze a serving for eating in the not so distant fuh-fuh-fuh-ture). these servings, btw, are hearty. go hard or go home.

very veggie three-bean chili

ingredients:

1 onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

2 anaheim chili peppers, diced and seeded

1 large zucchini, diced

4 carrots, sliced and/or diced (i'm sassy, so i did both)

1 – 15-oz can of light red kidney beans

1 – 15-oz can of black beans

1 – 15-oz can of garbanzo beans

1 – 15.25-oz. can of whole kernel corn

1 – 28-oz. can of diced tomatoes (i used ≈ 2 pint jars of home canned diced tomatoes)

1 – 14.5-oz. can of fire roasted tomatoes

3 tbsp chili powder

1½ tsp cumin

½ tsp red pepper flakes

¼ - ½ tsp cayenne (depending how hot you like it)

instructions:

1.) combine all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

[note: i've taken it to 10 hours before, no big whoop.]

Serves: 6

per serving | calories 345 | total fat 3g | saturated fat 0.4g | sodium 649mg | potassium 1,049mg | total carbohydrate 70g | dietary fiber 14g | sugars 7g | protein 17g | vitamin A 128% | manganese 58% | vitamin C 54% | folate 48%| vitamin B-6 42% | iron 30% |calcium 13% |