Happy Tuesday, everyone! Forgive me for missing yesterday’s “Meatless Monday,” but now that every day is meatless round these parts, it can be hard to remember. Besides, yesterday I was up to my eyeballs in boxer shorts. That’s right, boxer shorts! After 9 months of veganism, my husband has lost a whopping 15 pounds! He happily eats like a horse, but the pounds – as Paul Simon says, slip-sliding away! So this weekend, my husband culled his wardrobe. Call it the vegan equivalent of hunting, his castoff clothing filled 6 trash bags. If I hadn’t schlepped it all to Goodwill yesterday, even our dog would be wearing boxers, and she’s a Rottie, for pete’s sake!
Anyway, onto the recipe! And what a recipe.. Ooooh, if you like chili, you are going to LOVE THIS. Hot, filling, supremely satisfying, not to mention absolutely delicious, unbelievably flavorful, almost work-free (thank you, slow cooker), fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-sodium, AND vegan too! Subtly sweet, spicy – yet not overpoweringly hot, it truly is the best of all chili worlds.
As in last week’s Slow Cooker Minestrone, I used V8 Low Sodium Vegetable Juice here instead of broth, but you can of course substitute your choice of stock, or even water if you’d prefer. This chili makes a terrific meal on its own, or if the mood strikes, use as a filling for fabulous low-sodium tacos or burritos. Spoon over steamed rice, quinoa, couscous, or other whole grain. Use as a sauce for your favorite pasta. Top hot baked potatoes, broccoli, or other veg. Drizzle over a platter of salt-free tortilla chips for guilt-free nachos. Or, do like I did last night, and pair with a simple cilantro-lime brown rice and sliced ripe avocado. Talk about AMAZING.
Serves 8.
SODIUM CONTENT: 87 mg per serving
INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, diced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 medium stalks celery, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2-15-oz. cans no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed
2-15-oz. cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with juice
6 T. no-salt-added tomato paste
2 c. low-sodium vegetable juice
1/4 c. red wine
2 T. agave nectar
2 T. ground cumin
2 t. dried oregano
1 1/2 t. ground coriander
1 t. ground chili powder
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. ground cinnamon
freshly ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
Place all ingredients into a slow cooker and stir well. Cover, set to high, and cook 6 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve hot.
This sounds yummy – and the slow cooker minestrone recipe was awesome!! Since I didn’t have agave nectar or red wine in the house, I eliminated those. AND since I don’t like tomatoes, I substituted 2 small cans tomato paste. It was great!
Awesome, Carol! So great to hear and clever thinking about the paste!
Since I am not a fan of sweet potatoes, do you think it would be okay to use just regular potatoes instead?
Hi Mira! You could definitely swap potatoes and see what you think. Or, if you prefer, you could even try a winter squash, such as butternut, which would give a similar subtle sweetness. Best of luck!
I will Definitely make this as well. I made a batch of your minestrone soup and it is fabulous. I am still eating off of it. I so appreciate you sharing your recipes with us. It makes it so much easier. I especially thank you for turning me onto the low-sodium V8. I will use that from now on as my soup base.
You’re so welcome, Lucy! Truly is my pleasure! Hope you enjoy this chili as much as the soup.