Vegan Crock Pot Chili, What Do You Like In Your Chili or Soup?

Hi Friends!  Well it’s officially chilly here!  Or was, two days ago when I made this chili.  It’ll probably warm up and cool down a dozen times before true fall and winter is here, but in the meantime, I made chili on a cold, dreary, windy, miserable day.  The perfect day for this type of food!

Vegan Crock Pot Chili
1 Can (15 oz.) No-Salt Added Kidney Beans
1 Can (15 oz.) Health Valley Brand Organic Vegan Chili.  Yes, I used a can of canned chili as my “starter” for my homemade chili.  Sandra Lee & Semi-Homemade comes to mind.  If you don’t use a can of chili, then use a can of crushed tomatoes and season with onions, garlic, cumin, etc. and add extra beans to taste.
1/2 c water, or to taste
1/3 c chopped carrots
1 Tbsp Chili Powder
1/2 Tbsp Mrs. Dash Chipotle Seasoning
1/4 c Ketchup
1.5 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
2 small potatoes that I microwaved until 90% completion and added in the last hour of cooking

Optional: 
any veggies you have and want to use up from tomatoes to zucchini
garlic
onion
cayenne pepper

Instructions:
Combine Everything into Crock Pot or on Stovetop (except the potatoes) and allow to simmer.  I simmered on medium heat for about 4 hours.  Since basically everything was already cooked with the exception of the carrots, the flavors were simply combining and the chili reducing over the course of the simmering time.  Add more or less water; or adjust cook time & temp to your liking.

If you don’t have a crock pot, you can make this on the stovetop, easily.  

I opted against adding tofu.  I didn’t want mush, so I omitted it.  I could have browned it and then added it but that seemed like too much work. 

Stir to combine everything and I set on medium heat

3 Hours in, I nuked my taters until 90% of the way done, chopped, and added them to the Crock Pot

I decided to make Scott happy and pick up some multigrain bread baguettes, since he loves bread and “hates beans”.   Or so he thought he hated beans.

Chili after 4 hours

Super thick and chunky.  Probably could have added more water, or reduced cook time but the thicker the better for toddlers so the chili goes in the mouth and not down front of shirt.

Remember when I said in my Carmelized Cinnamon Sugar Roasted Chickpea “Peanuts” recipe that Scott had told me he “didn’t like beans”?  

And so did my first-ever attempt at vegan chili in my Crock Pot.   

From yesterday’s post about our Evening Out and how you’d describe your favorite way to spend an evening, most of you said you just like to keep it mellow with your significant other and have a glass of wine, a good meal, and that’s that.

And it was interesting hearing everyone’s take on Picky Eaters.  If you know one and why you attribute them to being this way.   It was interesting that many of you were picky as kids but outgrew it.  Good to know that happens quite a bit it sounds like.

Themed Restaurants seem to be either you love em or hate em.  Most of them are too loud for me.  That’s my #1 reason I just am not a fan.  When I am dining out, I don’t want loud.  Dancing and drinking, loud is cool, but not when I’m eating.  I don’t like to have to shout across the table to my dining companion.

Dessert: High Raw Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls
This is one of the easiest ways to make vegan chocolate chip cookie dough that makes you feel like you’re eating raw cookie dough out of those Pillsbury plastic tubes, without actually doing it.  What can I say, I used to love doing that.  Or eating my mom’s with raw eggs in it as a kid.  

Questions
1. Have you ever made chili?  Or made anything in a Crock Pot?
This was my first attempt at chili and using my crockpot.  Two birds with one stone.

Next up, making my own beans, from scratch.   Something I’m scared of but tons of you have sent me your failsafe bean recipe and cooking tips.  Thank you!

2. What do you like to put in your chili or in your thicker stews/soups, what is a “must have” ingredient?
For me tomatoes are always a hit as well as carrots.  I need to have lots of veggies in my food.  That’s why I am not a huge fan of pureed soups or even smoothies usually; because I love the crunch of veggies.

Also seeing recognizable texture, i.e. a chunk of carrot, celery, or other veggies in my soup is key.  

And they must be seasoned, but not too salty or garlicky for me.  There is nothing worse than bland!

3. What’s on your agenda today?
If I get my act together, I plan to go jeans shopping.  Or at least browse and try on 84 pairs, just a rough guess. 

Did you see my Post on Jeans Shopping and Brands that Everyone Recommended?

and also my Follow Up Post where I gave a Summary of the Brand Recommendations?