Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Quinoa Chilli

Original recipe from The Kitchn, this was a delicious and simple recipe. I changed it a bit to use the slow cooker but you can do it on the stove also. I would leave out the spice for the kids but hubby loved it and he's definitely my toughest critic lol!

Sweet Potato, Black Bean & Quinoa Chilli

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
5 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes
1/2 pound dried black beans, rinsed well (soaked over night)
1 tsp ground chipotle chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt + more to taste
1 1/2 cups sweet potatoes (2-3 small), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 cup corn kernals (optional)
vegan sour cream, to top (optional)
green onions, chopped, to top (optional)
fresh cilantro, chopped, to top (optional)


Method


Slow Cooker Method 
Heat the oil in medium pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 6-7 minutes.
Add garlic, chili powders, and coriander and stir for 1 minute.
Add onion mix to slow cooker.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, beans, and oregano.
Add 5 cups of water and cook on high for around 4-6 hours.
Once beans seem cooked, add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, corn and salt.
Leave slow cooker on high for another hour or so until sweet potato is cooked through but still firm and quinoa is cooked.
Add more water if the chili becomes too thick.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and green onion.

Stove Top Method
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and beginning to brown, 6-7 minutes.
Add garlic, chili powders, and coriander and stir for 1 minute.
Stir in the tomatoes with their juices, beans, and oregano.
Add 5 cups of water and bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar and simmer until beans are flavorful and tender, anywhere from 2 - 4 hours.
After 1 1/2 hours of cooking, add the sweet potatoes, quinoa, corn and salt.
Place the pot's lid back on slightly ajar and allow to simmer on low heat until the beans are soft and the sweet potatoes and quinoa are cooked through.
Add more water if the chili becomes too thick.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Serve with sour cream, cilantro, and green onion.

Mixed Bean Chilli

This is my husband's vegetarian chilli. It's as simple as throwing a whole lot of common ingredients into a slow cooker and letting the flavours fuse together. Obviously you can use dried beans but make sure they have soaked for at least 24 hours prior.

Mixed Bean Chilli

Ingredients

400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
400g can black beans, drained and rinsed
300g can vegan baked beans, incdluing sauce (or home made)**
200g can diced tomatoes, with green chillies (green chillies optional)
2 x 400g can diced tomatoes (fire roasted)
400g can tomato sauce (tomato puree, not ketchup)
400g can sweet corn, including juice
1 can V8 juice
400g dry TVP (optional)
2 Tbls chilli powder
1 Tbls ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp ground corriander seeds
1 Tbls dried basil
4-6 drops liquid smoke (no more) (optional)
1 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 cup water
1 onion, sliced


Method

Add all ingredients to a slow cooker and cook for 6-8 hours. Alternatively you could try and oven safe dish on 200F for the same amount of time but you wouldn't want to leave the house. If doing it on the stove top, fry onion first, then add all ingredients to an extra large pot, bring to boil then simmer on a low heat for 2 hours (testing the beans after that time).
With all methods stir occasionally. Remove bay leaves before serving.

**if you can't find vegan baked beans and don't want to make them you can just use pinto beans and add some ketchup, bbq sauce and some tomato paste.

Bean Casserole

Now that I have a slow cooker I'm keen to start experimenting with it! I made this bean casserole last night and it was delicious and simple.
This can be done on the stove top or in a slow cooker.
I used mixed beans and lentils and soaked them for 24 hours prior. Then I cooked them before the casserole for 4 hours in the slow cooker with stock but you could just as easily cook them with the casserole.

Bean Casserole

Ingredients

1/2 onions, diced
1 cup mixed beans & lentils (pre soaked and/or cooked)
2 potatoes, diced
3 carrots, cut into rounds (I used rainbow carrots)
small bunch of English spinach, chopped
handful of Swiss brown mushrooms
enough vegetable stock to cover the vegetables (around 1 litre)
1 clove garlic, crushed


Method

In a small pan (or large pot if not using slow cooker) fry onions & garlic in a small amount of oil until onions are clear.
If using a slow cooker, add all ingredients (and onion/garlic mix) to the slow cooker and set for 4 hours.
If using the stove top, transfer onion/garlic mix to a large pot and add in potato, carrots, beans and stock.
(If not using pre cooked beans then just add the beans for 30 minutes, then add potato and carrot).
Bring mixture to boil then turn down to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
Once potatoes are cooked through add in the mushrooms and spinach and allow to simmer until excess liquid has simmered off.
If you prefer a liquidy casserole then just wait till mushrooms and spinach have heated through.
Serve with some crusty bread.