Black-Eye and Vegetable Chili

Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook, p. 64

1 cup finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1 cup finely chopped red or green pepper, or mixture of two

1 garlic clove, minced

4 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

14 ½-oz. can diced tomatoes

3 cups cooked black-eyed beans, or 2 15-oz. cans black-eyed beans, drained

4-oz. can chopped green chilies

¾ cup orange juice

¾ cup water, or broth

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. water

½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Combine all ingredients [in slow cooker] except cornstarch, 2 Tbsp. water, cheese, and cilantro.

Stir firmly. Show those peas/beans who's boss.

Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or High 4 hours.

Dissolve cornstarch in water. Stir into soup mixture 30 minutes before serving.

Gotta thicken it up just enough to be interesting.

Garnish individual servings with cheese and cilantro.

I used just a smidge more cheese than the recipe called for. And since it's really low-cal, I didn't have to feel bad about doing that!

My Rating: 4/5 "Black-eyed peas always need a little something, you know? I know they're lucky, but I don't want to have to dread eating them, especially on a holiday like New Year's. Fortunately all of the layers of flavor in this give you exactly what you wish your peas had all along. It's really tasty and pretty damn good for you."