Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili

Slow-Cooker Black Bean-Mushroom Chili

From EatingWell.com
Black beans, earthy mushrooms, and tangy tomatillos combine with a variety of spices and smoky chipotles to create a fantastic full-flavored chili. It can simmer in the slow cooker all day, which makes it perfect for a healthy supper when the end of your day is rushed.

Yields: Makes 10 servings, generous 1 cup each
Total Time: 6 hr 15 min
Prep Time: 25 min

Ingredients
1 pound(s) (2 1/2 cups) dried black beans, rinsed
1 tablespoon(s) extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup(s) mustard seeds
2 tablespoon(s) chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon(s) cumin seeds or ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon(s) cardamom seeds or ground cardamom
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 pound(s) mushrooms, sliced
8 ounce(s) tomatillos (see Tips & Techniques), husked, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup(s) water
5 1/2 cup(s) mushroom broth or vegetable broth
1 can(s) (6 ounce) tomato paste
1 tablespoon(s) minced canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (see Tips & Techniques)
1 1/4 cup(s) grated Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup(s) reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup(s) chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, cut into wedges

Directions
Soak beans overnight in 2 quarts water. (Alternatively, place beans and 2 quarts water in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 1 hour.) Drain the beans, discarding soaking liquid.
Combine oil, mustard seeds, chili powder, cumin, and cardamom in a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven. Place over high heat and stir until the spices sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add onions, mushrooms, tomatillos, and water. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are juicy, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover and stir often until the juices evaporate and the vegetables are lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Add broth, tomato paste, and chipotles; mix well.
Place the beans in a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. Pour the hot vegetable mixture over the beans. Turn heat to high. Put the lid on and cook until the beans are creamy, 5 to 8 hours.
Garnish each serving with cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and a sprinkling of cilantro. Serve with lime wedges. Stovetop variation: Total: 4 1/2 hours In Step 2, increase broth to 81/2 cups. Omit Step 3. Add the beans to the Dutch oven; cover and simmer the chili gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the beans are creamy to bite, about 3 hours. Carb Servings: 2 starch, 2 1/2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat protein, 1 fat. Carbohydrate Servings: 2. Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (52% daily value), Folate (47% dv), Iron (22% dv), Potassium (21% dv).

Tips & Techniques
Chipotle peppers are dried, smoked jalapeño peppers. Ground chipotle chile pepper can be found in the specialty spice section of most supermarkets. Chipotle chiles in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful sauce. Look for the small cans with the Mexican foods in large supermarkets. Once opened, they'll keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer. Tomatillos are tart, plum-size green fruits that look like small, husk-covered green tomatoes. Find them in the produce section near the tomatoes. Remove the outer husk and rinse them well before using.