Every Sunday we try to make something in the slow cooker that we can eat a few days for lunch. Most weeks this is some type of bean dish since beans are cheap, versatile, and delicious. This week, with the beginning of tomatillo season, we decided to start this tomatillo chili over night and in the morning we were greeted with delicious smells and the promise of a few good lunches to look forward to.

Slow Cooker Tomatillo Chili

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups dry pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP)
• 1 pound tomatillos, husked, washed, and diced
• 2 medium yellow onions, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium jalapenos, diced (seeded if you prefer less heat)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 whole dried chipotle peppers
• 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
• 1/2 cup diced cilantro
• 6 cups water
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a slow cooker. Cover and set the slow cooker to high heat.
2. Cook until beans are soft, 6-8 hours.

Note: This recipe does not require soaked beans. However, if you use soaked beans reduce cooking time to 2 or 3 hours.