Why slave over a hot stove when this delicious chili makes itself in a crock pot or electric pressure cooker?
3 ounces dates (approximately 12 Deglet Noor)
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) of salt-free diced tomatoes, fire roasted preferred
1 pound red bell pepper (approximately 2 large)
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound red lentils
8 cups water
1 can (6 ounces) salt-free tomato paste
10 ounces of chopped onion (approximately 1 large)
4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1½ tablespoons parsley flakes
1½ tablespoons dried oregano
1½ tablespoons salt-free chili powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ teaspoon chipotle powder (or more to taste)
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1. Blend the dates, tomatoes, red bell pepper and garlic in a blender until smooth.
2. Transfer this mixture to an electric pressure cooker, and add the remaining ingredients, and cook on high for 10 minutes. (Alternatively, place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours.)
Notes: This chili is delicious over a baked Yukon Gold potatoes, potato waffles or brown rice.
Chef AJ has been devoted to a plant-based diet for almost 40 years, and is proud to say that her IQ is higher than her cholesterol. She is the host of the television series Healthy Living with Chef AJ, which airs on Foody TV, and also hosts a weekly podcast of the same name. As a comedienne as well as a chef, she has made appearances on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and The Late Show with David Letterman. She is the author of the popular books The Secrets to Ultimate Weight Loss: A Revolutionary Approach to Conquer Cravings, Overcome Food Addiction and Lose Weight Without Going Hungry, and Unprocessed, the co-producer of Healthy Taste of L.A., and the creator of the Ultimate Weight Loss Program, which has helped hundreds of people achieve the health and body they deserve. Chef AJ was also the executive pastry chef at Santé Restaurant in Los Angeles, where she was famous for her sugar-, oil-, salt- and gluten-free desserts, which used the fruit, the whole fruit, and nothing but the whole fruit. Chef AJ holds a certificate in Plant-Based Nutrition from eCornell University and is a member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine.
