Recipe from Carissa Holley, Community Engagement Lead, Blue Zones Project - Central Maui

Mix in your favorite vegetables, break out your special chili seasoning and get that crock pot going! The combination of vegetables and beans makes this a centenarian powerhouse dish and it’s perfect for the chilly weather – it will warm you up from the inside out.

Ingredients

• 1 brick tempeh, diced small

• 2 Tbs olive oil

• 1 cup dried lentils, rinsed

• 1 dried bay leaf

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomato
• 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can corn, drained
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 3 Tbs chili powder
• 2 Tbs cumin
• 3 Tbs cacao powder
• pinch chili pepper flakes
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°.
2. On a parchment-lined baking pan, toss tempeh with olive oil. Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
3. In a medium pot, combine lentils and 3 cups of water. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the lentils and reserve the bay leaf.
4. In a large (6-8 qt) slow cooker mix together the tempeh, lentils with bay leaf, onion, zucchini, bell peppers, garlic, diced tomato, beans, corn and tomato paste.
5. Gently fold in the oregano, chili powder, cumin, cacao powder, chili pepper flakes, salt and pepper.
6. Cook on low heat for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours.

Download the recipe HERE.