Meatless Three Bean Chili

I love my crock pot.  Most nights when we get home and want a home-cooked meal, we end up eating around 9 or 10pm.  With the crock pot, we can come home to a hot meal whether it's a night we get home by 7 or if we have things planned after work and don't get home until after 9.  This recipe is one of our favorites to make.  It's so simple, there's really nothing too it!

We like cheese with our chili (and I like a good dollop of sour cream on top as well....one of the things the husband and I agree to disagree on), so we needed a vegetarian option.  I googled to find one that sounded tasty, and I found this one from CDKitchen.com.  This one's so basic but sounds so delicious.  It says it makes 4 servings, which sounds about right since the two of us usually have 2 bowlfuls each!  We like to have this with blue corn tortilla chips.

Meatless Three Bean Chili (adapted from CDK Kitchen)

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounce size) no-salt-added red kidney beans, rinsed, drained

1 can (15 ounce size) small white beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (15 ounce size) very low sodium black beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (10oz) canned diced tomatoes and green chilies
1 bottle of beer
3 tbsp chocolate syrup
1 tbsp chili powder (if you want to add heat, do 2 tsp chili powder and 1 tsp chipotle or hot Mexican chili powder)
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
dairy sour cream (optional)
shredded Cheddar or Mexican blend cheese (optional)

Directions

- In a slow cooker combine beans, undrained tomatoes, beer, chocolate syrup, chili powder, and Cajun seasoning.

- Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 to 8 hours or on high-heat setting for 3 to 4 hours.

- Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with sour cream and cheese, if desired.