Pumpkin Crock Pot Chili

This recipe if perfect in the fall, although I will make whenever I feel like throwing a bunch of stuff into a crock pot for an easy warm meal later that evening. I also like this recipe because it's a nice change of pace from typical chili recipes, and the sweet and saltiness go together so well to balance each other out. Plus with the brown rice, beans, and different vegetables, you are getting a complete protein meal along with vitamin A from the pumpkin, carrots, or sweet potatoes, and lycopene from the fresh tomatoes!

Ingredients

4 large tomatoes chopped finely
2 cups chopped carrots or sweet potatoes
1 large finely diced onion
1 cup of brown rice
2 cans of cooked pinto beans
1 can of cooked black beans
1 can of 100% pumpkin puree
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 Tablespoon cumin powder
1 Tablespoon chili powder
2 Tablespoons cinnamon powder
salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast to taste


Throw everything into a slow cooker and set heat to high for 8-10 hours, then enjoy at the end of a long day! You can really change this recipe up however you want. I almost never make the exact same thing twice. I usually just combine things from my kitchen until I end up with something I like.