This is one of those fantastic meals which you can chuck all the ingredients into the slow cooker and let it bubble away for hours without giving it any attention. It makes enough to feed a small army (or about 6-8 normal eaters in my family), which means there’s always enough left to freeze for a quick mid-week meal in the next couple of weeks. It’s packed full of great vegetarian/vegan protein, and if you’re not vegan, you can up the protein levels even further by adding a bit of cheese. I always chop up avocado, or make guacamole, and serve this with salsa and a drizzle of sriracha. This is a crowd pleaser, which pleases even the meat eaters in the house.


- 3 cartons/cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp chili powder (I use mild)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into bit sized pieces
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can sweet corn, drained
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
- 2.5 cups boiling water
- 350g soya/vegetarian mince (optional)
- Combine all ingredients in your slow cooker and stir to mix well. Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 5 1/2.
- Serve with grated cheddar cheese, chopped avocado or guacamole, and salsa