This is a vegetarian version of my Cincinnati-Style Chili. (Vegan, actually, if you don’t put cheese on top.) You can make it fat-free by omitting the olive oil, but you won’t get the flavor benefits of the fat-soluble elements in the chili powder or cumin. This is the first time I have ever made it in a slow-cooker, and it was quite successful! The beef version of this chili really does need high heat in the beginning to brown the meat and develop a fond, but the veggies did quite well simply simmering on low for about 8 hours while I went about my day. The other change I made on this round was to use a can of crushed tomatoes instead of diced, which I think was a good change.
