If you love spicy food but you don't love thick hearty chili, then this dish is perfect for you.  It's got the heat and flavor of chili, but is brothy and light.  This made for a delicious lunch and is super easy, considering all I did was throw everything in my slow cooker.  In fact, I put everything together in about 10 minutes before D and I left for church.  When we got home there were very enticing aromas filling our apartment.  

 The soup is mild up front but packs a little bit of a punch going down.  Chalk it up to the jalapeño.  

What You'll Need:

4 cups broth or water + bullion

1 white onion

1 medium zucchini, chopped

15 oz (1 can) kidney beans

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp chili powder

1 1/2 t cracked white pepper

1 jalapeño, sliced with seeds removed

1/4 fresh oregano, chopped

1 package tempeh, cubed

How You'll Do It:

Slow Cooker:  Set to high for 3 hours. Add onion and jalapeño first, while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.  Add water/broth, then veggies, bean, and tempeh.  Add spices and herbs.  Cover and cook for 3 hours.  Taste before serving and adjust seasonings as needed.

Stove Top:  In a large pot, saute onion and jalapeño in a T of water.  Prepare other veggies and add veggies, bean, tempeh, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.  Add in herbs and spices.  Simmer on low for 45-60 minutes.  Taste before serving and adjust seasonings as needed.

Why You'll Love It:

   Tempeh is a soy-based food.  It is very high in protein and helps reduce LDL cholesterol.  It is merely a couple of bucks for a whole package, so it's a very economical purchase.  It has a nutty flavor and like tofu, is a chameleon.  Tempeh may be hard for some to eat if you have 'texture issues', but this recipe is my favorite way to eat tempeh so far!  It soaks up the flavor of the spices and is very soft.  If you're interested in trying another unique meal with tempeh, check out VeganDad's recipe for Peanut Tempeh with Noodles.