Vegan Slow Cooker Idaho® Potato and Bean Mole

Ingredients:

• 2 dried ancho chili peppers
• 2 dried guajillo chili peppers
• ½ dried chipotle or mora chile pepper, optional to make it hotter
• water to cover chili peppers

• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (or dry saute to make oil-free)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1½ cups water
• ½ cup chili cooking water (see instructions)
• 1 bouillon cube
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ⅓ cup tablespoons blanched almonds
• 1 ounce unsweetened dark chocolate
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar or maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• salt, to taste

• 4 cups Idaho® potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (or 1½ cups homemade)
• 1 can pinto or black beans, rinsed and drained (or 1½ cups homemade)

Directions:

1. Toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat. You don't want to overcook or burn them, just to dry them out a bit and cook until they become fragrant.
2. Let cool, then remove the seeds, stem and ribs and discard.
3. Place the flesh of the pepper in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes to reconstitute. Take the pan off the burner and set aside for later.
4. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once hot add the onions and sauté until translucent.
5. Stir in the garlic, cumin, allspice and cinnamon and cook another 2-3 minutes, until the spices become fragrant.
6. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to carefully remove the reconstituted peppers and put them in your blender with all of the sauce ingredients EXCEPT for the salt. Blend until smooth. Taste, add salt and taste again.
7. Add the potatoes, beans and the sauce ingredients to your 3 to 4-quart slow cooker. Cook on low 7-9 hours on low or 4 hours on high.
• Note: If you may be home late add an extra ¼ cup water to make sure the filling doesn't burn.
8. Serve over rice, in tacos or burritos.