Crockpot Vegetable & Chickpea Curry

My crockpot hasn't gotten much use since we started really cutting back on the meat.  You just don't see that many vegetarian crockpot recipes, so I had to give this one a try.  It was DELISH!  But then - I love coconut-curry dishes.

1 Tab. olive oil
1 1/2 c. onion, chopped
1 c. carrot, 1/4" thick slices
1-2 Tab. curry powder (or I made my own - see below)
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger, grated with microplane
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 serrano chile, minced
3 c. cooked chickpeas/garbanzo beans (I used 2 cans, rinsed & drained.)
1 1/2 c. potato, peeled & cubed to small bite size
1 c. bell pepper, diced
1 c. green beans, trimmed and cut to 1" pieces
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. red/cayenne pepper
1 (14oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1 (14oz) can vegetable broth (I substituted 1 tsp. Better than Boullion + 2 c. water)
3 c. baby spinach
1-2 c. coconut milk (light is fine)
lemon wedges

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and carrot.  Cover and cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add curry powder, sugar, ginger, garlic and chile.  Cook 1 minute, stirring.

In large crockpot, combine onion mixture, chickpeas, and next 8 ingredients (through broth).  Cover and cook on high 6 hours or until vegetables are tender.  Add spinach and coconut milk.  Stir until spinach wilts.  Serve over couscous or rice with fresh lemon juice squeezed over the top.

In case you don't have curry powder, but do have the following ingredients, you can make your own...

Curry Powder:
1 tsp. coriander, ground
3/4 tsp. cumin, ground
few shakes mustard powder
few shakes fennel seeds
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. black pepper
few shakes nutmeg, ground
1 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ginger
few shakes cayenne