Spicy Chipotle Black-Eyed Peas

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 cup chopped orange bell pepper

1 cup chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrot

1 cup chopped onion

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 (16 ounce) packages dry black-eyed peas

4 cups water

4 teaspoons vegetable bouillon base (such as Better Than Bouillon® Vegetable Base)

1 (7 ounce) can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped, sauce reserved

2 teaspoons liquid mesquite smoke flavoring

2 teaspoons ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a skillet; cook and stir the orange bell pepper, celery, carrot, onion, and garlic in the hot oil until the onion is translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a slow cooker; mix in the black-eyed peas, water, and vegetable base, stirring to dissolve the vegetable base. Stir in the chipotle peppers, about 1 tablespoon of the reserved adobo sauce (or to taste), liquid smoke, cumin, and black pepper.

Cook in the slow cooker on Low until the black-eyed peas are very tender and the flavors are blended, about 8 hours.