Clean Eating Crock Pot Chili.

I am not a pro chef by any means but I have been trying to make a good chili for far too long. I have searched hours and hours for the perfect recipe on Pinterest but they always have weird ingredients that I do not usually buy or do not sound good in a chili recipe. I also encounter problems when recipes call for spicy foods because Ryan has no tolerance for spicy food whatsoever....

So I created my very own clean eating, vegetarian friendly chili for the crock pot. This pot of chili is full of good protein and fiber! It is easy, delicious, and Ryan approved. I thought I would share it because who doesn't love a big bowl of chili, especially on a cold night?!

This recipe calls for at least six canned food items, to keep sodium at a minimum look for "No Salt Added" canned products. We also try and choose organic products whenever possible. The products listed above from L to R top row first:

365 (Whole Foods Brand) Organic Cannellini Beans

Eden Organic Black Beans (BEST canned beans because they use BPA free lining) 

Trader Joe's Organic Kidney Beans

Imagine Organic Vegetable Broth 

 2 Cans Trader Joe's Organic Diced & No Salt Added Tomatoes

Trader Joe's Organic Tomato Sauce

Read this for more on BPA in cans and why it matters!

Ingredients: 

1 Can (15 oz) Cannellini  Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 Can (15oz) Black Beans (drained and rinsed)

1 Can (15oz) Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)

2 Cans (15oz) Diced No Salt Added Tomatoes

1 Can (15oz) Tomato Sauce

(16oz) Vegetable Broth 

3 Celery Stalks, chopped

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced

1 Small Sweet Yellow Onion, diced or minced

3 Cloves Garlic, minced or pressed

1 TBSP Cumin

1TBSP Chili Powder

1TBSP Dried Oregano

1 TBSP Dried Basil

1 Teaspoon Honey

1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon 

Salt to Taste

1 Pound Ground Beef or Turkey (optional)

For Toppings: Cilantro, Cheese, Crackers, Guacamole, Sour Cream (all optional)

Serves 6 Hearty Sized Bowls

Directions:

Wash and prepare all fresh vegetables as listed above. In a saute pan over medium heat saute onions and celery until the onions are translucent (about 3-4 minutes). Then add in the garlic and red bell pepper for another 2 minutes, until fragrant. Turn off the burner and use approximately a tablespoon of the broth to deglaze the pan then transfer ingredients and pan drippings into crock pot. Add in all other ingredients except toppings and meat. Stir together to combine. Set crock pot to low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. If using meat: about 30 minutes before you plan on eating brown the meat and season with 1 teaspoon chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin as well as salt. Add cooked meat directly into crock pot for at least 15 minutes before serving. Serve in bowls and top with whatever you please!

Side note: For leftovers I added a half cup of water and a half cup of quinoa that I had already cooked to the chili and warmed it up to make more of a "soup"--highly recommended!

ENJOY!

Ashley