Smokey Black Bean and Sweet Potato Chili

From Fitness Magazine: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipe/smoky-black-bean-and-sweet-potato-chili/

I loved this, and more importantly, my girls (3 and 5) loved it too!
I omitted the chocolate and the chili peppers, but only because I didn't have any at home and didn't have time to go shopping ;)
I had forgotten that this recipe was a slow cooker one, and didn't check it until 3 hours before dinner... so instead, I cooked it in a Dutch Oven, on low, for 2.5 hours. Worked perfectly!

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 tablespoon chopped canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
• 1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 15 ounce cans low-sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
• 3/4 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
• 2 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup shreded reduced-fat cheddar
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Coat the inside of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine chipotle pepper, chocolate, cumin, oregano, chili powder, cinnamon, garlic, black beans, sweet potatoes, corn, bell pepper and tomatoes in cooker; cook on low 8 hours.
2. Serve chili topped with cheddar and cilantro.

Photo and full recipe credit to http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/

White Bean Chicken Chili in the Slow Cooker

Trying a different style chili today :)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup chopped kale
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups Great Northern Beans, bagged, soaked overnight
• 1 can chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup half and half

DIRECTIONS

1. Before: Rinse and soak beans overnight (according to package directions).
2. Brown chicken and onions in olive oil.
3. Transfer to slow cooker.
4. Add beans, seasonings, kale, and chicken broth.
5. Cook on low for 4 hours.
6. Add half and half, cover, then continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.
7. Enjoy on a cold day!

Vegetarian Chili

In search of vegetarian recipes for a friend, this blog and recipe was recommended to me. The Chili looked delicious and easy enough to make, so I thought I'd give it a try. YUM!

I doubled the recipe (dinner for us tonight and dinner delivered to a friend tomorrow) and made a couple tiny changes, but the original recipe is from blogger "The Way the Cookie Cumbles" found here: http://www.crumblycookie.net/2009/02/20/vegetarian-chili/

Now that I've made it and tasted it, I have to say... this is delicious!!!!!!! I didn't even add ground beef, as I originally thought I might. It really did not need it! Somebody commented on the original recipe on the Cookie Crumble blog that this is "restaurant quality" chili, and I have to agree; it was that good!

INGREDIENTS

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and finely diced
• 10 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press
• 5 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 3 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 4 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon butter

Garnishes:

• lime wedges
• sour cream
• cheddar cheese
• cilantro

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in onions, bell peppers, garlic, and spices.
2. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, beans, and soy sauce.
4. Turn up heat to medium-high and bring the chili to a boil, then reduce to low.
5. Cover and cook at a low simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
6. If the chili is too thin, cook uncovered until it’s your preferred consistency.
7. Stir in the butter and serve with the garnishes.