Quinoa Chili - Gluten-Free and Vegetarian

I've been wanting to make a quinoa chili for a long time.  Sometimes, I just need to wait for the right inspiration to come in order for me to create just the right recipe ;)  This time, it was cleaning out my pantry!  LOL  Hey, whatever it takes!

This quinoa chili was delicious!  I didn't miss the meat at all.  There's a tiny bit of heat, but I wouldn't call it spicy.  My kids didn't say anything about it.  My husband mentioned how filling this was, and I have to agree.  Also, I wanted to mention...don't be fooled by the long list of ingredients.  There are several cans to open and some spices to dump in and not a lot of chopping.  It all comes together very quickly.  Give it a try! ;)

Servings: 10-12

Ingredients:
15.5 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
15.5 oz. can Northern beans, drained and rinsed
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
16 oz. tomato sauce
12 oz. can tomato paste
3/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 Tbsp. onion powder
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. Mrs. Dash Fiesta Lime Seasoning
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
7-8 cups water

Directions: (Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker for this recipe)

Place the beans in the bottom of your crock.

Add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste.

Next, add in the onions, mushrooms, carrots and quinoa.

It's time for all those wonderful spices!

Add in all the remaining ingredients, including the water, then stir.

Cook on LOW for 8-9 hours.

Serve and ENJOY!

Taco Chili - Gluten-Free

This darn Polar Vortex is brutal!  I mean, I've had more windchill days than snow days this year!  Actually, I've had more snow/windchill days this year than in my past 10 years of teaching!  As I sit here to type this, we're having our 6th windchill/snow day of the school year and it's only the end of January.  We still have to make it through February.  And I live in the Metro Detroit area, so the people North of me have used A LOT more snow/windchill days than us! 

Polar Vortex coldness calls for nice warm comfort food!  With the weather being this cold, we've been trying to use what we have in the house instead of rushing to the store for an ingredient or two.  I hate bundling the kids up and taking them in and out of the car when I don't have to.  So, this chili came from only things I had around the house.  I had actually bought about 2 1/2 lbs. of lean ground beef on sale a couple days before and I needed to use it up.  I cooked all 3 lbs. and cooked it.  I used only about 3/4 lb. for my chili (since I was going to use beans too) and seasoned the rest with my homemade taco seasoning, separated it into 2 freezer bags and froze it for nachos/tacos/taco salads.  Since I already had the taco seasoning out, I decided it would be the only seasoning I would use in my chili.  I mean, why not?  I know it's VERY LOW in sodium and VERY tasty.  The chili turned out PERFECTLY......way better than I thought it would be! 

My husband and kids ate this right up!  Actually, usually everyone complains about having to eat leftover the next day, but not this time.  Gavin (2.5 yo) told me "I need to hab dat chiwi momma."  That's what I like to hear.  He "needed" it.  LOL  It's a huge hit in my house and I know I'll be making it again soon!

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (you can use 1/2 cup raw kidney beans, but you have to soak overnight and boil....we only soaked and they were still crunchy.....and "gassy" LOL)

3/4 lb. lean ground beef or turkey, cooked
1 pkg. low sodium taco seasoning (or use my recipe for taco seasoning in this post, but halve it)

15 oz. tomato sauce

12 oz. tomato paste

2 - 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes

3 cups water

Directions:

In your crock, place the onion and ground beef.

Next, add in the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce and tomato paste.

 Add in the taco seasoning.....

 and the water and beans.  Give it a stir.

Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours (8-10 if using dry beans), or on HIGH for 3-4 hours (4-6 if using dry beans)

Top with a little bit of shredded cheese and maybe even a dollop of non-fat plain greek yogurt for some extra goodness!

Enjoy!

White Bean and Chicken Chili - Gluten-Free

This soup came about from leftovers I had from making my Fall Harvest Soup!  I actually had an entire other batch of the soup prepped and ready for a demonstration and it was cancelled a few hours before it was to begin.  I didn't want to make a whole other batch, so I improved and made something completely different!  Boy, and I happy I did!!!!

This "chili" I'm calling "chili" because it tastes like chili, but is the consistency of soup.  It has an incredible amount of flavor and is just the right amount of spicy for a good chili!  It is delicious all on it's own, but my husband felt it was even better with some "fixings."  I used a sprinkling of Mexican blend shredded cheese, a dollop of non-fat plain Greek yogurt and a few crushed tortilla chips.  YUM!  You can decide how you want to eat your chili!

Just a note: If you don't have better than bouillon, use chicken broth.

I hope you enjoy this deliciousness!

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken, cut into bite-sized chunks
1/2 cup Navy beans, soaked overnight, rinsed
1/2 cup Northern beans, soaked overnight, rinsed
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
1 1/2 cups onion, chopped
14.5 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
10 oz. can diced tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro
5 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. tomato paste
I Tbsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
8 tsp. better than bouillon chicken
8 cups water

Directions: (Use a 5 quart or larger slow cooker for this)

*Make sure you've soaked your beans overnight previous to starting this recipe.

In the bottom of your crock, place the chicken, navy and northern beans.

Add the carrots and onions

 and both cans of tomatoes.

 Add in the minced garlic

and tomato paste.

Next, add the cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the better than bouillon over the top

 and add the water.  Give it a stir.

Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chili - Gluten-Free

Wow!!!  Every now and then I have a crazy amazing idea.....not all of them work (if you've been following me on FB, you know I've recently had two non-successful crazy ideas!)  You win some, you lose some.  THIS was definitely a WIN!

Not only is everything in this chili good for you, but it's also super easy to throw together and INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS!  This was a serious HIT in my house!  Ella, my 5 year old, had 3 helpings of this!  3!!!!!  What?!  Home run for mom!!!  My husband thought it was fantastic, and Gavin, well he eats whatever I put in front of him!  LOL

You know what really makes the difference in this chili?  The fresh tomatoes!!!!  My mother-in law gave me tons from her garden and this was a great way to use them!  Hit up your local farmers market if you don't have any of your own!  It's amazing what a home-grown tomato can do for a recipe!

Tis the season for pumpkin, so grab your homemade pumpkin puree, or a can and get cookin'!  You will LOVE this chili!  And you'll love yourself afterward too because it's NO GUILT chili!  Nothing bad for you here, folks!  ENJOY!

Servings: 8-10

Ingredients:

16 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

16 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 green pepper, chopped

1 lb. ground turkey

15 oz. can pumpkin puree

4 cups fresh chopped tomatoes

3 Tbps. garlic powder

1 Tbsp. Ancho Chili Powder

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cumin

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 beef stock cubes (I used Massel)

5 cups water

(If you can't find beef stock cubes, use beef bouillon cubes, or beef stock instead)

Directions:

In the bottom of your crock, place the beans, onion and green pepper, and chopped tomatoes.

Crumble the uncooked ground turkey on top and add in the pumpkin puree.

Add in the garlic powder, ancho chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper and beef stock cubes.

Pour the water on top

Give it a stir.

Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3.5-4 hours.

Enjoy!

Three-Bean Turkey Chili - Hamilton Beach Recipe

It's still pretty darn cold here in Michigan, which means it's still time for Chili!  This Three-Bean Turkey Chili sounds delicious!  It's packed with lots of things that are healthy for you, and has a little bit of a "kick" too!  Did I mention, it just "looks" delicious too?!  I can almost smell it.......

For this hearty Three-Bean Turkey Chili recipe, click here.

For more great Hamilton Beach slow cooker recipes, click here.

Slow Cooker Chili - Guest Blog Post by "The Crazy Nuts Mom"

I LOVE Chili!  Especially at this time of year, those of us in the cold weather climates need a little warming up!  This simple Recipe from Regina of The Crazy Nuts Mom has very few ingredients and steps.  It would definitely be something you can quickly get into your crock, and you might not even have to take a trip to the grocery store!

Regina Sober is the owner of The Crazy Nuts Mom and has been blogging since April 2011.  She is a married mom of two children (7 year old daughter and 5 year old son).  She is passionate about helping others stretch their budget and make the most of their own lives by learning how to use coupons, get out of debt and live a full life.

The Crazy Nuts Mom is a family friendly website that offers  information on cost savings through the use of couponing, discounts and frugal finds to help people live a fuller life within their budget, along with giving back. The Crazy Nuts Mom also shares life as a mom with family cooking tips and recipes, gardening and life stories of being a mom and the challenges of being a parent. 

 You can find her at www.thecrazynutsmom.com.

Slow Cooker Chili

Doesn't that look yummy?!  The recipe can be found here.  After you make it, come on back and tell me how you liked it!

No Alarm Chili - Guest Post

If you’re in need of new Chili ideas try this interesting Chili Recipe. It’s a hearty chili dish with a sweet tangy taste.  This recipe doesn't call for the slow cooker, but I would follow the directions as is, then let it cook 6 hours or so on LOW in your slow cooker!

No Alarm Chili

INGREDIENTS

·         1 pound extra lean ground beef (95% lean)

·         1 can (15 oz each) Manwich® Original Sloppy Joe Sauce

·         1 can (8 oz each) Hunt's® Tomato Sauce-No Salt Added

·         1 can (15 oz each) red kidney beans, drained, rinsed

·         2 teaspoons chili powder

·         1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

·         1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS

1.       Cook beef in large skillet over medium-high heat 7 minutes or until crumbled and no longer pink, stirring occasionally; drain.

2.       Add all remaining ingredients; simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Author Bio: James writes on behalf of Manwich. For other Ground Beef Recipes or Sloppy Joe sauce visit manwich.com. 

Tasty Turkey Chili

Wow, was this ever yummy?!!!!!  It's cooled off here in Michigan as Fall has officially rolled in.  I bought some ground turkey on sale and I needed to use it up.  Chili it was!  I'm SO happy I decided to make this.....and that it turned out so good!

This is really very inexpensive to put together, and you can really adapt it to what you have in your pantry so you don't have to buy anything special if you don't want to.  I used a Zesty Tomato Sauce I found by Ro-Tel, but you could use regular tomato sauce.  When I tasted the Zesty Sauce, I decided to only use a little bit, but honestly, I could have used more.  You can use your own judgement for your family.

You can put whatever your family likes into this Chili.  I used carrots because I had them, and my kids like them.  It was a great way to "sneak" those veggies in!

Tasty Turkey Chili

Ingredients:
1lb. ground turkey, uncooked

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp. chopped garlic (or 4 cloves)

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

1 bay leaf

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. ground mustard powder

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. basil

1 Tbsp. onion powder

1 chicken bouillon cube

1 Tbsp. Sugar

28 oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes

15.5 oz. can Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed

6 oz. can Tomato Paste

4 Tbsp. Zesty Tomato  and Green Chili Sauce (Mine was Ro-Tel brand)

2 cups water

Directions:

In the bottom of your crock, place the onion, garlic, sund-dried tomatoes and carrots.

Here's how I sliced my sun-dried tomatoes.

Next, add the pepper, salt, bay leaf, chili powder, ground mustard, oregano, basil, onion powder, bouillon cube and sugar.

Now, add your diced tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and kidney beans.

Crumble the RAW turkey meat into your crock.

Add the water.

Cook on LOW for 7-9 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours.

ENJOY!

Summer Chili

I know what you're thinking....Chili?!  During the summer?!  Are you CRAZY?!  Well, the crazy part is debatable (lol) but I'm serious!  I don't know about all of you, but we have air conditioning cranking in our house, so eating warm chili wasn't a big deal for us.  If you don't have air in your house, then it might be a big deal.  LOL!

This Chili was delicious!  The fresh yellow squash really made the flavors of this chili "pop!"  I had 2 helpings and my son had 3 (did I mention he's only 15 months old?!)  He LOVED the beans!  My daughter took one bite and declared it was too spicy for her.  It was a little bit spicy, I'm not gonna lie!  I actually couldn't believe my son ate 3 helpings, without any complaints!  It was a little bit more than mildly spicy, but not so spicy that your nose runs.  ;)

I really think you'll enjoy this Chili!  If you don't like spicy at all, omit the can of petite diced tomatoes with green chilis and just use plain petite diced tomatoes.  Voila!  If you're not into the beans, replace them with some ground beef or ground turkey!  It's all about making a recipe work for you!

We served ours  with some delicious slow-cooked sweet cornbread.  :)  I highly recommend it!  It came out perfectly!

Summer Chili

Ingredients: (This serves approx. 6)

28 oz. can Sliced Tomatoes and Zucchini (Red Gold makes these)

15 oz. can Tomato Sauce

14 oz. can Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilis

15.5 oz. can Chili Beans

15.25 oz. can Black Beans, drained, rinsed

1 medium onion, roughly chopped

3 smallish yellow squash, halved, quartered and chopped

3 Tbsp. Garlic Powder

2 Tbsp. Onion Powder

1 tsp. Salt

1/8 tsp. Pepper

2 cups water

Directions:

In the bottom of your crock, place your yellow squash and onions.

Pour your black beans and chili beans on top of that.

Pour your can of diced tomatoes with green chilis and tomatoes with Zucchini on top of that.

(I forgot to take a picture of the tomatoes with zucchini, sorry! But, this is where you add it.)

Next, mix together the tomato sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and water.

Pour this over everything else in your crock.

Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or on HIGH for 3.5-4 hours.

Enjoy!

Beer Chili

I can't remember how the Beer Chili idea came to be.  I think one of you mentioned it recently, but I'm not positive.  Either way, it was a very good idea!  This was a delicious and very fulfilling Chili.  The aroma all day was WONDERFUL!  On first taste, I could really taste the beer.  It was scrumptious!

If you're a real beer conosour, (unlike me) you can really cater the flavor of your soup with the type of beer you use.  I used a New Castle my husband had in the fridge downstairs, but I'm sure a darker beer would be lovely!

I think you'll find you have all the ingredients (or most) right in your pantry/fridge already!  I did.  With a little help from my little helper, we whipped this up in no time.  If you have hectic mornings like me, you'll want to prep everything the night before and assemble it into your crock.  Put it into your refrigerator and then in the morning, place the crock into your slow cooker base and turn it on.

This Beer Chili was on the spicy side.  If you don't want as much spice, you can cut the cumin and chili powder in half.

You may wish to serve this with some delicious sweet corn bread muffins like I did!  Here is the recipe I followed.  I had ALL of the ingredients and didn't have to spend a penny! :)  Yay!

Beer Chili

Ingredients: (Serves about 4)
1/2 lb. Ground beef, browned with salt and pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 15.25oz. can black beans
1 14.5oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies
4 oz. tomato sauce
1 12oz. Beer (you choose the type)
1 beef bouillon cube
1 Tbsp. Garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder

Directions:

Get your beef cooking with some salt and pepper while you assemble the rest of the ingredients.

Place you onions into your crock.

Next, pour in the black beans and diced tomatoes.

Add the tomato sauce, bouillon cube, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin and chili powder.

Now, add the beer!

Finally, add the ground beef and stir.

Cook on LOW for 7-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours.

Enjoy with some yummy cornbread!