Sunday, it rained. Talk about one of life’s little pleasures…experiencing a little rain after a summer of high temps and over a year of extreme drought is downright wonderful. Even the wild birds who should have been hiding in the trees during the rain were flying about and singing. It was the kind of day that was begging to be enjoyed with a family favorite: Basic Chili Beans.
To make it, start by browning some turkey meat. Then, add chopped onion, garlic, a couple of cans of diced tomato, and tomato sauce.
Next, add spices: chili powder, cumin, salt, and a little coconut sugar. This is where my recipe differs from the original Betty Crocker recipe. I like adding coconut sugar to offset the acidity in the tomatoes.
Then, add a little bit of dark-roast coffee. I think it makes the chili a little richer.
After, cook the chili on high for about four hours. About a half an hour away from serving, added two cans of beans (drained).
Variations
- Use ground beef if you want a richer, deeper flavor
- If you want something a little lighter choose turkey.
- Make it completely vegetarian by using roasted sweet potatoes instead of adding ground meat.
Toppings
Serve with some (or all! of the following toppings:
- Tomatoes
- Cilantro
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sliced black olives
- Avocado
- Sour cream
Everyone can make their own bowl to their liking.
Before serving, I like to top off my chili beans with slices of fresh avocado.
I served this with a slice of cornbread. There was enough leftover that I bagged the rest to freeze and stretch out for another dinner.
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Slow Cooker Chili Beans
Equipment
- Skillet
- slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds ground turkey
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minces
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoon coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup brewed, dark roasted coffee not ground
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 15 ounce canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 15 ounce canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a heated skillet, and brown meat over medium heat. Drain.
- Put all ingredients in slow cooker except for beans.
- Cover and cook on low (6 to 8 hours) or high (4 hours).
- About half an hour before serving, stir in drained and rinsed beans.
Recipe from Betty Crocker.
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