I remember when I ate this meal; I was hungry and had 2 generous helpings. Delicious! It will not put weight on and the high protein, fat and chili loaded with healthy vegetables will satiate for hours! Moderate carbs, but good carbs! The whole family will enjoy this meal.
I added red and green bell peppers for extra veggies in this meal. If you like your chily spicy, you can add more hot chili powder , cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes or even black pepper. The spices can be varied to taste. Once you have your favorite chili recipe, you can keep making it again and again, but if you are like me, you are always looking to make something a little different. Chili is, of course, a fantastic source of protein and is such a well-balanced meal, that calories are not an issue. It is not a fattening meal. It is a satiating meal with plenty of fiber as well. Chili recipes abound and the variations are endless. Some people add chicken or beef broth as well and that is an option. Some people add ground pork in addition to ground beef.
I added lots of garlic because I happen to enjoy it, but you can always reduce the garlic, if that is your preference. Tomato paste adds richness without watering down the chili. At the end add the black beans without draining them.
Chili is a good source of vitamin C as well. Since chili is spicy and naturally very flavorful, you can regulate how much salt is used in the recipe. Chili can be quite high in carbohydrates as well as sodium, so do be aware of that.
You will find tons of
chili recipes on Facebook as well as Pinterest. I don't personally
use Instagram, but I assume they abound on that social platform as well.
Chili
toppings are a must. Choose from grated Cheddar cheese, sour cream,
diced tomatoes, jalapenos, chopped cilantro or chopped green onions or
red onions, etc.
Slow-cooking chili is in my opinion the best way to make deeply flavorful chili as it simmers away all day or night letting the flavors meld together in the most delightful way. Cook on low for a maximum of 10 hours and a minimum of 6 hours. Cook on high 3 to 4 hours.
When the weather is cooler thoughts turn to soup and meals like chili, which are warming and comforting on a cold winter evening. You can substitute ground turkey or chicken; however, the most popular and traditional choice is ground beef.
Dark or light red kidney beans are typically used; however, they are high-carb and I have never really bean (pun intended) a fan of them. I like black beans, but they are typically carby as well, so I simply use less; however many people choose to use soy beans which are far less carby than any of the other choices.
Some other great meals for a cold winter night:
Slow-cooker Stuffed Pepper Casserole
Slow-cooker Spicy Cabbage Roll Soup
Ingredients: 
11/2 lbs ground beef (0.680 kg)
2 tbsp minced garlic (30 mL)
2 tbsp mild chili powder (30 mL)
11/2 tsp salt (7 mL)
1 tsp cocoa powder (5 mL)
1 tsp hot chili powder (5 mL)
2 cups chopped bell peppers (500 mL)
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (411 g)
6 oz can tomato paste (170 g)
11/2 cups water (375 mL)
15.5 oz can black beans, OR soy beans (439 g)
(use only half the can and freeze the rest)
2 tsp balsamic vinegar (10 mL)
In large nonstick frying pan, cook ground beef over medium heat, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula. As it browns, add minced garlic, chili powder, salt, cocoa powder and hot chili powder.
Add ground beef to the slow cooker along with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and water. Set on low and cook 8 to 10 hours. Stir in black beans, OR soy beans during the last hour, including the liquid in the can. At the very end of cooking, stir in balsamic vinegar.
Yield: 8 servings
1 serving
267.1 calories
20.1 g protein
13.8 g fat
4.4 g fiber
12.6 g net carbs
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