Brrrr…time for chili

We bought duraflame logs at Target last week so that means it’s officially fall.  The season of soups and stews!  Or maybe that’s winter.  Either way, it’s time for warm comfort food.

 

Crock pot recipes do NOT photograph well (and I’m not the type of blogger to dirty extra dishes to better show off a recipe).  So you’ll just have to trust me that this tastes better than it looks.

 

I know I have a (few?) chili recipe(s) on HHH already but this was really good.  Plus, after a summer of neglect, the crock pot is finally making it’s return, helping me out with weeknight dinners in a major way.  Now that it’s cooled down I want soup and stew and warm meals all day every day.  No joke.  I made this chili for Kyle and a massive stew for me, and we’ve both been eating them on repeat for the past few days.  I will never get sick of a hearty vegetable packed stew.  Kyle feels the same about chili.  And after getting into a $$$$ habit of buying cans of Amy’s, I decided it was about time I did the responsible (frugal) thing and made some from scratch.  It literally couldn’t be easier.  Or cheaper. 

Crock-pot 3 bean chili [vegan, gluten free]

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry pinto beans
• 1 cup dry black beans
• 1 cup dry kidney beans
• 6 cups water
• pinch of salt

Let the beans cook overnight in the slow cooker (or 8 hours during the day).

Once they’re done, drain the water, but don’t worry about getting every last drop out – leave the last bit as a broth of sorts.

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced (or half a large one)
• 1 orange/yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/4 tsp (+/- to taste) chili powder
• salt + pepper (to taste)
• [optional] splash of red wine

Directions:

Chop and add everything (minus the wine) to the beans in the slow cooker and cook for 8 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

A few minutes before serving stir in the wine (if using). 

Easy peasy!

 

Notes:

If you want to use canned beans I’d say use 2 cups of each.  I’m not totally sure how much 1 cup dried beans yields in cooked beans, but I think it’s a safe bet that they double. 

This recipe makes a ton of chili.  Great for a family.  You will have leftovers if you’re making it for a couple (pssst chili freezes!). 

This is not FODMAPs friendly, obviously, as it has onion and beans up the wazoo.  Sorry IBSers. 🙁

I’m going to be posting a delicious stew recipe soon, though, that I’ve been slurping down without any GI effects at all.  Stay tuned!