Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Slow Cooker Smoky White Bean Chili

IMG_1951

Spring and summer are here, and I’ve moved more towards making lighter dishes, but over Memorial Day I had a craving for chili that I just had to satisfy.

Enter: This slow cooker white bean chili.

IMG_1945

I was inspired by this recipe from CookingLight, and powered by my slow cooker (which I absolutely love for cooking dried beans and lentils) – we ended up with a delicious smoky chili packed with veggies, protein and deep spices.

And can I just tell you – the leftovers the next day were even more rich and flavorful. The perfect balance of heat from the ancho chilis, the freshness of the veggies, and sweetness from the tomatoes rounded out this meal. There is no reason to feel guilty after eating a huge bowl (or two!) of this recipe.

IMG_1949

I topped it with a dollop of low fat plain greek yogurt and some chopped cilantro – but you can use any toppings you like: avocado, shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips – the possibilities are endless!

This makes a TON of food so it’s perfect for serving a large group of people. It also freezes great so you can always make a big batch and save some for later. The husband loved this dish and said it even rivaled my “Best Vegetarian Chili” recipe!

The Ingredients

Adapted from CookingLight

  • 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 red onions, diced
  • 3 bell peppers, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
  • 1.5 tbsp dried oregano
  • 7 garlic cloves
  • 3 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1.75 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4.5 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 1 (16-ounce) package dried white beans
  • 1 (26.46-ounce) container unsalted tomato puree
  • 3 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
IMG_1924
The Directions
Step 1: Combine 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced bell pepper, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and ancho chile peppers in a food processor; process until almost smooth.
IMG_1925 IMG_1926
Step 2: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture to pan; cook 8 minutes or until liquid nearly evaporates, stirring frequently. Add cumin and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

IMG_1927

Step 3: Transfer mixture to a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in remaining onion, 1 cup bell pepper, broth, beans, and tomato puree; cover and cook on LOW 7.5 hours.

IMG_1928 IMG_1929

Step 4: Stir in remaining bell pepper, zucchini, and diced tomatoes; cook on LOW 30 minutes – 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.

IMG_1930 IMG_1931

Step 5: Top chili with a dollop of low fat greek yogurt, cilantro, crushed corn chips, diced avocado – or anything you like!

IMG_1936
This recipe does take all day to make (but most of that time is inactive because your slow cooker is doing all the work!) And the result is so, so worth it. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!
IMG_1941
Slow Cooker Smoky White Bean Chili

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 8 hours

Total Time: 9 hours

Yield: 12 servings

Serving Size: About 1.5 cups chili

Nutritional Info Per Serving: 214 Calories, 1.7g Fat (0.3g Saturated), 441.7mg Sodium, 40.4g Carbs, 8.9g Fiber, 5g Sugar, 11.7g Protein

Ingredients

  • 1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 red onions, diced
  • 3 bell peppers, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro stems
  • 1.5 tbsp dried oregano
  • 7 garlic cloves
  • 3 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1.75 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4.5 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 1 (16-ounce) package dried white beans
  • 1 (26.46-ounce) container unsalted tomato puree
  • 3 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 (15-ounce) can unsalted fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained

Directions

  1. Combine 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced bell pepper, cilantro, oregano, garlic, and ancho chile peppers in a food processor; process until almost smooth.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture to pan; cook 8 minutes or until liquid nearly evaporates, stirring frequently. Add cumin and next 6 ingredients (through bay leaf); cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Transfer mixture to a 6-quart electric slow cooker. Stir in remaining onion, 1 cup bell pepper, broth, beans, and tomato puree; cover and cook on LOW 7.5 hours.
  4. Stir in remaining bell pepper, zucchini, and diced tomatoes; cook on LOW 30 minutes - 1 hour or until vegetables are tender. Discard bay leaf.
  5. Top chili with a dollop of low fat greek yogurt, cilantro, crushed corn chips, diced avocado - or anything you like!

Notes

Adapted from CookingLight

http://ift.tt/1AtYBHG


from The Picky Eater: A Healthy Food Blog http://ift.tt/1HLRgmv

No comments:

Post a Comment