5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Chili with Beef and Kidney Beans

With game-watching parties, tailgating and fall festivals here, a hearty meal centered around piping-hot chili is always a crowd-pleaser. In the past, I’ve created chili recipes with complex ingredient lists, but this version has only five simple ingredients. I find that after I sprinkle on my favorite toppings — avocado, fresh lime juice and whole-corn tortilla chips made with expeller-pressed oil — there isn’t much of a difference in taste. The prep time, however, is noticeably shorter. And this dish uses more kidney beans than beef, helping you improve on plant-based eating efforts. The secret to the chili’s rich sauciness is mashing half of the kidney beans.

5-Ingredient Slow-Cooker Chili

Yield: 8 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 6 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

2 (15.5-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained
1 pound bottom round beef, cubed into ¼-inch pieces
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes in juice, squeezed by hand
1 1/2 cups diced yellow or white onion
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Mexican seasoning

Mash one can of kidney beans in a slow cooker. Stir in remaining ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook 6 1/2 hours on low heat. Top with your favorite ingredients, like avocado, lime juice, thick plain yogurt, cilantro and shredded cheese.

Cook’s Note: Nutritional analysis includes 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Per serving: Calories 195; Fat 8 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 37 mg; Sodium 495 mg; Carbohydrate 15 g; Fiber 5 g; Protein 15 g; Vitamin A 6% DV; Calcium 4% DV; Vitamin C 18% DV; Iron 12% DV

Michelle Dudash is a registered dietitian nutritionist, Cordon Bleu-certified chef consultant and the author of Clean Eating for Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love.

from Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog http://ift.tt/1NkoyNc