What's For Dinner: Hearty Beef and Bean Chili


It is bitter cold up here in the Northwoods (though not quite as bone-chillingly cold as it is for our friends in southeastern Wyoming, where windchills have been hovering in the -30s of late). When temperatures take a nosedive, I find one of the best ways to warm up is by eating a bowl of hearty chili. This week's chili recipe features lean ground beef (I prefer to purchase grass-fed or pastured beef), though you could easily sub in ground chicken or turkey. (Or just double up on the beans if you want a vegetarian version.) Whether you like to eat the chili as-is or topped with cheese, plain Greek yogurt, or freshly chopped onions, you've got both a warming and filling meal on your hands.

What are your favorite meals to eat when it is cold outside?

Hearty Beef and Bean Chili (printer-friendly version)
makes four servings

1 pound 90% lean ground beef, browned
1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
1/2 medium red pepper, diced
1/2 medium orange pepper, diced
1 8-oz can low-sodium tomato sauce
1 15-oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 15-oz can reduced sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon chili powder
pinch red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

Optional toppings:
fresh cilantro
shredded cheddar cheese
cubed avocado
plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
chopped onion

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Drain the beef and place in the bottom of a 4-quart slow cooker bowl.
2. Add the onions into the skillet and saute until lightly brown, about 3-5 minutes. Add in the diced red and orange peppers and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion mixture to the slow cooker bowl.
3. Stir in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, kidney beans, and vegetable broth into the slow cooker. Add in the ground cumin, dried oregano, smoked paprika, chili powder, and pinch of red pepper flakes. Stir to combine.
4. Place the lid on the slow cooker bowl and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Before serving, season to taste with salt and pepper.
5. Serve the chili with toppings such as fresh cilantro, cheddar cheese, or plain Greek yogurt.
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