I think it’s safe to say that chili is my absolute favorite meal in the colder months. And although we’re on the brink of spring, I’m not quite ready to put away my crock pot or stop whipping up these warming and hearty meals. I’m continuously creating new recipes and I just can’t seem to get enough!
Yesterday, my family and I returned home from an awesome ski vacation, so it being the first night back at home, I wanted to make something healthy, quick and easy for dinner. I’m a firm believer in making chili a healthy meal with each and every ingredient, which means loading it up veggies and super foods. Most of the time when I make chili it consists of either chicken or ground turkey, but about three years ago my husband and I started limiting the amount of meat we consume, so this time around I decided to substitute lentils in place of meat. I played around with ingredients and spices from a few different recipes I’ve made in the past and combined them into one concoction of heart healthy deliciousness.
- 3 Cups of Vegetable Broth
- 2 Cups of Lentils
- 1 Cup of Quinoa
- 2 Medium Sweet Potatoes peeled and diced
- 2 Large Tomatoes diced
- 1 Large Onion peeled and chopped
- 1 Jar of Mild Salsa (I use Green Mountain)
- 24 Ounces of Tomato Sauce
- 2 Tbsp of Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp of garlic powder
- 1 Tsp of Cumin
- 1/2 Tsp of Salt
- 1/2 Tsp of Paprika
- 1/2 Cup of Shredded Cheddar Chese
- Add all ingredients into crock pot and cook until sweet potatoes and lentils are soft and quinoa is cooked. I cooked mine for about 6 hours on high. I stirred mine occasionally. Top with cheddar cheese and serve.
- If you don't have all the spices the recipe calls for, or simply don't have the time to measure everything out, you can also use 1 packet of chili seasoning. I do this once in a while if I'm really pressed for time, but I tend to add extra cumin and chili powder at the end.
- In terms of tomato sauce, I usually use leftover homemade sauce that I have saved in the fridge or freezer. If I don't have any leftovers, then I use Nature's Promise organic.
- This should serve at about 8-10 people, as it makes a very large portion of chili.
This vegetarian chili just may be my new favorite, and luckily my family agrees. My 12 month old devoured two helpings and my husband said, “It’s absolutely fantastic!” Score! As I’ve once again created another family approved recipe for the books…or perhaps I should say on the blog! 😉 The best part, this made a very large batch of chili, so we have tons of leftovers that should be good for at least two more meals for the three of us.
So, if you’re looking for something meatless, healthy and delicious, give this a whirl. It’s super quick and easy to put together and I promise you won’t be disappointed!
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