Slow Cooker Healthy Version Chili

I first had this chili when my family had dinner by the firepit of the home of my hiking buddy. A few months later my oldest asked me if I had the recipe. My friend had shared it on her own blog (I'll share the link to her blog if I get permission.) Since then it has become one of our favourite chili recipes to have. Enjoy some versions of chili that my family enjoy. We have a delicious quick chili, a variation of the quick chili, a sweet maple chili and a delicious white chicken chili.

Slow Cooker Healthy Version Chili
(image courtesy of Betty Cr*cker website)

Ingredients:

                1 pkg Gardein brand Ultimate Beefless Ground

                    or 1 pound of Ground Organic Bison

                1 c. Yellow Onion, chopped 

                1 c. Green Bell Pepper, chopped 

                1/2 c. Yellow Bell Pepper, chopped 

                1/2 c. Red Pepper, chopped 

                2 cloves Garlic, chopped

                2 cans Tomato Soup (do not add milk)

                1 can of Low-Sodium Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas), do not rinse or drain

                2 Tbs Chili Powder

                1 Tbs Vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
2. Brown the ultimate "beef" or bison until no longer pink.
3. Once the meat is just beginning to brown, add in the onion, garlic, and peppers. 
4. Cook on low until peppers are just getting tender.
5. Transfer to a lightly sprayed CrockPot. 
6. Stir in the soup, the chickpeas and its liquid. Stir well.
7. Add in the chili powder and vinegar.
8. Cook on low for 5-7 hours. 
9.  Serve with: 
• shredded cheddar cheese (or a vegan "cheddar" option)
• crushed tortilla chips
• sliced green onions (scallions)

Tips:

• If using vegan "meat" this step only takes about 4-5 minutes.  
• Bison takes about 8 minutes to brown.

       

 Dinner Menu Ideas:

• Fruit Salad 
• cut up melon, grapes, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries and honeydew
• Honey Cornbread or regular Corn Muffins
• Tossed Salad 
• Greens, cucumbers, chopped tomatoes, raw broccoli florets tossed,with a drizzle of Tuscan Italian Dressing, low fat.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

A Perfect House Salad

I just had to share this recipe. It's so simple and easy but my oldest daughter added so many delicious vegetables to make this so good and picture-perfect. The colours were amazing! 

Perfect House Salad

Ingredients:

        Romaine Lettuce, torn into edible size

        Red cabbage, chopped into strips

        Cherry Tomatoes, cut in half

        Broccoli Tops, cut into bite-size

        Cucumber, sliced and quartered

        Carrots, shredded

Directions:

1. Combine the ingredients in whatever order and amount you prefer.
2. Top with your favourite dressing and topping. I love Greek vinaigrette topped with Blue Cheese crumbles, with croutons.

 Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Chick Pea Tacos

This recipe was created by the girlfriend of my youngest son. Alexandra is our family vegetarian and the reason I have added vegetarian meals to our menu. She created this while going to college in our area (she has since moved to D.C. to continue her education as she works on her law degree). Since she moved to D.C. my son has been suggesting this recipe to me. I promised I would make it but I didn't exactly keep that promise. As I was making it my son slowly nudged me away and took over cooking it. This is so delicious! even my fussy eater ate hers and wanted more. Thank you for sharing this with us, Alex!

Chick Pea Tacos

Ingredients:

        2-3 cans Chick Peas, drain and rinse

        Hot Sauce, enough to flavor

        1 tsp Pepper

        10 Tortillas, fajita size

        1-1/2 c Monterey Jack

        Lettuce

        Blue Cheese Dressing

Directions: 

1. Preheat air fryer to 400.
2. In a bowl, mix chick peas with hot sauce.
3. Sprinkle with pepper.
4. Cook in air fryer for 8-11 minutes
5. Meanwhile, warm up tortillas.
6. Place chickpeas in tortilla.
7. Add Cheese.
8. Layer lettuce on top.
9. Top with dressing.

 Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Plant-Based Tacos

I'm one for simple and quick recipes. This version adds healthy to the mix. so it's a win - win for all of us. I'm sure everyone knows how to make a basic taco. Here's where it gets healthier. Not totally healthy since we used regular sour cream but much better that it was. The best part to make this easy? My youngest daughter cooked the meal, and cleaned the kitchen afterward!

The family all agreed that this is just as good as with real meat.

Plant-Based Tacos

Ingredients:

        2 bags Gardein Ground Be'f

        2 pks Taco Seasoning

        1 can Refried Beans

        1/2 cup Sour Cream

        1/2 head Iceberg Lettuce, chopped

        1 cup Cherry Tomatoes, halved

        1 cup Mexican Cheese, shredded

        Taco Sauce to taste

        12 Taco-size Tortillas

Directions:

1. Brown ground Be'f until no longer pink.
2. Stir in taco seasoning and cook for two minutes.
3. Add refried beans and mix in well.
4. In tortillas, layer ingredients however you prefer. For me, I like to spread on the sour cream before adding the meat mixture. Then I put the cheese on so it melts and the sauce to blend in. The lettuce and tomatoes go on last. It's really a matter of preference.

  Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Vegetable Pasta

This delicious healthy pasta recipe is a nice vegetarian option. I made this the first time a week or so ago for the girlfriend of my youngest. The other day I was drawing a blank on supper and my oldest requested this recipe again. It's quickly becoming a family favourite.

Vegetable Pasta

Ingredients:

        1 lb. Pasta, cooked al dente

Sauce:

        1 Yellow Onion, finely diced

        1 tsp Garlic, minced

        1 Green Bell Pepper, finely diced

        8 oz. Baby Portobella Mushrooms, diced

        24 oz. Pasta Sauce

        15 oz. Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, drained

        2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

        2 Tbl Sugar

        Red Pepper Flakes to taste

        Salt and Pepper to taste

        1 tsp Basil

        1 tsp Oregano

        1 Tbs Italian Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic until the onions are translucent.
2. Add diced bell pepper and mushrooms and let the vegetables sweat, about 5 minutes.
3. Pour in pasta sauce, diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Add in basil, oregano, and Italian seasoning and stir to mix.
6. Dish and serve hot over cooked pasta topped with Parmesan cheese.

             

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Delicious Black Bean Burger

Since the beginning of barbeque season we've been using the PitBoss a lot! To heck with the air temperature, that's what later meals are for. The difference this year is that my youngest is dating a young lady who is a vegetarian. I've made a few adjustments to my menus to accommodate her. One of those changes I've made is to include Black Bean Burgers to our barbeques. I played with several recipes and this is the recipe she likes best. Each time I make it the burgers look better. As my oldest said "It's almost like practice makes perfect". Yup, something like that.

Black Bean Burger

Ingredients:

        15 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
        1/2 Green Bell Pepper
        1/2 small Onion
        2 cloves Garlic, peeled
        1 large Egg, beaten
        2/3 cup Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs
        1 Tbs Chili Powder
        1 tsp Cumin
        salt and Black Pepper, to taste


Directions:

1. Place rinsed and drained black beans in a bowl. If needed, blot them with a paper towel to remove extra moisture.
2. Mash well with a fork.
3. Place bell pepper, onion and garlic in a food processor and process until finely minced.
4. Transfer vegetable mixture to a fine strainer.
5. Use the back of a spoon to press out excess moisture. Don't skip this or the burger won't hold together.
6. Add the vegetable mixture to the bowl with the black beans.
7. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper.
8. Stir to combine.
9. Add beaten egg and mix well.
10. Stir in bread crumbs.
11. Divide mixture into 4 even-size portions.
12. Form them into patties with your hands.
13. Cook, separate from beef burgers, on well-oiled grill over medium heat for 4-5 minutes per side.

Top like you would any burger.

Enjoy!

            Ingrid

Healthy Water Recipes

The weather is getting warmer and, if you are like me, you are breaking out the cold beverages.  I thought I would share some great drinks that you can sip on all day and enjoy their health benefits as well. 

From Together We Will Lose It

FAT FLUSH WATER 

You should drink at least three 8 oz glasses per day, they say the longer it sits, the better it

tastes. You can eat them as well but they are intended as flavoring and still work, so that is a personal choice. The Vitamin C turns fat into fuel, the tangerine increases your sensitivity to insulin, and the cucumber makes you feel full. Try it for 10 days and see what you think!

Ingredients per 8 oz serving

Water:

1 slice grapefruit

1 tangerine

½ cucumber, sliced

2 peppermint leaves

Ice – as much as you like

Directions:

Wash grapefruit, tangerine cucumber and peppermint leaves. Slice cucumber, grapefruit and

tangerine (or peel). Combine all ingredients (fruits, vegetables, 8 oz water, and ice) into a large

pitcher.

Stir & Enjoy!

From  All-Natural Weight Loss: 

If you really want to cleanse then DRINK, DRINK, DRINK. Here are 8 home-made vitamin

water recipes to help you keep the water flowing!

The classical: lemon/cucumber:

Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + 1 cucumber and a lemon, thinly sliced + 1/4 cup fresh

finely chopped basil leaf + 1/3 of finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

The granite  Strawberry/Lime or Raspberry/Lime:

Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 6 strawberries / 0r Raspberries and one thinly sliced lime

+ 12 finely chopped fresh mint leaves. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

The digestive: Fennel/citrus:

First: infuse 1 to 3 grams of dried and crushed fennel in 150 ml of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool.

Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water + lemon juice (put the leftover lemon in the mix) + a small thinly sliced orange + 12 fresh chopped mint leaves + the infusion of fennel seeds. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.

The antiox: Blackberry/Sage:

Note that a part from the berries, sage leafs is the herb that has the highest antioxidant content.

Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of blackberries that have been very slightly crushed + 3-4 sage leaves. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.

Watermelon: Watermelon/Rosemary:

Mix in a pitcher 10 cups of water + 1 cup of watermelon cut into cubes + 2 rosemary

stems. Leave in refrigerator overnight before serving.

The exotic: Pineapple/Mint:

Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of pineapple cut into cubes + 12 fresh mint leaves finely chopped. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

The traditional: Apple/Cinnamo:

Mix in a pitcher : 10 cups of water + 1 cup of apple cut into cubes + 2 cinnamon sticks + 2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

The zingibir: Ginger/Tea:

 

In advance: heat 1 teaspoon of ginger in two cups of tea, let it cool down.

Mix in a pitcher: 10 cups of water with two cups of the ginger tea + 4-5 pieces of fresh ginger

cut into cubes. Leave in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

From A Sweet Simple Life:

Sassy Water  

Ingredients:

        2 lemons

        1/2 cucumber
        10-12 mint leaves
        3 quarts water

Directions:

1. Slice cucumber and lemons. Place in the bottom of the pitcher. Toss in mint leaves. Add water.
2. Chill overnight or for at least 8 hours.

Yields: 10-12 glasses

Enjoy!

            Ingrid