Spicy Slow Cooker Chili

There’s nothing quite like getting home after a long day of work and encountering the smell of a delicious, fresh-cooked meal. And the good news is that it couldn’t be easier to do.

Making time for cooking can be very challenging at times, especially when you’re trying to feed an entire family. One of the basic strategies I use is to make batches of delicious, nutrient-dense food in my slow cooker.

Let’s be honest, I don’t know how I would survive without it. The meal is there, hot and ready when I walk in the door. I always have enough food leftover the next day for lunch. You just can’t beat that for ease, can you?

Got a slow cooker? Get some of these!

But the really great part about the slow cooker is that you can make some truly delicious meals. I wanted to share one of my favorite go-to recipes with you, and I don’t mind bragging. This is a fantastic turkey chili that only takes about 20 total minutes of meal prep.

The ingredients include some amazing spices, which are great for boosting the immune system. They are also pretty useful for hiding veggies from picky kids, I might add.

Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

This recipe feeds about 6 adults (or 3 ravenous Crossfitters). Just multiply the batch if you’ve got a bigger group to feed and an accommodating slow cooker.

• 1 onion.
• 4 medium-sized carrots, washed.
• 1 red bell pepper.
• 1 green bell pepper.
• 6 to 8 cleaned mushrooms, your choice. You can also exclude if you don’t like them. I know my kiddo’s aren’t fans.
• 3 cloves of fresh garlic, crushed.
• 2 tablespoons of pure tomato paste.
• 1 large can of organic chopped tomatoes.
• 4 cups of bone broth, or 4 cups of water and an organic stock cube (no flavor enhancers).
• About 2 pounds of ground meat. I love turkey, but you could use beef, or anything else you might like.
• Cilantro for garnish.
• Coconut oil for a bit of cooking.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Spice mixture

Here’s the real secret to the flavor and boost of my chili…the spices:

• 1/2 teaspoon of hot chili powder.
• 2 teaspoons of ground cumin.
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon of tumeric. This is a very smart spice, indeed.
• 1 teaspoon of paprika.
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground all-spice. I use the Jamaican variety.

 Don’t skip the fresh spices. They’ll change your life, baby.

Method

Cut all of your veggies into a fine dice, or just chuck everything into your food processor for a quick chop.

Warm a bit of your coconut oil in a pan. Add the chopped vegetables and sautée for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the garlic and the spices, then stir. Once your kitchen starts to fill with the aroma, add the tomato paste and mix well.

Add your meat to the vegetable mix and cook until browned all the way through. This takes about 5 to 10 minutes. Once done, put everything in your slow cooker (Don’t forget the liner!). Finally, add the canned tomatoes and the stock, then give it all one last stir through.

Cover, switch the cooker to low, then forget about it. I usually put this on about 7am and let it go for 10 to 11 hours. You can also cook it over night and then put the whole cooker in the fridge in the morning. It will be ready for you later in the day.

I love to season my chili in the bowl with a little fresh salt and pepper. You can also serve with rice or cauliflower rice, and some crushed nachos and avocado on top. Garnish with some fresh cilantro and you’re ready to eat. Enjoy!

If you’d like more recipes and food info, make sure to check out my blog Moozlers. There’s plenty there to keep you busy.

Eat well,

Virginia

For More:

• Need help creating your own winning nutrition program? Check out Nutrition for Weightlifters.