Crock Pot Pumpkin Chili. (GF)

A cozy fall chili recipe made in the crock pot that your whole family will love!

Oh October.

I love you.

You’re the month of bonfires, football, plaid, boots, and scarves.

And ever-changing brightly colored leaves.

And, of course, #pumpkinallthethings! Yes, even chili!

You know what’s awesome about putting pumpkin in chili? You can’t taste it, but it thickens the chili up (yay texture!) and you get all kinds of important vitamins and nutrients (yay health!).

Did you know pumpkins have a large amount of vitamin A, fiber, beta-carotene (an anti-oxidant), potassium, vitamin C, and more? Now we can all feel good about our pumpkin-obsessions because they’re so good for us! Yes yes yes.

If you have non-pumpkin loving friends and family, you should definitely still make this chili. I promise you really can’t taste the pumpkin! Pumpkin alone does not have a very strong flavor; it’s all of those strong fall spices that are usually added to pumpkin baked goods that make it stand out. Since this is a savory recipe, none of those spices are present. What does that mean for us? Nice, even flavored chili.

This recipe comes together very quickly. After you cook your meat (ground beef or turkey, whatever you prefer!), add all the other ingredients together in the crock pot. Let it cook all day, and when you come home you’ll be greeted with piping hot chili and a wonderful aroma.

Sound perfect? It pretty much is.

Then all that’s left to do is light a pumpkin candle (tell me I’m not alone), cozy up on the couch with a big bowl of this hearty stuff, and revel in autumn’s arrival!

Crock Pot Pumpkin Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 1 can low-sodium diced tomatoes
• 1 large can low-sodium crushed tomatoes
• 1 can kidney beans
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can pureed pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 can chili beans
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1.5 tbsp chili powder
• 1.5 tbsp cumin

1). Cook the ground meat and chopped onion in a large skillet until the meat is cooked through and the onion is soft.

2). Spray the crock pot with cooking spray. Add the cooked meat and all the other ingredients. Stir to combine.

3). Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Servings: 6. Serving size: 1 1/2 cups. Approximate Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 434 Carbs: 57g Fat: 8g Protein: 37g Fiber: 14g Points+: 11 Recipe courtesy of Audrey’s Apron.

 

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Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

I haven’t posted a crock pot recipe in a while, and this one is perfect for the chilly temperatures we’re having! I love this recipe because it is easy, healthy, and filling (24g of protein per cup!). Plus, it makes enough to feed a small army–11 1-cup servings, to be exact. It would be a great freezer-friendly meal, too.

This chili is not too spicy, so feel free to add some extra cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch if you’d like. Personally, I thought it had just the right amount of spice, but you could even add an extra half can of green chiles, which is where the heat comes from in this recipe. My husband added light sour cream and cheese to his bowl, but I found it perfect as is. I love how cooking this all day resulted in incredibly tender chicken. It literally falls apart when you shred it!

Other than the one additional step of sauteing the onions and garlic together (which I don’t think you should skip!), this meal involves very little prep/clean up. Always an added bonus!

Crock Pot White Chicken Chili

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, raw
• 1 (16 ounce) can diced no salt added tomatoes, fire roasted or regular, OR 1 lbs. fresh, chopped
• 2 (16 ounce) cans Great Northern beans (or whatever you have on hand), low sodium and/or organic
• 1 (4 ounce) can fire roasted green chiles
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 6 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ cups reduced sodium fat-free chicken broth
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Cooking spray

1). Heat the 1/2 tbsp of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
2). Spray the crock pot with cooking spray. Place the tomatoes in the bottom of the crock pot. Add the chicken, chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, beans, chiles, and cooked onion/garlic mixture. Stir to combine.
3). Cook for 6-8 hours on low (or 4-5 hours on high…but I like letting the flavors meld together longer so I suggest cooking on low!)
4). Taste and add additional salt, pepper, or other spices. Serve as is or with light sour cream/cheese (optional). Enjoy!

Servings: 11 1-cup servings. Nutritional Information per 1 cup: Calories: 191 Carbs: 14g Fat: 3g Protein: 24g Fiber: 4g WW Points+: 4

Recipe adapted from: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-slow-cooker-white-chicken-chili/

Simple Summer Chili

Chili is traditionally a cold weather favorite, but I love that this recipe incorporates in-season zucchini! This summer has been so rainy that a cozy meal like this one has been a welcomed change to grilling outside.

I originally found this recipe from a health and fitness blog I love to read, and this may be my new favorite chili recipe (thanks, Julie!!). The best part is the spice blend–it is PERFECT. It tastes just like the chili seasoning you can purchase in packets at the grocery store, but it is so simple and easy to make yourself! And so much better for you,  too. Ground beef or ground turkey both work well in this recipe–it is completely up to you! You can also use your favorite kind of bean…I like to switch it up between black beans, pinto beans, and kidney beans based on what I have in the pantry.

Whip this up for your family tonight! It will certainly be a hit!

Simple Summer Chili

Ingredients:

• 1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 medium zucchini, chopped
• 1 can low sodium beans (kidney/pinto/black–whichever!), drained and rinsed
• 1 can diced tomatoes, no salt added (do not drain!)
• 1 cup beef broth, reduced-sodium and fat free
• 1.5 tbsp chili powder
• 1.5 tbsp cumin
• 1 tsp garlic salt

1). In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and zucchini, stirring until tender and opaque. Add ground beef/turkey and stir until meat is browned.

2). Drain any excess fat from pan before adding remaining ingredients. Add as much/little beef broth as necessary to reach the desired consistency. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until flavors are well blended.

3). Enjoy topped with low-fat cheese, light sour cream, non-fat greek yogurt, or simply as is!

Servings: about 6. Nutritional Information per Serving: Calories: 219 Carbs: 20g Fat: 7g Protein: 22g Sugar: 4g Fiber: 6g

WW PointsPlus: 6

Recipe adapted from: http://www.pbfingers.com/2012/07/23/simple-summer-chili/