Aidanne MacDonald-Milewski, ND LLC
Naturopathic Doctor
Nurturing Your Health and Wellness
About the Recipe
The warming scents and comforting foods of fall bring my heart such joy! This heart-healthy chili recipe is one of my family’s staples, especially during this change of season. It combines a mix of various plant-based proteins, fibers, and heart conscious herbs. This chili also is rich in antioxidants such as vitamin C, lycopene, and anthocyanins that maintain healthy blood vessels - Enjoy!
Ingredients
Vegetables
2 x 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
1 can of tomato paste
1 orange, red OR yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
3-4 stalks of celery
½ red onion
1 jalapeno (optional)
Legumes
1 can black beans
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 can garbanzo beans / chick peas
Meat
1lb of lean turkey (optional)
Spices
1 tbsp oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp fennel seed
3-4 cloves of garlic
¼ cup of chili powder
½ tsp of pink Himalayan sea salt
½ tsp of black pepper
½ tsp crushed pepper flakes (optional)
Preparation
Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to a large crock pot or slow cooker. Turn the heat dial to medium on the slow cooker.
Thoroughly rinse all vegetables then chop into desired sized chunks. Once finished, add to the slow cooker and stir.
Rinse all canned beans in a colander. Once finished, add to the slow cooker and stir.
Add spices to the mix and stir.
Optional Turkey: Add 1tsp of olive oil to a medium pan on medium heat. Let the oil heat for 30 seconds and then add 1lb of lean turkey. Cook the turkey by stirring frequently in the pan until light brown (approx. 6-8 minutes). Once finished, add the cooked turkey to the slow cooker.
Raise the heat setting on the slow cooker to hot, and let chili cook for 45 minutes - 1½ hours depending on desired crunch of the vegetables included. Stir every 15-20 minutes.
Serve and enjoy!