Crock Pot Chronicles: Turkey Three-Bean Chili

This post is cross-posted from Christina Does, a blog about shopping, beauty, fashion, travel, food, events, and more. 

It pains me to write about chili on day three of a juice cleanse, but baby, it’s cold outside, and if I weren’t cleansing I would be whipping up another batch to warm up this dreary day. Last week I made the most phenomenal chili to ever pass my lips. It was hearty and thick, and so perfectly spicy.  And I know I’m not just tooting my own horn, because Jamie couldn’t get enough of it either! The best part? It was SO easy.


Ingredients: 

• 1 lb fat free ground turkey breast
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 3 (10 oz) cans hot or mild Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chilies (if you can find a 28 oz can, more power to ya!)
• 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 green bell pepper, diced (optional)
• 1 (15.5 oz) can pinto beans, undrained
• 1 (15.5 oz) can black beans, undrained
• 1 (15.5 oz) can small red beans, undrained
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast (flour can be used as an alternative)

Seasoning:

• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon dried, minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Brown the turkey with red onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat until cooked, and drain any fat remaining.To make life easier, I did step one the night before, and kept the cooked meat in the refrigerator overnight, so all I had to do in the morning was put everything in the crock pot. So easy!
2. Add the meat, tomatoes con chilies, tomato sauce, green pepper and seasoning mix to the crock combining well.
3. Cook on high for 6-8 hours. If you’re like me, and a work day could potentially last 10-12 hours, leave the pot on the low setting.
4. In the last hour or two of cooking, add the beans, and turn the crock pot up to high, if it isn’t already. The world won't end if you have he beans in the whole time, but they might come out a bit mushy, so I choose to add them later.When you’re almost ready to serve, incorporate the nutritional yeast or flour, little by little, until your chili is at desired consistency.

Top with cheddar, cilantro, sour cream, lime, etc. Whatever your little heart desires, and enjoy!