Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili
Let’s talk about how tired I am for a second. I went to the grocery store this morning and bought a 12 pound turkey. See, the funny thing is we are leaving on Tuesday to go out of town for Thanksgiving. And I’m actually not cooking. So during check out, the lady was like “OH! Are you hosting the holiday at home?” and I looked at her with a blank stare. And then I think I muttered something entirely crazy like “I love turkey. Mhmmmmmmm.” I actually have no clue what I’m going to do with this. Anyone wanna come over for pre-Thanksgiving?
That’s not the craziest part of this store experience. I also left my car ON while I was grocery shopping. So. Yeah. Luckily we have a Prius and you can’t actually drive without a key. But um, imagine my surprise when I entered my car and it was, you know, STILL RUNNING.
That’s what happens when you don’t sleep for two days and travel. Getting back to the normal routine is a lot harder said than done. Need another example? In the car TO the store, I realized I had a rather less than subtle hole in the crotchal region of my jeans. And instead of turning around, I just pulled my shirt down and continued on my mission.
This is, um, me on any given day.
Except at least this lady had coffee. Honestly, if I didn’t have a crock pot I would probably not be eating this week. That’s why I’m super stoked I already have this amazing slow cooker quinoa chili in my recipe arsenal.
Hands down, my favorite chili to date. It’s not only easy as pie to make, it’s healthy, hearty and perfect for weekdays, game days or just regular Thursday nights when you leave your car on while grocery shopping and go in public with giant holes in your pants.
Slow Cooker Quinoa Chili
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Serves about 8.
Prep time: >15 minutes
Cook time: 6 – 8 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed
- 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with chiles
- 14 ounce can roasted tomatoes
- 15 ounce can of black beans, drained
- 15 ounce can chick peas, drained
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- 2 teaspoons onion soup mix
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 cup part-skim cheddar cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Avocado for garnish
- Cilantro for garnish
Directions:
- In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic, cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the ground beef and break up to cook evenly. Cook about 6 – 7 minutes, or until browned. Drain grease and add ground beef to the crock pot.
- Add everything else (except for the garnishes) into a 6 quart slow cooker. Mix well to combine.
- Set your slow cooker to low and cook for 6 – 8 hours, or until quinoa is fully cooked.
- Garnish each bowl with a few slices of avocado and cilantro.
Nutritional information per serving (about 3/4 cup):
Calories: 290
Fat: 10.2 grams
Carbohydrates: 30.1 grams
Fiber: 6.5 grams
Protein: 22.5 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 7
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