Pumpkin is a great low cost veggie that, thanks to canning, does not have to be a seasonal treat. Pumpkin is a low in carbs, high in fiber, vitamin A and C. It helps make this chili thick and hearty without making it heavy.
Usually, I puree the veggies down in my sauces to ensure that everyone will still get their fill. Here are a couple of my sauce puree recipes:
HOW TO GET AROUND A PICKY HUSBAND!
But, I opted for a different route with this recipe. The kids will eat whole, cooked onions, peppers, carrots, garlic, greens and tomatoes. My husband will not. (grrr! Love him, but GRrrrrr!) My solution for this dish was to finely chop onion, pepper, celery, carrot and garlic and sauté them until soft and fragrant. I stored them separate from the rest of the chili. Then I sliced big pieces of pepper, onion, and garlic and added them into the crockpot. That way they would still contribute to the flavor and they would be big enough for my husband to pick them out. (Grrrr!!) I stirred the kid’s chopped veggies into their chili.
I wrote the ingredients as if they all go in together into the crockpot. Otherwise this recipe would get too confusing. 🙂
I used an organ meat mix for my chili because it adds SOOOO much nutrition to my unsuspecting family members. I talk about the benefits and sourcing of my organ meat mix in this post, Organ Meat Meatballs and Sauce. You know, it’s funny because the kids don’t care what it’s called. All they know is it is meat and they like it. If you are not into an organ meat chili, that’s totally cool! Just use ground beef! You could also do a mix of ground pork, turkey and beef. That way you get three different protein sources with three different profiles. Remember, it’s all about variety!!
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds organ meat mix 1 pound ground water buffalo 1 large red onion, diced 2 large green peppers, diced 5 medium carrots, diced 4 stalks of celery, sliced 1 pound fresh spinach, chopped (you could also use swiss chard or kale) 6 cloves of garlic, minced 2 Tbsp coconut oil 2 cans diced tomatoes 1 can tomato sauce 1 can pumpkin puree 1 tsp real salt 1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika 2 TBSP chili powder 2 tsp cumin 2 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp clove
PUTTING IT TOGETHER
Place crockpot on the counter, ready to be filled. Combine all dried spices in a small bowl and stir to combine.
Sauté 1/2 of onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp coconut oil over medium heat until soft and fragrant.
Add in 1/2 of ground meat. Cook until browned. Remove from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
Sauté the remaining onion and garlic in 1 Tbsp coconut oil, then add remaining ground meat.
Add drained meat to the crockpot. Replace the paper towel and drain the second batch of meat.
Add all remaining ingredients to the crockpot. Then add the second batch of drained meat.
Finally stir in the spice mixture. Stir well to combine all ingredients.
Cook on low for 6 hours.
I served this dish over broth cooked white rice for a little added starch. This is my seven year old’s bowl.
The girl’s don’t like rice, so I add it to the side of the bowl hoping they will try it. If they are not interested, they can eat around the rice free chili. 🙂
ER. She was not feeling herself and I knew she would be very picky. So, I added some of her favorites to the plate to peak her interest. She loves oranges, pickled carrots, banana, avocado and apples. If I had just given her a bowl of chili…she would have pushed it away. This way, she ate the fruit and some of the chili.
I hope you give this simple and delicious recipe a try! Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram at moms4healthUSA.
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