Chili + Corn Bread

Today, I am pairing up with the fabulous Kayla from Mississippi Mrs to bring you some delicious recipes. But, the best part about both of our recipes - They are healthy! Yep, you just read that right! You wont find anything bland or dull about these recipes though, because I believe the trick to loving your healthy lifestyle is variety and flavor! 

I will admit it, when I first started trying to be healthy and eat better; my meals were so plain and boring. No wonder I couldn’t keep to my routine and stay on track. After I had spent some much needed time searching the internet for some fun and flavorful recipes, I had officially found some that I love and turn too all the time! 

I love comfort food, then again who doesn’t. If you are saying you don’t – you’re lying and you know it. I mean when it finally start to cool off at night, I crave a bowl of hearty chill with a side of corn bread. I will be truthful that the chili I always turned too, wasn’t the best for me. Loaded in calories and when I could finish a huge bowl easy (that wasn’t just a single serving) I knew that all the good I had done for the day, just went out the window.

I knew that it had to have a healthy, hearty, flavorful chill that was going to be on hand. Cause, obviously there wouldn’t be any other way around it. I found this recipe last winter that was delicious! It had the perfect amount of heartiness that I desired, thanks to the 3 bean and turkey meat she used. Plus, it had all of these spices and veggies that blended together for the perfect flavorful chili! My mouth is watering just thinking about it…! Do you want to know the best part about this recipe though.. If you don’t have all day to let it slow cook, it takes just under an hour!

Forewarning: Don’t let this long list of ingredients scare you, I found that I had a huge amount of them already in my cupboard (:

ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 onion, diced, plus 1/4 cup for garnish
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green pepper, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 teaspoons cumin
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon 21 seasoning salute (from trader joes) *Optional*
1 bay leaf
1.2 lbs lean ground beef/turkey
2 1/2 cups water
4 cups diced tomatoes ( I used Pomi brand)
1 chipotle pepper (in adobo sauce), minced
2 1/2 teaspoons adobo sauce
1 can organic kidney beans, rinsed
1 can organic black beans, rinsed
1 can organic pinto beans, rinsed
salt and pepper to taste
sour cream, garnish
cheddar cheese, grated, for garnish

directions

Heat olive oil and garlic in a dutch oven (or heavy saucepan) over medium-high heat, until fragrant.  Add the onions, red/green bell pepper and carrots, stirring until soft, about 10 minutes.  Stir in cumin, thyme and oregano stirring for 1minute.  Add bay leaf, 21 seasoning salute and beef.  Cook beef until no longer pink.  Pour water, diced tomatoes, adobo sauce and chipotle pepper.  Cook partially covered for 30 minutes.
Add black, pinto and kidney beans to chili, cook for an additional 20-25 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cheddar cheese, diced onions and sour cream. Serve immediately.

recipe and images are via epicurean mom