My Go-To [Eating Solo] Chili...and 3 Recipes to Try!

I am certain that I love chilli more than the average person.

I definitely love it more than my husband, for starters. 

Don't get me wrong, he enjoys chili. But he doesn't want it 3-4 nights a week in the fall/winter like I do. Understandable...I know. ;)

So wanna know my go-to solo chili? I'm not a big chili-from-a-can person. We all know the best chili comes from a crock pot. BUT on those nights (like this past Sunday night during the Panthers game, for instance) that I'm the only crazy craving chilli...this is my jam.

Trader Joe's Organic Vegetarian Chili is where it's at! Trust me. I've tried all their other kinds too (beef, chicken, and turkey...none of which are organic anyway). This one is the best by a mile. The other ones are pretty bland, but this organic vegetarian kind is the only one that has a tangy kick to it. And at just over $2, it's a steal as well.

Oh, and you know how the TJ's employees always talk to you about this and that and what you're buying? I feel like every time I buy this chili, it's the item in my cart that they chat it up with me about. "Have you tried this yet? It's so good." I know, sweet TJ's friend. I know. And then we talk about how it's better than all the other chilis they have. Yep. This has happened to me at least four times in the past year. I love it.

Add some sour cream, cheese, avocado, chives...? Whatever floats your boat. 

And enjoy! You just threw dinner together, and it was stupidly easy. :)

Chili obsessed like moi?  Try my favorite chili recipes:

Lizzie's Veggie Chili | 5 Ingredient White Chicken Chili | Sweet Potato & Quinoa Turkey Chili

Cheers to the start of chili season!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored in any way. Just sharing one of my faves!

Pop on over and visit Nina -- because what girl doesn't love flowers in her hair? :) 

Sweet Potato & Quinoa Turkey Chili

It's technically spring...but the cold weather and rain last week couldn't keep me away from throwing one more batch of chili in the crock pot. It's no secret that I love chili. So when I saw this recipe floating around on Pinterest with sweet potatoes and quinoa, I knew I had to try it. Sweet potatoes? Quinoa? Chili? In one? Already sounds like my favorite chili recipe ever.

I used this recipe as a baseline, but I adapted it so I didn't have to run to the store for this and that. I'm a firm believer in "use what you have!"

Ingredients

1lb ground turkey
1 large shallot or 1 small onion, chopped [I left these out...hubs doesn't like onions.]
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper [I did not add salt.]
3 cups chicken broth (plus extra for re-heating) [Used water instead. Worked well for us!]
28oz can crushed tomatoes [I used 1 can of diced tomatoes and 1 can of tomatoes & okra]
15oz can baked beans [I used vegetarian baked beans]

I added a can of black beans...because chili without black beans seems silly to me.
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 large sweet potato (about 1lb,) peeled and chopped [Didn't peel. I'm weird and like the skin. :)]
2 Tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt [Didn't add]
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
Toppings of your liking 

Directions

[from Iowa Girl Eats]

Add ground turkey and shallot to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season liberally with salt and pepper then cook until no longer pink, breaking turkey up as it cooks. Add garlic then cook for 30 more seconds then add to a 6 quart crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, except toppings, into crock pot then cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5-6 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender. Serve with toppings. May need to add more chicken broth when reheating. 

 Throw it in a pot recipes are my jam.

I served Mark's with sour cream, cheese, and avocado.

To keep mine as healthy as possible (matron of honor duties are calling!), I just garnished mine with avocado.

I hope y'all enjoy this one as much as I did! If a cold, rainy day creeps its way in again before warm weather is here to stay, be sure to throw this one in the crock pot! Easy, hearty, and healthy for the win!

Cheers to Pinterest recipe success!

Frankly, my dear...you should pop over here to visit my sweet sponsor, Jenni!

Pinterest Recipe Success: 5 Ingredient White Chicken Chili

Source

I've told y'all before that I'm no goddess in the kitchen. As in...I put in little to no effort in the cooking department until we moved to Wilmington. I'm still a novice! So 5 ingredients to me means...bingo! I'll give it a try.

 

Some Pinterest recipes are go-tos. Some are flops. This one was a victory by a mile. Within a few bites, Mark was telling me how good it was and added that it should be on the list of things to make again.

Here is the recipe I used (and how I adapted it because I am so savvy I didn't want to go to the store)!

Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth (I used vegetable broth!)

4 cups cooked shredded chicken (I used a Rotisserie chicken breast...on Vic special at Harris Teeter!)

2 (15-oz) cans Great Northern beans, drained (Didn't have any in the cabinet, so I modified with 1 can of navy beans and 1 can of chick peas!)

2 cups salsa verde (storebought or homemade) (Store bought! The secret ingredient!!!!)

2 tsp. ground cumin (One of my favorite spices. Secret ingredient #2!)

Optional toppings: diced avocado, chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, crumbled tortilla chips

Instructions:

Add chicken broth, shredded chicken, beans, salsa and cumin to a medium saucepan, and stir to combine. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, then cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 5 minutes. Serve warm with desired toppings.

 My attempt! Woohoo!

I'm telling y'all...even with my non-chef-status modifications...it was SO GOOD. We added avocado and sour cream. I added cheese to the hubby's as well. The salsa and the cumin are what do the trick to the chili's kick, if you ask me!

Happy cooking!

Linking up with these lovelies today: Khala, Samantha, Renee, and Jenni! :)

Pop on over to The Birdie Bowl to visit my sweet February sponsor, Khala!

 

 

The Best Veggie Chili Ever (and the Secret Ingredient for ALL Chili!)

Brace yourselves, y'all, because I'm about to share my favorite go-to chili with you. It's literally as easy as throwing it all into a pot.

Lizzie made this when Mark and I were visiting her little family in Mount Airy, and I of course had her send me the recipe. I have since forwarded that recipe on multiple times. It's that good!

See if you can spot the secret ingredient... (Or call me out on my lack of knowing about the secret ingredient in delicious chili.)

Ingredients

- 1 (19oz) can black bean soup
- 1 (15oz) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (16oz) can vegetarian baked beans
- 1 (14.5oz) can chopped tomato puree
- 1 (15oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 tablespoon chili powder, dried oregano, dried basil, brown sugar

Instructions
Add all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for at least 2 hours on high. Serve with chips, shredded cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

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Change up the recipe to your liking. For example, I leave out the celery since I'm not a big celery fan. And (much to my dismay) the hubby isn't an onion fan, so this past time I left that out. Instead...I just added another can of black beans.

 

Boom. How easy is that?

 Yep! This was a preview from Insta that you might've caught on Sunday.

I mean...I couldn't bear to be cooking in the kitchen with football, The Bachelor, AND Downton Abbey back-to-back-to-back that night. ;) Speaking of back-to-back-to back, I've eaten the leftover chili for 3 nights in a row now. Cold weater = chili weather.

And the secret ingredient...!?!?

Brown sugar! I give it a heaping tablespoon. 

I will forever use that little weapon in every pot of chili I make forever! 

Have ya'll used that in your chili before or have I spent most of my life under a rock out of the kitchen?

Now go visit my lovely sponsor, Khala!