Hearty Rainbow Chili

There is little more I look forward to cooking than this Hearty Rainbow Chili. Because it is SO colourful it leaves the door wide open for innumerable combinations and possibilities for sneaking in veggies! This is my base recipe for our favourite meal, when we need something to ‘stick to our ribs’! And with so many growing kids, this recipe is a ‘go to’ to fill them up and make me feel satisfied they are getting their veggies in too! Here is one of the simplest ways to add flavour and a filling healthy meal to your table.

Colourful Ingredients

This Hearty Rainbow Chili is a perfect way to end the day or even begin it! My husband Yvan loves a side of this zesty chili to accompany his eggs in the morning. And, happily, it all comes together fairly quickly…especially if you prep the veggies and meat the day before!
In roughly 30 minutes (with prepared chopped veggies and browned meat) you can feed your family an incredibly healthy meal with the works!

Here is a list of veggies and legumes I love including in this Hearty Rainbow Chili:

• All Colour Peppers (And all levels of spiciness welcome!)
• Corn (fresh or frozen)
• Onions (purple, yellow, white)
• Dark Red Kidney Beans
• Roman Beans
• Black beans
• Pinto Beans
• Chick peas
• Heirloom Tomatoes (Diced)
• Sweet Cherry Tomatoes (sliced or diced)
• And Occasionally, Buttenut Squash (cubed), Cauliflower and Broccoli (chopped in small florets.
  
  Feel free to mix it up, with all the colours of the veggies rainbow!
  

Spices

Additionally, spices are essential in a hearty rainbow chili. These are easy to find and the perfect combination to add a little kick of flavour to your meal time!

• Cumin
• Chili Powder
• Garlic (fresh or powered)
• Black Pepper
• Salt (kosher Sea salt finely ground is best)

5 Must Haves for Chili Night:

1. Crisp Beautiful Lettuce to add to your plate! Chop it up or scoop your Chili into it! We LOVE Boston, Romaine and any heirloom varieties we can find. If you go for “Iceberg” try to add in some other colourful lettuce to for a greater punch of nutrition to your gut!
2. Tortillas– You can use store bought, or try your hand at making them! You can find a fantastic HEALTHY recipe for sour dough tortillas you can make at home, HERE.
3. Salsa is a MUST. Can you even have a bowl of Chili without a little salsa somewhere on the table? We often like a chunky salsa, but THIS RECIPE gives a delicious zesty addition to your meal.
4. Cheese. Cheese is what makes the mouth water when you see a cheesy gooey bowl of steaming Chili. From Jalepeño to Old cheddar, it is hard to go wrong when cheese is involved. But I have to say my ABSOLUTE favourite cheese to add to my Chili, is GOAT Cheese. It is sweet and oh so creamy. Indeed it almost tastes like a rich cream added in.
5. Speaking of CREAM…a dollop or drizzle refines your Hearty Rainbow Chili with a little pizazz!
   

MAKE IT!

Prepare:

The simplest beginning is to prepare your ingredients.

• Chop Onions finely (and whole garlic if using fresh)
• Dice Peppers and Tomatoes
• Dice or chop any other veggies you crave in your Chili! Be creative! We have never regretted what we veggies we added in to try! Even chopped Broccoli was tasty!
• Brown the Meat (Our kids love ground beef, venison, or chicken). And set aside. If you prefer, op out of the meat and go vegetarian for the evening!
  
  

Get Cooking!

Ingredients:

• 2 Onions diced
• 3-4 Peppers of every colour and “heat” or “sweetness”
• 1 1/2 Cups Tomatoes: Fresh is best, but If you use ‘canned” be sure to choose WHOLE tomatoes, not diced. Whole tomatoes canned require a little extra prep, but are a higher quality than the diced tomatoes (even if they are the same price!)
• 3 Cups of Legumes in every variety! You can use canned or “prepared dry”. We often gravitate towards, Black- Eyed Peas, Romano Beans, Dark Red Kidney Beans, Pinto and Chickpeas (my daughters favourite!)
• 1/2 Water
• 1 1/2 Cups of Corn fresh or frozen
• 2 lbs of Ground Beef (You can try swapping out for Cubed chicken, or eliminate the beef altogether for a zesty veggie Chili to mix it up! )
• 2 Cups of Ketchup and I know this sounds like an unusual ingredient in Chili, but it really does help all the flavours to come together. Plus, most children prefer a ‘milder’ Chili. If you want a spicier version you can add some Salsa, in addition! You can use a can of Tomato paste as well, but ketchup is the most ‘prepared’ option with added flavours. You can make your own from scratch using this yummy recipe HERE.
• 3 Cups of Chicken or Veggie Stock. This is the easiest ingredient to set aside in your freezer when making chicken (or veggies), and if you boil the bones of the chicken, it adds immune and gut boosting health benefits!
• 2 Tbsp Corn Starch
• 3 Tbsp Water
• 3 Tbsp. of Ground Chili powder
• 1/2 tsp of Ground Cayenne powder (Eliminate if you prefer a ‘less spicy’ Chili)
• 1 Tbsp Cumin
• 2 Tbls of Ground Garlic powder (Or 4 cloves of fresh Garlic minced)
• 1/2 tsp of Black Pepper
• 1 tsp of Salt
• Add any additional veggies your prefer. We love to occasionally add cubed butternut squash or sneak in some chopped cauliflower. `
  

Instructions:

• Prepare the Pot. Use a thick bottomed pot, such as a cast iron crock pot. I use my Cusinart Dutch Oven almost every single day for our large family. You can find one similar at a fraction of the price HERE. Get out your Extra Virgin Olive Oil and douse the bottom! Don’t be afraid of those healthy fats! Heat on Medium-Low until it begins to sizzle.
• Throw in your onions and lightly stir until translucent. Add in the spices and salt, allowing to heat for about one minute and stirring until the onions are well coated.
• Pour in about a cup of water, to prevent the onions from gluing to the bottom.
• Add the peppers, tomatoes and any other vegetable you deemed worthy of your Hearty Rainbow Chili. Turn Temperature up to Medium.
• Pour in two cups of chicken or veggies broth over all the veggies while they are cooking.
• Add the legumes, stirring well so they do not stick to the bottom.
• Add Ketchup and mix together until well blended. Cover and allow to simmer on medium low for 15 minutes.
• Mix together your “slurry” of Cornstarch and Water. Pour over Chili and stir.
• Taste to see if the flavour is to your preference and adjust spices and salt accordingly. I find I sometimes like to add a little more homemade ketchup or even salsa you want to turn up the heat.
• Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally for another 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from heat.
• Serve a heaping portion, sprinkled with your favourite shredded cheese, or drizzled with heavy cream! Add a crisp green salad and tortillas to complete the meal!

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