Crock Pot 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili, a true fix it and forget it meal!
I used to be baffled by people who said they were too busy to eat. What do you mean you don’t have time to eat? My life revolved around food and leisurely trips to the grocery store. Preparing meals was fun…and relaxing. That was before I had kids! Nowadays, I’m lucky if I can manage avocado toast let alone prepare a whole meal! I’m starting to realize dinnertime turns into total chaos if I don’t have a thought out meal plan in place with ingredients already prepped.
Here’s what I’ve been doing each week to make life easier!
~Choose recipes for dinners Monday-Friday, buy groceries on the weekend
(Online shopping and pick-up helps with this! If I have to take the kids to the grocery store we open at least 3 snacks, take 2 potty breaks and I can’t get out of the store without buying a balloon!)
~Cook a large batch of quinoa and short-grain brown rice
~Bake sweet potatoes and/or roast veggies
~Keep a basket full of bananas, apples and pears out on counter
~Cut melon, wash berries and grapes
~Have hummus and whole wheat wraps handy for roll-ups
~Saute spicy chickpeas and tofu scramble
~Stock the pantry with broth and beans for soup
~Stash lara bars in the diaper bag
~Keep ripe avocados and rice crackers available for avocado smash (avocado mashed and topped with sea salt, tastes amazing!)
~Cook one large pot of soup to have for lunch a few days during the week (this week was 3 bean pumpkin chili, see recipe below!)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup onion, chopped
- 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin
- 1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1.5 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 2.5 cups vegetable broth
- Toppings:
- Fresh cilantro
- Avocado
- Scallions
- Add oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and pepper, sauté until tender. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant. Transfer to a crock pot.
- Add remaining ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours.
- Top with fresh cilantro, avocado and scallions.
Recipe adapted from Taste of Home
You may want to alter the amount of chili powder added. I kept it on the mild side for a kid-friendly version. I threw this in the crock pot at night to have lunch ready and waiting the next day. At ~250 calories, 13 grams protein and 12 grams of fiber you can’t go wrong! A nutritious meal that will keep you feeling full!
