Festive Halloween Quinoa and Black Bean Chili

If you’re like most parents, you absolutely LOVE Halloween. What you probably don’t adore is the abundance of candy they consume—and the candy hangover they have the next day. This is our family’s solution, and we would love for it to become yours. Before we head out, we like to make a festive, yet still healthy, meal to line their bellies with nourishment. Packed with protein, antioxidant-rich vegetables, healing spices and complex carbohydrates, this slow cooker quinoa and black bean chili is a great way to ensure your kiddo has the best start to Halloween ever!

Start to finish: 8-10 hours, 30 minutes active

Ingredients (Serves 6-8):

For the chili:

• 1 lb.  ground beef
• 1 large red onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• ½ c. roasted red peppers (we buy them in a jar)
• 1 jalapeno
• 6 cloves garlic
• 3 c. prepared black beans (or two 15-oz. cans, rinsed and drained)
• 1 c. uncooked quinoa
• 2½ c. organic chicken broth
• 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 T. raw honey
• 1 T. red wine vinegar

For the seasonings:

• 1 T. chili powder
• 1 T. ground cumin
• 1 T. dried oregano
• 2  t. smoked paprika
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ t. sea salt
• ½ t. black pepper

For the “eyes”

• 8 oz. Bocconicini (small fresh mozzarella balls, usually in the “fancy” cheese aisle)
• 6 oz. can sliced black olives, drained

Instructions:

Brown your meat: Heat a suitable sized pan over medium heat for about five minutes. When hot, add ground meat to pan. Brown meat for about five minutes, stirring often, or until meat is no longer pink. Pour cooked meat into a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker.

Prepare your produce: Peel, trim and dice one large red onion and one green bell pepper. Thinly slice ½ cup of roasted red peppers. Mince one jalapeno and 6 cloves garlic. For a mild chili, remove seeds and ribs from jalapeno. For a bit more kick, leave the seeds and ribs intact. Add all prepared produce to slow cooker.

Combine your seasonings and get your chili cooking: In a small bowl or ramekin, stir together all ingredients listed under “for the seasonings.” Sprinkle combined seasonings over meat and veggies. Add all remaining ingredients listed under “for the chili.” Stir well to combine.

Add lid to slow cooker and cook on low for 8-10 hours, whichever is more convenient for your family.

When dinner is ready to be served, transfer chili to an oven safe skillet. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. While oven heats, nestle mozzarella balls and olives into chili as demonstrated above.

Place in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes, just until cheese starts to melt, but not dissolve.

Serve and enjoy!    

Hot Tip:

Work ahead: If the thought of spending 20 minutes browning your meat and chopping veggies in the morning stresses you out, feel free to do all of your prep work the night before and store the crock of your slow cooker in the fridge overnight. The next morning, simply transfer the crock to your slow cooker and set your timer. A home cooked meal that doesn’t add extra stress in the morning. Winner, winner slow cooker dinner!

Katie Newell is a culinary instructor with a passion for helping families find success in the kitchen. She is also a cookbook author and mama to two sweet girls, ages 8 and 9, that love to help her cook. HealthnutFoodie.com.