I am fortunate that my kids eat virtually anything. It is however sometimes difficult to get my daughter to eat enough vegetables. One sure way is to make what we call winter chili. It is a combination of vegetables, beans, lean ground beef and lean ground turkey that cooks all day in the crock pot.  It is filling and savory with just a bit of spice. It has a ton of ingredients, but it is really super easy to make. As a treat I serve it in a sourdough bread bowl with a touch of cheese and a spoonful of non fat Greek yogurt and green onions.

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb lean turkey beef
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup chopped mixed bell peppers: green, yellow, orange, red
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 small onion sliced
• 1 cup chopped squash: yellow and green
• 1 cup frozen or fresh corn
• 1 cup frozen or fresh peas
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen green beans chopped
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans rinsed to remove excess salt
• 1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans rinsed to remove excess salt
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans of chopped, diced or pureed tomatoes
• 1  beer (12 oz.) if you don’t want alcohol replace with vegetable or beef stock
• 3 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons oregano leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

How to:

1. Brown ground beef and turkey in a large saucepan.
2. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. If there is not enough add a touch of olive oil to pan.
3. Add the garlic and onion, cook and stir until tender.
4. Place all ingredients in slow cooker, mix well, cover and cook on low for 8 hours.