Kids' Chili Con Carne with Vegetables
Servings: servings
Even the pickiest eaters will ask for seconds of this chili con carne with vegetables! A mixture of pureed veggies is cooked into the meat, so your kids will never even know that they're consuming spinach, peppers, and celery in every bite! It's a great way to feed your whole family more nutritious meals with minimal effort!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds extra lean ground beef
- 2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
- 1 cup shredded or grated carrots (about 1 large carrot)
- 1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium beef broth (1/2 cup with the veggies in blender, 1 cup in chili)
- 2 tablespoons chili powder* (start with 1 tablespoon to test for spiciness)
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 24-ounce can tomato sauce
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 cup low sugar barbecue sauce
- 1 15-ounce can low sodium kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 15-ounce can low sodium black beans
- 1 cup corn kernels
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- If you plan to cook the chili on the stovetop, use a pot large enough to fit all the ingredients. If you'll be cooking it in the slow cooker, you can simply use a large skillet to cook the ground beef.
- Cook the ground beef until cooked through and no longer pink, about 4-5 minutes. Drain the fat.
- To a blender, add the celery, onion, carrots, red pepper, spinach, garlic, and half a cup of the beef broth. Puree until smooth.
- Add the green sauce to the cooked meat in the skillet and cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, until the beef has mostly absorbed the green sauce, about 15-20 minutes.
If using a slow cooker:
- Transfer the meat to your slow cooker, add the remaining ingredients, and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. If you cook on high, make sure to stir frequently to avoid the chili from burning on the bottom and edges. I prefer to cook it low and slow so that the flavors have more time to meld together.
If cooking on the stovetop:
- After cooking the ground beef and green sauce, add the remaining ingredients. Simmer the chili on low for 2-3 hours on the stovetop. Stir every once in a while to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Notes
- *If your chili powder is on the spicy side, start with 1 tablespoon, taste and add another tablespoon if desired.
- Look for a low sugar bbq sauce or use homemade. I used one naturally sweetened with dates.
- If you're having a hard time getting the veggies to puree smoothly, add a little more broth.
Nutrition
Calories: 317kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 70mg | Sodium: 294mg | Potassium: 1401mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5308IU | Vitamin C: 36mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 6mg
