It’s getting colder and we’re all looking for a hearty and warming meal that takes almost no time to make so what shall we resort to? CROCK POTS! They’re perfect for the busy family looking to stay healthy and enjoy warm home cooked meals. They’re incredibly easy to use and preparing meals with them is so quick! Just wake up an extra 30 minutes early, prepare your meats, veggies, spices, etc. and throw them in the crock pot, cap it with the lid and set it to cook all day and when you get home from work your slow cooked and delicious dinner is ready for the whole family to enjoy! Here’s one of my favorite recipes using the crock pot. I call it s stewli because it’s not quite a stew but it’s not quite a stew. It has the ground meats and tomatoes of a chili but the whole chunks of hearty vegetables and warmth of a stew. If this stewli can’t keep you warm then I don’t know what will! I hope this recipe will fill up all of the bellies in your house!

Ingredients:

1 pound of all natural/ organic ground beef, turkey, or chicken

2 cups your broth of choice

1 16 ounce can of organic diced tomatoes

½ pound organic baby carrots

1 pound black beans, washed and soaked

3 organic potatoes or 6 red potatoes, cut into chunks

3 Sticks organic celery, chopped

1 half organic onion, minced

3 ounces organic tomato paste

2 cloves garlic

3 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 tsp garlic powder

2 TSP paprika

1 TSP chili powder

½ TSP cayenne powder (optional)

Directions:

First put your beans in a bowl with water and let them soak for at least an hour. While you’re letting the beans soak, pour the olive oil, garlic and onions into the bottom of a medium sized pot on the stove. Let the garlic and onions brown and then add your ground meat. Cook the meat until browned then add your tomato paste. Stir it all together until the tomato paste is fully incorporated then add the contents of your pot, to your crock-pot. Strain the black beans and add them to the crock pot. Add in the washed and cut celery and the carrots and potatoes to the crock-pot a long with all of the spices, diced tomatoes and broth. Give the mixture a quick stir to be sure everything is mixed together then place the top on and let cook for about 3 hours. Remember, the longer it has in the pot the tastier it will be so I suggest preparing this in the morning and it’ll be ready for you when you get home! Enjoy:)

-Eleanor Meloul