Recipe: Bean Chili
Bean dips, bean spreads, baked beans, bean nachos and bean chilis…
It’s obvious that beans are gracing Super Bowl parties everywhere and there is good reason for this.
Beans are inexpensive to feed a crowd, packed with protein and nutrition and are super versatile!
But… they’re also known as “the magical fruit”.
There’s a fascinating reason for this that has to do with survival in nature- wait what!?
Watch the video to hear what Megan has to say about that AND learn Cara’s ancient trick to avoid gassiness by properly preparing beans!
Join Cara + Megan in Episode 7 of Simply Seasonal
- Learn how beans nourish the body and balance hormones
- The proper way to prepare beans to digest well and reduce gas
- How to shop smart for canned beans
- Tips and tricks to prepare, store and use
How to soak + cook dried beans
- Buy beans in bulk- they will store for years!
- Cook 5 cups in one batch.
- Soak 5 cups of beans over night or up to 48 hours in a slow cooker pot (to prevent one more dirty dish). Soaking helps break down the enzymes that make beans indigestible aka the magical fruit 😉
- Rinse beans well, discarding water and any foam that forms. May do this multiple times during soaking, but not necessary.
- Refill with fresh water, covering by a good 2-3 inches.
- Optional: Add a piece of kombu seaweed or splash of apple cider vinegar to help the breakdown process.
- Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.
- Optional: In the last 15 minutes or after they are done, add salt.
- Drain and let dry. Portion and store in zip lock bags. Store in freezer.
This slow cooker method may be used with any type of bean: black, pinto, northern, garbanzo, kidney… You will know the bean is ready when you can smoosh it between your fingers.
If you want to add Kombu seaweed you can buy it at Whole Foods or order it online!
Have questions after the episode?
Scroll down to watch our Podcast and LIVE Q+A!
Super Bowl of Chili
Ingredients
- Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 bell peppers, diced
- 2-3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 medium sweet potato, diced
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbs cumin, ground
- 1 tbs chili powder
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- 15 oz pinto beans
- 15 oz black beans
- 15 oz garbanzo beans
- 15 oz great northern white beans
- 1 can roasted crushed tomatoes
- 1 piece kombu seaweed
- Cilantro, chopped
- Avocado, sliced
- Lime, wedges
Directions
- Over medium high heat in a large pot or dutch oven, drizzle with olive oil and sauté onions, peppers, carrots, and sweet potato. Sprinkle with salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- When slightly browned add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the cumin, chili powder, and oregano and stir to incorporate.
- Add the beans, crushed tomatoes, and kombu. Reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid. Let it cook for 1-2 hrs or transfer into crockpot and cook until game time!
- Option to remove seaweed (nutrients have been cooking into the chili, or you can chop it up and add it back into the chili. No one will notice and they will love you for it!
- Garnish with cilantro, avocado, and lime. Cheers! Cheers!
If you enjoyed this recipe we would love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below and be sure to share with family and friends.
xoxo
Megan + Cara
Loved the bean information . I learned a lot! Thank you !
Oh good! Then we are doing our job. 🙂
Can we transfer our frozen beans directly to the slow-cooker for the Chili recipe or do we need to defrost them first?
Hi Emily, yes that wouldn’t be a problem. If they are stored in plastic baggies in the freezer, might be tough to remove frozen. So I suggest throwing the sealed bag of beans into a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.