Nothing says autumn like a bowl of hot chili!

Jodi Davis

| 3 min read

Nothing says autumn like a bowl of hot chili! No matter whether it’s made using chicken, ground turkey, beef or tofu, chili has a way of warming up the soul. It just feels good … and can taste even better!
Chili can be convenient as well. Imagine how wonderful it would be to enter your home after a long day at work and smell the aroma of spicy chili, knowing that dinner was done and there wasn’t a bit of mess in your kitchen. You wouldn’t have to do a thing but reach into the cabinet for a bowl and a spoon. Simply serve yourself a warm dinner that has been cooking in the crockpot all day long, allowing all the flavors to come together thus creating a delicious mixture of healthy and hearty.
Below are two new turkey-chili recipes that I’ve found to be absolutely fantastic examples of delicious, healthy and hearty chili. The calorie content for each chili recipe is less than 215 per serving, but you’d never know it! You can start by preparing your crockpot chili the previous night or the morning before work and will have a delightful meal ready for you when you walk in the door in the evening, leaving you extra time to take a walk outdoors and enjoy the beauty of autumn once dinner is over.
10 servings, 213 calories per serving

Ingredients

10 oz Ground Turkey
1 Large Green Bell Pepper chopped
1 Large Red Bell Pepper chopped
1 Cup Frozen Sweet Yellow Corn
1/2 Medium Onion chopped
1 can (14.5 oz) Dark Red Kidney beans
2 cans (14.5 oz) Pinto Beans
1 can (14.5 oz) Diced tomatoes garlic and onion flavored
1 package Chili seasoning mix

Directions

Brown turkey in frying pan.
Chop vegetables, drain and rinse beans and add to crockpot. Add frozen corn, canned tomatoes, chili seasoning and browned turkey. Mix well.
Cook 6-8 hours on high OR Cook 10 hours on low.
*Optional: Garnish with cheese, green onions and low-fat sour cream
Another great recipe that you can prepare the night before; turn on the crockpot in the morning and enjoy a delicious hot meal when you arrive home. This can easily be made vegan by eliminating the turkey. Here is how easy this is to make:
Twelve servings, 206 calories per serving

Ingredients

20 oz Ground Turkey
1 Small Onion chopped
1 (28 oz) can Diced Tomatoes
1 (16 oz) can Tomato Sauce
1 (4.5 oz) can Chopped Chilies drained
1 (15 oz) can Chickpeas undrained
1 (15.5 oz) can Black Beans undrained
1 (15.5 oz) can Small Red Beans, undrained
2 tbsp chili powder

Directions

Brown turkey and onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat.
Drain any fat remaining and transfer to crock pot. Add the beans, chilies, chickpeas tomatoes, tomato sauce and chili powder mixing well.
Cook on high 6-8 hours.
*Optional: Garnish with chopped red onion, fresh cilantro for topping and shredded cheddar cheese.
Do you have a favorite chili recipe that reminds you of autumn?
Photo credit: Smaku

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