Slow Cooker Beef & Black Bean Chili with Corn Bread
There's no need to soak the beans overnight for this easy slow-cooker version of an all-American favorite. The corn bread recipe makes more than you'll need, but here's a tip: Heat up the leftovers and drizzle with honey for a super fast breakfast the next day.
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Ingredients
Chili
- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
- 3 tbsp unsalted tomato paste
- 1 tbsp chile powder
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 3 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
- 1 cup dried black beans, rinsed
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 sea salt
Corn bread
- 1 cup whole-grain yellow cornmeal, divided
- 2 tbsp organic unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp organic evaporated cane juice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda (Try: Bob's Red Mill Baking Soda)
Preparation
1. Heat a large nonstick skillet on medium. Add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Drain and transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker.
2. In same skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, chile powder, cumin and oregano and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1 cup broth and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan.
3. Scrape onion mixture into slow cooker. Add remaining 2 cups broth, beans, cocoa powder and 3/4 tsp salt and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low until beans are tender, 8 to 9 hours.
4. Prepare corn bread: Preheat oven to 425°F. Mist an 8-inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a large bowl, add ½ cup cornmeal, butter and 1/3 cup boiling water and stir until butter melts. Add yogurt and egg and stir to combine.
5. In a separate bowl, whisk together remaining ½ cup cornmeal, cane juice, baking powder, ½ tsp salt and baking soda. Add to yogurt mixture and stir to combine. Scrape into prepared pie plate and bake on a rimmed baking sheet until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, about 18 minutes. Let cool for 2 minutes. Cut into 8 wedges. Serve with chili.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1/4 of chili and 1/8 of corn bread
- Calories 525
- Carbohydrate Content 54 g
- Cholesterol Content 113 mg
- Fat Content 18 g
- Fiber Content 15 g
- Protein Content 41 g
- Saturated Fat Content 7 g
- Sodium Content 852 mg
- Sugar Content 8 g
- Trans Fat Content 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat Content 9 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 7 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 2 g