There is nothing like homemade chili served up on a crisp Fall evening. When the kids were little we had the fun tradition of inviting our single friends and couples without kids over for a Fall Supper of chili, cornbread and salad. It was usually the weekend before Halloween. The purpose was not only to enjoy each other’s company but to also carve pumpkins. There is nothing more fun than watching adults come up with unique ideas for their soon-to-be-carved pumpkin a long side young, eager children full of anticipation. We did this for many years until our kids went off to college.
We may no longer have a line of carved pumpkins outside our front door at Halloween but we do still have friends over for homemade chili. Usually we fix two kinds of chili: a vegetarian chili and a ground beef chili. In this day and age it is amazing how many people choose the vegetarian chili. There are certainly many kinds to choose from. To keep it easy, I make my classic chili, one with 80% lean ground beef and the other with soy crumbles (which looks a lot like ground beef).
Chili is a vey forgiving and flexible dish. It can be cooked on top of the stovetop, in the oven or in a crockpot. The crockpot method is the easiest since you can assemble all the ingredients, turn the pot on and go have fun with out worrying about a burned pot. You can also add ingredients you have on hand to make each pot unique. I use stewed tomatoes, for instance, but if what you have on hand is diced tomatoes that well work well too. You can use different spices depending on what you have on hand and your mood. My go-to spices for this dish are garlic, chili powder and Italian seasoning. The best, though, is that it can be made for any number of people just by doubling or tripling the recipe. It tastes great regardless.
It is fun to add some toppings for your family and guests to add to the top of their chili. Our family’s favorites are: oyster crackers (1 Tbs/30 cal), 2% shredded cheddar cheese (1 Tbs/22 cal), chopped green onions (1 Tbs/ 2 cal) and light sour cream (1 Tbs/18 cal).
To make it a meal I add cornbread muffins (137 cal) and a simple tossed salad with a light vinaigrette (20 cal). A one cup serving of the chili is 336 calories. Add the toppings (72 cal) and 1 teaspoon of light butter (17 cal) for the muffin and the total calorie count for the meal is: 582. Makes for a perfect Fall Supper on a crisp evening with family and friends. Think about trying it out for Halloween!
Enjoy! And Live Vibrant!
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