How to Eat Them Beans!

Over the last five-ish years I've been working to change our family tastes in various ways.  One of my goals was to get us liking beans.  You know, legumes.  Originally, the only way we ever ate beans was out of a big ol' can loaded with sticky sweet syrup at a barbecue.  Makes my teeth hurt now thinking about it!

Fast forward to now.  We eat beans with almost every meal, every day.  Impressed?  If you knew how many bean recipes I've tried over the years, you would be!

Tonight was our "meat night". So, I planned for a quick and easy crock pot meal, knowing we were to be out of the house for the afternoon.  It was a gigantic win with the family, so I figured I share the recipe here. 

I'm often asked for bean recipes and for my tricks at getting my family to like and eat beans.

I have no tricks, folks.  I just keep servin' 'em and they eventually get eaten. :) 

Every so often, though, I come up with a recipe that has them asking for MORE.  Tonight I even had my seven year old chasing me down with paper and pen so she can get the recipe. Haha!  You know it must be good.

I found this recipe on pinterest and then altered it to make it fit our nutritional goals.  My new fancy word for doing that is Nutri-tized.  Sounds space-age, huh?

Tracy's Nutri-tized Chicken Taco Chili

1 chicken breast (I used a frozen one)
1 large yogurt container full of cooked white northern beans (so, maybe 2-3ish cups??)
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can kidney beans, rinsed
1 bag of frozen yellow corn
1 28oz can tomato sauce (low or no salt if you can find it)
1 28 oz can no-salt added diced tomatoes
2-3 heaping TBS taco seasoning (I make my own, you use what you want)
1 TBS chili powder

Dump in crock pot, cook on high for about 3-4 hours.  Come home from your outing and add:

1 yellow onion, diced fine
1 green chili pepper, diced fine
Bell pepper if you have it and like it. I was low on ours, so I left it out this time. Next time I'll plan to put some in.
About 8 oz mushrooms, chopped fine
4-5 kale (or other greens) leaves, chopped fine

You could add the peppers and onion at the beginning, if you remember.  ;)  I forgot all about dinner today and had to throw this in the pot in under 5 minutes as we headed out the door.  So, now you know, if you need an under 5 minute dinner, here's your winner!

This pot will serve our family of 10 for two meals.  Even though I used just one chicken breast, I think I could cut back more and add a little more beans (another variety) next time.  I think I will get in some more greens and peppers while I'm at it too.

It was a tiny bit spicy (and salty to me) but, even my 15 month old gobbled up two bowls of this chili. Though, she did keep that sippy cup handy in between bites.

Whether you are working to stretch the budget by holding back the meats or working on increasing your vegetable protein intake, this recipe is easy to tweak and fit your family's tastes. The original recipe I pinned called for three chicken breasts.  If that's what you're hunkering for and what it takes to get those beans down, go for it!

Okay, so I guess I have a sort-of trick for getting the beans in the bellies. Make a big 'ol pot and adjust as your tastes see fit.

Back in the early days we would have added loads of cheese, sour cream, and even hot sauce to a dish like this.  Our tastes have changed such that we didn't need anything to enjoy this bowl of goodness.

Maybe I should call that Baby Bean Steps. :)

^""""Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim,  brought beds, basins, pottery, wheat, barley, flour, parched grain, beans, lentils, parched seeds, honey, curds, sheep, and cheese of the herd, for David and for the people who were with him, to eat; for they said, "The people are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness."

2 Samuel 17:28-29