Super-Easy Kid-Friendly Chili (Slow-Cooked)

No matter how much I'd want my kids to appreciate a wider range of food tastes, they tend to cling to the traditional North American food palette. They may select an unusual dish when we go out, but at home, they prefer less exotic choices. It makes my time in the kitchen both less and more challenging: I'd love to offer them something more creative  but making simpler foods is well... just simpler. I keep slipping unusual options once in a while, hoping that one day, when they get older, their childhood cuisine will find a way and at least one of them them will pick fois-gras over nachos.

In the mean time, one of their all-season favourites is chili. It is hardly spicy and hardly hot with just enough of the chili and cumin powder aroma. The slow-cooker completes the simplification process and voila, you have something that's simple, quick (prep time) and kid approved.

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/2 white onions, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 800g can of diced tomatoes
• 1/2 each green and yellow / red bell pepper, diced
• 500 ml / 19 oz red / pinto or kidney beans.
  I really like a 6-bean mix that you can get at Loblaws or NoFrills 

• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

1. Heat a skillet on med.-high heat and brown the beef, breaking up clumps, until no longer pink. Put in a slow cooker.
2. In the empty skillet saute onions until transparent with a bit of oil. Add minced garlic, saute for 1 minute, add the spices. Fry to 30seconds, enough for the spices to release the aroma. Put in a slow cooker.
3. Add diced tomatoes, rinsed beans and peppers in the slow cooker. Mix the ingredients well.
4. My slow cooker retains all original liquid, so I don't add extra broth. If your slow cooker is the opposite, add broth. 
5. Cook for 5 hours on high or 9 hours on low.