Recipes: Time-effective, high-fiber 5 bean Chili

Okay, I'll admit it: I don't actually LIKE to cook.

But I like to eat tasty and healthy meals that are good for me. With an added bonus of being loaded with good fats and proteins and fiber. And I know if I cook something, my equally lazy family will eat it.

I also cook like my grandmother, which can be termed two ways: 1. throw in everything but the kitchen sink, with the thought that the more fiber the better and 2. careful measuring is for other people. But for the recipe's sake, I will use standard measurements, and not a dash or a pinch.

And if there's one thing I've learned about chili, it's easy to sneak in little ninja vegetables without the health-alert police knowing. Chili tastes like chili... not like chili with corn and lima beans.

Because I'm lazy, my best friend's name is crockpot and my other best friend's name is rice cooker. For this recipe we will be using my friend crockpot. Crockpots are great investments if you're short on time but want to make healthy, tasty meals.

This chili is best prepared with a crockpot; however, it can also be made over the stove too. Basically all you need is an adjustable element of heat and something to hold your ingredients.

Equipment:

• Adjustable element of heat
• A pot to hold your ingredients
• A can opener
  
• Basic measuring cups and spoons (or dashes and pinches, if you are so inclined)

• 1 large can of tomato sauce
• 1 small can of diced tomatoes
• 1 can of black beans
• 1 can of red beans
• 1 can of kidney beans
• 1 can of Northern beans or navy beans (depending on what you can find in the store)
  
• 2-3 cups of frozen lima beans
• 1 cups of frozen corn
• 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
  
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder
• 1 teaspoon of onion powder (or a real onion, if you like chopping them up)
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
  

Optional Ingredients:

• Ground turkey
• Ground soy crumbles
• Hot peppers
  

Preparation instructions:

1. Whip out your can opener and get to work on those cans!
   
2. Rinse the beans really well with clean water to lessen the sodium content
   
3. Pour beans and sauce and vegetables (and peppers or meat) into the pot
4. (it might be prudent to brown the meat before throwing it in the pot)
   
5. Throw your salt and spices in the pot
6. Turn the heat to the desired level and set your time
7. Dust your hands off and reward yourself for such intensive labor by going to do something you actually enjoy doing
8. Come back when the timer dings, dish out the soup, serve with a tasty side of corn bread, and enjoy your tasty, lazy dinner

Found the recipe tasty? Found tastier ingredients and would like to share? Think I'm an insult to real cooks all over the world? Feel free to leave a comment! Or facebook like or rate up. Thank you for reading my hub!