When It Comes To Making a Simple Supper You Can’t Beat a Two Bean Chili

Today we have the privilege of having Meredith Kimelblatt, who writes on behalf of ReadySetEat, share her easy two bean chili recipe with us.

Let’s see what Meredith has to say . . .

Easy Weeknight Dinner: Healthy and Hearty Two-Bean Vegetable Chili

Can you believe it’s already fall?  Summer flew by, and while packing up shorts, swim suits and sundresses for the season is always a little bit sad, I’m actually thrilled to be heading into fall.  Fall is simply the coziest season: comfy sweaters and boots make their return, the leaves turn gorgeous colors, football comes back, and best of all, fall is chili, soup and stew season!  Nothing is more comforting to me than coming home out of the cold weather or blustery wind to a piping hot bowl of chili that has been simmering and bubbling on the stove.

Chili is also the perfect go-to weeknight meal for families on a budget, watching their weight or who are simply pressed for time.   Beans, ground meat, canned tomatoes and vegetables are all pretty standard ingredients that most families are able to easily grab from their pantry or freezer without spending extra money at the grocery store.

Chili is also typically made from a tomato sauce base rather than a mayonnaise, sour cream or cheese base, making it much lower in calorie and fat content.  Plus, beans—a chili staple—are full of protein, meaning you’ll stay full for longer without adding anything to your waistline.  Spicy food is also excellent for health-conscious families; spicy foods have been proven to boost metabolisms and reduce probable portion size, so you get loads of flavor without loads of unnecessary calories.

Last but not least, chili is one of the easiest weeknight meals since it requires virtually zero effort and not very much time at all.  Chili directions usually go something along the lines of “pour ingredients in the pot; cook until bubbly,” meaning you don’t need to spend hours chopping , peeling or slicing to have a delicious, filling meal you can be proud to serve your family.  Use this recipe for Two-Bean Vegetable Chili when you need healthy dinner ideas for busy nights; with only seven ingredients and thirty minutes of total cook time, it’s a recipe that’s sure to make its way into your weekly rotation.

Two-Bean Vegetable Chili

Prep Time: 10 min – Total Time: 30 – Total Ingredients: 7 – Serves: 6 (1 cup each)

• 1 16 oz can beans in chili seasoned sauce
• 1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 14.5 oz can Hunt’s® Diced Tomatoes with Sweet Onions, undrained
• 1 11.5 fl oz can low sodium-tomato vegetable juice
• 1-1/2 cups frozen whole kernel corn
• 1 cup frozen bell pepper strips, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

Stir together all ingredients in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with a side green salad and crusty bread for a filing weeknight meal that you can feel good about eating.  Enjoy!

Calories: 143
Weight Watchers PointsPlus 4

• Total Fat: 1.01g
• Cholesterol: –
• Sodium: 330mg
• Total Carbs: 28.40g
•     Dietary Fiber: 6.43g
•     Sugars: 6.92g
• Protein: 7.68g

Meredith Kimelblatt writes on behalf of ReadySetEat.  For other healthy and easy recipes for dinner, visit www.readyseteat.com.

If you’re looking for more healthy and low calorie Weight Watchers recipes, check out my Recipe page. You’ll find hundreds of recipes that include nutrition information and Weight Watchers points.

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Last updated by Kristi Rimkus at October 1, 2012.

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