Spicy Jalapeno Crockpot Chili and Grain-Free "Cornbread"

Chili is the champion of cold weather foods.  Soup is great and all, but nothing beats a big old bowl of hearty chili.  I grew up with my dad making chili in a giant cast iron pot from his dad.  Delicious! Last year I posted about Southwest Chili and Cornbread, but I have since realized that a ton of beans and grains is not the best thing for me.  So, I adopted a bean-free version of that chili with a grain-free cornbread (that actually has no corn in it at all!).

Like it spicy?  I got you covered.  This chili is infused with heat from spicy jalapeno peppers as well as cayenne pepper.  With mushrooms and peppers replacing beans, this chili boasts almost twice as many veggies as beef (the way I like it!).  The "cornbread" has a cornbread-like texture from the coarse almond meal, and all the slightly sweet, buttery glory you get from the regular stuff.  The combination of spicy chili with the sweet and savory "cornbread", along with creamy avocado is simply perfect.

By using a crockpot to make this chili, you can free up your day by not having to worry about cooking dinner.  Simply prep the ingredients in the morning (or the night before) and forget about it!

Spicy Jalapeno Crockpot Chili

24 oz baby bella mushrooms, washed and diced
2 sweet bell peppers, diced
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 scallions, chopped
1Tbsp olive oil
1 1/3 lb grass-fed beef
4-6 Tbsp cajun seasoning (to taste)
2 24oz cans diced tomatoes

Directions:
1.  Brown the beef in a large pan on medium-high heat, until no pink is left. Stir in 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning and empty the seasoned beef into the base of a crock pot.  If you are using super lean beef, add a tablespoon of butter or oil to prevent the meat from sticking.
2.  Add a tablespoon of oil/butter to the pan and cook the diced onions over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
3.  Once the garlic is cooked, add the rest of the vegetables (peppers, mushrooms, scallions), and saute for 5-7 minutes.  You want the peppers to be cooked, but not mushy.  Stir in 2 Tbsp cajun seasoning and empty into your crock pot.
4.  Add the two cans of diced tomatoes, and turn your crock pot on.  If you are prepping this meal in the morning, keep the crock pot on low all day (about 8 hours), cooking uncovered for the last two.  If you are in a time crunch, you can cook this on high for 3-4 hours, keeping the lid off for the last hour.  (The mushrooms release a lot of water when they cook and by removing the lid that water evaporates and the chili will naturally thicken.)


Grain-Free "Cornbread"

1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
3 eggs
2 Tbsp pasture-raised butter
2 Tbsp sour cream, full-fat
2 Tbsp maple syrup or raw honey
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

Directions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 325 F.  Line a 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper or line a muffin pan with 6 tins.
2.  Whisk together the dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
3.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, and beat well (using a whisk or hand-held mixer).  The batter should be thick.
4.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan/spoon evenly between the muffin tins and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.  If you are making these in a pan, it will take slightly longer.