Cooking with CURE: Three Bean Vegetable Chili Recipe

Beans are a versatile pantry staple that are loaded with protein and fiber. But how can you get your fill? Try using them in this delicious chili, brought to you by the oncology dietitians at the John Theurer Cancer Center for this week’s Cooking with CURE® segment.

Even if you’re not a fan of vegetables, you won’t even know you’re eating them thanks to all the flavor this recipe packs. It features ground beef as its main source of protein, but you can also substitute with ground turkey — that’s what we prefer!

With summer here, this is a great dish to pack for outdoor picnics, or even as a weekend make-ahead meal that you can freeze for quick lunches or dinners throughout the week. We think it’s delicious all year round, so give it a try this week and be sure to share your creation on social media with the hashtag #CookingWithCURE for your chance to be featured on CURE’s Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds!

Three Bean Vegetable Chili Recipe

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 1-pound ground beef
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 ½ cup diced zucchini
• 2 ½ tablespoons chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 (29 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 (16 ounce) cans of beans, undrained
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the ground beef, onion and zucchini.
2. Sauté for about 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain excess fat.
3. Add the chili powder, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, tomatoes, tomato sauce and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
5. Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
6. Stir in the beans and heat through.