Slow Cooker Chili Mac & Cheese

Maine is getting colder by the second. Tonight is set to hit -17 in some areas. Sometimes I’m left wondering why we choose to put up with these extreme temperatures! Our family has decided that instead of fighting the extreme cold, we are going to fully embrace it. My husband and boys have worked tirelessly the past few days creating our own ice skating rink.

It’s a slow process but very shortly we will be reaping the health benefits of having a skating rink 6 feet out my front door. I will no longer be able to come up with legitimate excuses as to why I am not getting the exercise that I need.

Let me tell you that it is a wonderful thing to come home to an already prepared slow cooked meal in these cold months. This Chili Mac & Cheese combines two family favorite meals in one healthy, slow cooked, dish. It is also half the calories of some of the other chili macs that have been shared.


It might seem strange to put baked beans into the chili but the sweetness that is added by the beans mixes well with the spices in the chili. It’s a very mild chili but using more chili powder or a hot chili powder can easily change that. I like to top mine off with a tablespoon of 0% Greek yoghurt (0 SP) and ¼ of an avocado (2 SP).

Let me know how your cooking adventure goes! Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Chili Mac & Cheese
homefamilylove.com
Servings: 8 ★ Size: 1 Full Cup ★ Points Plus  ★ Smart Points 9 ★ Calories: 354 ★ Total Fat: 11 g ★ Saturated Fat: 5 g ★ Protein: 8 g ★ Carbohydrates: 40 g ★ Fiber: 6 g ★ Sugars: 8 g ★  Sodium: 575 mg ★ Cholesterol: 65 mg

Ingredients:

     ·    20 ounces 93% lean ground turkey, cooked
     ·    3 cups canned diced tomatoes
     ·    1 large onion, diced
     ·    2 tablespoons garlic, minced
     ·    3 chili powder
     ·    1 tablespoon cumin

     ·    1 teaspoon salt

     ·    ½ tablespoon dried oregano
     ·    1 tablespoon smoked paprika
     ·    3 chilies in adobo
     ·    3 cups low sodium and fat-free chicken stock
     ·    2 cups of baked beans, vegetarian
     ·    8 ounces macaroni pasta, uncooked
     ·    8 ounces half-fat cheddar, shredded

Directions:

1. Place the turkey, tomatoes, onion, garlic, spices, beans, and stock into a slow cooker. Set the slow cooker to Low for 8 hours. It’s fine if this cooks for longer!            
   
2. 30-40 minutes before serving, add the pasta and turn the slow cooker to High. The pasta should be perfectly cooked. Top with the 1 ounce of cheese and serve with any additional toppings desired.     
   
3. Top with the 1 ounce of cheese and serve with any additional toppings desired.