Slow-Cooker Beef and Vegetable Chili
A comforting, thick chili made with lean ground beef and vibrant vegetables, slowly simmered to rich perfection. It is a hearty, crowd-pleasing dinner that the whole family will love with virtually no active kitchen time.
Prep
15 min
Cook
360 min
Total
375 min
Makes
5 servings
Created together. Shared with you.
Made by Amy + Lila
Amy created this recipe with Lila and shared it with the perimenopause community.
The feel-good payoff
Why this meal can feel especially good in perimenopause
Think practical wins: steadier energy, comfortable fullness and one less food decision. Your response is personal, so use the prompts below to notice what works for you.
Perimenopause symptoms and relief · Office on Women’s HealthComfortably satisfied
Fullness that has staying power
This meal is designed to feel substantial, so finishing it can feel like the meal is complete rather than the start of an evening of grazing.
Notice: fullness 2–3 hours later
Protein consistency
Make a nourishing habit easier
This is another practical opportunity to include protein and varied whole foods—small habits that are easier to repeat than a perfect diet.
Notice: protein across the day
Steadier energy
Feel fueled, not flattened
A complete meal with protein, carbohydrates and fats is designed to offer more staying power than a quick carb-only fix.
Notice: energy 1–3 hours later
More staying power
Make the next few hours easier
This meal is built to be more sustaining than a snack-sized stopgap, with enough substance to carry you into the next part of the day.
Notice: energy + fullness later
Setup
Get set up
Choose your servings, gather what you need, then cook along below.
Prep
15 min
Cook
360 min
Total
375 min
How many are you cooking for?
The ingredient amounts update automatically.
Equipment
Large skillet
Time saver
Make-Ahead: You can brown the ground beef the night before and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator to save time on busy mornings.
Do these three things first
- 1Set out all ingredients before cooking
- 2Measure the pantry ingredients before heating the pan
- 3Read through the steps once before you begin
Ingredients
Gather as you go
Ingredients
Cook along
Instructions
0 of 6 steps complete
Next: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat…
- 01
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat…
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat on the stove. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to break up clumps, for about 5 to 7 minutes until no pink remains.
Look for: no pink remains
Tap card to mark done - 02
Drain any excess fat from the skillet…
Drain any excess fat from the skillet and transfer the cooked ground beef into your slow cooker.
Tap card to mark done - 03
Add the diced red bell pepper
Add the diced red bell pepper, diced zucchini, canned crushed tomato, tomato paste, and chili powder to the slow cooker.
Tap card to mark done - 04
Stir all ingredients together in the slow…
Stir all ingredients together in the slow cooker until thoroughly combined. Cover with the lid.
Look for: thoroughly combined
Tap card to mark done - 05
Cook on low heat for 6 to…
Cook on low heat for 6 to 8 hours (or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours) until the vegetables are tender and the flavors are deeply melded.
Look for: the vegetables are tender and the flavors are deeply melded
Tap card to mark done - 06
Serve warm in bowls
Serve warm in bowls, topped with the optional shredded cheddar cheese if desired.
Ready when: everything is assembled and ready to enjoy
Tap card to mark done
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