Eat Your Veggies -- or at least trick your kids into doing it!

How many times have you wished that you could sneak a little more vegetables into your diet?  It's especially difficult when it comes to kids.  There are those blessed few of children who love any and all vegetables.  But let's face it...we all could probably eat more.  Right?

Well, the following is a chili recipe that was given to me by my babysitter some 20 years ago!  She ran an in-home daycare and her fee fed our kids hot meals EVERY day!  Not macaroni and cheese and hot dogs, mind you, but she fed them real meals.  Even 20 years ago she was concerned about feeding them good, nutrious meals.  And, she would "sneak" in veggies sometimes.  This recipe is one example!

Crockpot Veggie Chili

2 lbs lean hamburger

1 onion (chopped fine)

seasonings (Mrs. Dash (original), Salt, Pepper

1 large can/bottle V-8 Cocktail Juice (secret ingredient)

2 cans pinto beans (drained)

1 package chili seasoning (she used mild for the kids)

shredded cheese

crackers (optional)

Cook ground beef (add seasoning with the meat) with chopped onions in a skillet until done.  Drain and rinse fat off with hot water and add to crockpot.  Pour in V8 on top of meat.  Add drained pinto beans.  Sprinkle in chili seasoning.  Cook on low for 4 hours.  Serve with shredded cheese and crackers.  Since all ingredients are pre-cooked, you can also make this quickly on the stovetop instead of the crockpot.  Basically add all ingredients the same as above and cook until hot.

This really is a delicious, mild chili with no vegetable taste.  But the V8 makes an excellent tomato base for the chili and gives the nutrients that makes V8 so healthy!  We've enjoyed this recipe for 20 years or so and I know you will too!