Dinner for the family tonight...

I have been looking for slow cooker friendly recipes that are also Paleo, and I seem to have found a treasure trove of them at www.lovingmynest.com

I am going to try this one tonight...  http://www.lovingmynest.com/food-love/chunky-chili-with-veggies/

As I was reading it, it occurred to me that I have everything I need to make it tonight.  I am going a little lean on the meat.  I have a couple of minute steaks that I am going to be cubing myself, and I think I will be adding only 1.5 lbs between the two of them, and not 2.5 lbs.

Chunky Chili With Veggies

2.5 lbs Beef Cubed

1 medium onion, diced
4 stalks celery, chopped
3 bell peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 small cans tomato paste
2 cans diced roasted tomatoes with green chilies 14oz
Half jar of spaghetti sauce
8oz mushrooms
½ tbsp. chili powder
½ tbsp. cumin
1 tbsp dried basil
½ tbsp. dried oregano
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Freshly ground pepper and sea salt to taste

Add all ingredients to two gallon zip lock bags, freeze flat (or you can omit the cans of diced tomatoes and add them on the day of cooking and it should all fit into 1 bag). This makes a lot! Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
Serves 7-9 people.

I do not think that the lack of meat will be that big of a deal.  It has plenty of other things that will make this a good cold-weather "stuck to your ribs" meal for the family.  

Meat   2 "minute" steaks @ 2.20 each                                       $  4.40
3 carrots - diced                                                                         $    .40
1 bag diced and frozen zucchini                                                $     .75

2 Medium onions                                                                       $    .70

6 large stalks celery                                                                    $   .60

3 Bell peppers                                                                            $  1.99

3 tsp minced garlic                                                                     $    .20

2 small cans tomato paste @ .39 each                                        $   .78

2 cans diced tomatoes @ .59 each                                              $  1.18

1 cup green enchilada sauce                                                        $    .30
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce                                                                 $    .50
16 oz mushrooms  2 8oz clamshells @ .99 each from freezer    $  1.98
Spices                                                                                          $  1.00
                                                                         TOTAL =          $  14.78

A little on the expensive side, but I hope to get quite some leftovers from the recipe so that the per-meal cost is less than 2 dollars per generous serving.

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