Slow-cooker Sweet and Teriyaki Chili

It's the perfect time of year for slow-cooker chili. This has no right being as good as it is. You might think, "Pineapple in my chili?!" But it's oh so good.

Ingredients:

1 onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
2 cans (15-oz ea) kidney beans (undrained)
2 cans (14-oz ea) diced tomatoes
3 cups (24-oz) frozen pineapple
2-4 tbsp teriyaki sauce
crackers 

Directions:

1. Throw everything into a 6-8 quart crockpot.
2. Cook on low 6-8 hours, stirring every so often.

Notes:

• Serves 4
• This can also be made stovetop in a large pot by sauteing the first 3 items until translucent, stir in spices to coat, then stir in remaining ingredients (not the crackers). Cook over low for 20 minutes or so until everything is warm and the flavors meld.

Indonesian Stir-Fry Noodles

What's funny about this dinner is that when I said it was what was for dinner, everybody balked. Then I made it, with an add-on of chicken for the omnivores in the family. One child, who is super-duper picky, didn't even try it. But it got whole-hearted yums from the other two people. So much that my son asked how much would be leftovers. And asked if I could make it again ... soon. 

The bowl above serves 4. That's right, 4. When I took my helping, everybody's eyes got wide and said, you get that much? Since I'm trying to watch my caloric intake. I said, I get a quarter of the bowl. Then they said, that isn't even a quarter of that bowl. By the way, I was quite full after eating the portion I served myself.

I got the original recipe from Happy Herbivores Meal Mentor. 

Ingredients:
12-oz dry noodles (i.e. spaghetti) 
6 tbsp teriyaki sauce 
2 tbsp soy sauce 
dash Sriracha (i.e., to taste) 
1/4 cup vegetable broth
oil
1 onion, thinly sliced 
4 garlic cloves, minced 
12-oz broccoli florets 
10-oz cole-slaw mix 
1 bunch kale, stemmed and chopped
water, as needed

Directions:

1. Cook noodles via package instructions. 
2. Drain, rinse under cold water. Set aside. 
3. While cooking noodles, n a small bowl, whisk teriyaki, soy sauce, Sriracha, and broth together. Set aside. 
4. Sauté onions and garlic in oil until translucent. 
5. Add broccoli and cook until bright green. 
6. Add cole-slaw mix, cooking and stirring so the veggies starts to soften.  
7. Add kale, stirring to incorporate. 
8. Continue to cook to desired tenderness, adding water as needed. 
9. Stir in sauce and cooked noodles. 
10. Taste, adding more Sriracha or teriyaki sauce, if desired.  

Notes:

• Serves 4
• Per serving: 428 calories, 2.7g fat, 87.6g carbs, 14.8g fiber, 12g sugars, 18.5g protein
• You can use water instead of vegetable broth. You can use thinly sliced cabbage instead of cole-slaw mix. You can add-on more veggies.
• If you want to add some meat, chicken thinly sliced and fried in the same sauce (make more) worked well for us. I think pork may also go well in this dish.

Teriyaki Meatballs

Full disclosure: this recipe has mixed reviews at my house. 

Ingredients:

Meatball
1 lb. ground pork
1 large egg
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
2 inches fresh ginger
1/2 tsp soy sauce
2 whole green onions
10 - 15 cranks freshly cracked pepper

Glaze 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 inches fresh ginger
2 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the ground pork in a large bowl. Peel the ginger and then grate it using a small holed cheese grater into the bowl. Mince the garlic, slice the green onions, and add them to the bowl. Also add the egg, breadcrumbs, soy sauce, and black pepper. Mix these ingredients really well until it is all evenly combined (clean hands work best).
2. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Roll the meatball mixture into small balls, about one tablespoon each. Place the meatballs on the baking sheet as you roll them. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown (about 35-40 minutes). Turn them every 10 minutes or so.
3. While the meatballs are in the oven, make rice to go with the meatballs.
4. While the meatballs are in the oven, also prepare the teriyaki glaze. In a medium pot combine the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Peel and grate the ginger into the pot. Heat over a low flame until the brown sugar is dissolved (just a few minutes).
5. Add the cornstarch into the pot with the glaze ingredients. Turn the heat up to medium high, stir and cook until thickened. It should thicken as soon as it begins to simmer.
6. When the meatballs come out of the oven, transfer them from the baking sheet into the pot with the glaze. Stir to coat.

Notes:

• Yields about 30 meatballs.