Every kitchen could use a big pot of something delicious, nutritious, affordable, versatile and with longevity, to feed hungry humans throughout the week.
Chili ticks all the boxes for healthy meals:
Easy to make.
Extremely versatile: work with what you’ve got! Ingredients vary widely. Chili can be carnivorous or vegan, and equally delicious.
Slow Burning: chili contains a lot of protein: ground meat or TVP, and beans are packed with slow-burning fuel.
Enhances Digestion: beans, tomatoes and veg are full of fibre.
Immune boosting: a typical chili will be full of vitamins and minerals, like Vit C, Vit A, iron and more!
Keeps well: chili can last the better part of a week in the fridge, and freezes beautifully.
Ingredients:
2-3 TBSP olive oil
2 sm onions, or 1 Lg, chopped
anywhere from 2-12 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 TBSP chili powder
1-2 lbs lean ground meat (turkey, chicken or beef) or vegan TVP
1 can red kidney beans or black beans, rinsed
1 container of mushrooms, sliced (1 or 2 cups)
1 jar tomato sauce (any brand)
1 can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 med sweet potato, chopped
1 med zucchini, shredded or sliced
big handful of greens, like spinach or kale
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Steps:
In a big pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil on med-low for a few minutes.
Add the chili spice and let it toast another few mins.
Add the meat or TVP, beans and mushrooms. Sauté another few mins.
Add the tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. Add the sweet potato, and zucchini. Let that all simmer for 15 - 20 mins on low, stirring occasionally.
Add the greens to wilt as you turn off the heat. Add the maple syrup, the sea salt and pepper. Adjust to taste.
Serve as is or top with chopped cilantro, sliced avocado, thick Greek yogurt, crushed corn chips, etc.
Enjoy! ❤️