Happy Wednesday friends!
Before I jump into the recipe I just wanted to say that my goal going forward is to provide healthy recipes that are whole food based and easy to prepare for people with multiple sclerosis and other chronic illness where energy preservation is important. To check this box the following would be required: as few ingredients as possible, short prep time and as few kitchen tools & dishes as possible. I am the chief cook in my home and by dinner my energy levels are fading fast. While I love love love to cook, I struggle to get around the kitchen and my agility to be at the oven, at the stove, in the fridge or in and out of a pantry from one moment to the next just is not possible. When prepping a recipe I put a lot of thought into making sure I gather all the ingredients in a central location on my counter first. Then I get all the kitchen tools & gadgets I will need. This reduces my trips around the kitchen. Less movement = less chances for falls. It’s a sad reality, but something I had to confront and work with. Hopefully my kitchen hacks and easy recipes help you too!
One thing I have struggled with for years is having to cook multiple meals. One for my husband and I and one for the kids. And one kid eats differently from the other kid. I can usually say with 100% certainty that if one loves something, the other hates it. So you can imagine my JOY when I am able to make one meal, one dish, one pot, that we all LOVE. Not only does this chili have only 5 ingredients, my kids and husband loved it too.
I eat very simply – I tend to follow a paleo-ish style diet. My family does not. One of my other goals with the recipes I post is to provide a good base dish that you can add to based on your health preferences.
And this chili recipe is just that: a great base meal. If you want ideas for things you can add – check out my list at the end of the recipe.
Enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb. grass fed ground beef
- 1 14-oz. can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, do not drain
- 1 small yellow onion or 1 large shallot finely diced
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1-2 tbsp of coconut sugar or brown sugar
- Salt to taste
- Olive oil
- Optional: 1-2 tbsp of tomato paste to thicken if you prefer
Method:
Brown ground beef and drain fat. In a stock pot heat olive oil and add onions. Saute until translucent. Add ground beef, canned tomatoes, chili powder and brown sugar. Mix well and simmer for 20 – 25 minutes. Add the tomato paste if you prefer a thicker, heartier chili. Start with 1 tbsp, add more as needed. Serve.
That. Is. It.
To make this a complete meal I served with gluten free cheese bread rolls, sliced avocado and shredded cheese.
I have also put this in the crock pot to slowly cook on low for 4 – 6 hours which enhances the flavors. It is also easy to double the recipe for leftovers or freeze some for a quick meal later. To double the recipe, I used 2 tbsp of chili powder and 2 tbsp of coconut sugar. I did not go up to 3 or 4 tbsp of sugar although you can try that if your kids prefer a more sweet/savory dish.
Now for the fun stuff…foods to add or serve with! Please note for the veggies listed below that you will want to saute the veggies for a few minutes before adding the tomatoes and ground beef.
- Hot sauce – this base recipe has no kick so if you like to spice it up, dash away with your favorite hot sauce
- Black beans or red beans
- 2-3 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 zucchini roughly chopped
- 8 oz. mushrooms roughly chopped
- 1 red pepper diced
- 3-4 carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- Cumin – 1-2 tsp
- Liquid smoke – 2 tsp
- Barbecue sauce – 1 tbsp
- Serve over roasted sweet potatoes – I like to peel and chop a sweet potato into 1 inch dice, lightly coat with olive oil, sprinkle sea salt, and bake for 30-35 minutes at 425.
- Serve over rice, cauliflower rice, or quinoa – follow package directions and prepare while you chili is simmering
- Serve with BRAZI BITES. Friends, if you have never had Brazi Bites you are missing out. I do not eat dairy, but these little buggers are SO GOOD. We buy them from Costco. Target is linked here. Also a kid favorite in our home.