chili

When I first decided to get serious about losing weight I set a goal for myself that I would accomplish by the time I turn 30. I am about halfway to my goal weight and I turn 30 in about 7 months. I anticipate that I will likely not lose any weight during the November and December months so my goal is to maintain. I am determined to reach my goal. Now if I can have the same attitude about finishing my thesis and paying off my credit card debt...

Anyway, here is a chili recipe I have made variations of and I think this may be my favorite one. Chilis and stews are great to make in large batches because they're great to freeze and always taste better the day after (or more).

"MEAT" CHILI WITH BROWN RICE

I used smart ground beef (soy beef) for this recipe. I personally like the vegan sausage better and I think the chili is just fine without any type of meat substitute.

What is great about this dish is you can't really mess it up. There is no need to measure or to be exact. 

What you need:

1 Can of Black Beans 

1 Can of Kidney Beans (you can use Pinto or any other bean you like)

1 Can of Corn

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Onion

1 Jalapeno

1/2-1 Cup of Brown Rice

1-2 tbs. garlic (or 5 cloves)

1-1.5 cans of diced tomatoes

Vegetable Broth

Tobasco or your favorite hot sauce

*Ground beef substitute (optional)

Seasoning: You can cheat and use the ready made chili seasoning mix or use chili powder, powdered cumin, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, a little bit of cinnamon.

What to do:

 

1.) With a little bit of vegetable broth in a pot, sautee the chopped onions and garlic for five minutes. 

2.) Add the chopped green bell pepper and jalapeno and saute for another five minutes.

3.) Add the rest of the ingredients.

Use enough broth to cover all of the ingredients. You can drain the beans or keep the liquid. If you keep the liquid, you do not need to use that much broth. Make sure you use enough broth because the brown rice absorbs a lot of liquid and takes a lot of time to cook.

Cook on med-low for 1 hour or whenever the brown rice is cooked. You can cook this chili in a crock pot on low.

This chili is filling and hearty. I sometimes like to eat it with some crushed up tortilla chips for an extra crunch.

This dish is great for making in big batches so you can freeze it and have dinner and lunch for lazy days.