Chili has long been an American favorite. From Texas to Alaska, Americans from all walks of life have their own spin on the classic “chili con carne” dish. If prepared properly it can quickly become a staple food in any household. But are there more reasons to eat this delicious food? Read on to find out!
1.) Chili is Quick and Easy To Make.
With just 5-10 ingredients and a few spices chili can be prepared in a matter of minutes. You don’t need to be a veteran cook to whip up this tasty dish. Once you cook it a few times it gets as easy as making a pot of coffee. The hard part is picking your favorite recipe. Of course, there are no limits to how many variations you can try if you have the time! But no matter the recipe, chili is normally one of the simplest meals in your cooking database.
2.) Chili is Crockpot Friendly.
It’s winter time and the snow has begun to fall. It’s simply too cold to comfortably grill and chill outside. Most of us foodies head inside and get out the ol’ slow cooker. Perhaps you have that one friend who won’t stop talking about their Instant Pot. Either way, chili is a perfect dish for the cold weather. Just throw the ingredients in the pot in the morning and by dinner time it’s ready to serve. Of course you don’t need a slow cooker for chili. I normally whip it up in a large pot on the stove in less than an hour. No matter how you cook it, it’s still delicious!
3.) Chili Can be a Diet Food.
While many chili recipes are unhealthy “guilty pleasures”, many other recipes are are able to provide health benefits without sacrificing flavor. Vegan and vegetarian chili can be just as delicious as recipes that contain meat. Chili is also normally loaded with lots of beans and vegetables which are low in calories and high in healthy necessities such as protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This means that a bowl of healthy chili will provide you with a sense of being full and give you lots of energy that lasts. This is why chili and other vegetable heavy soups are often recommended as part of many weight loss plans.
As an added bonus, here is my favorite chili recipe that I am happy to share with you! Fair warning, it’s a very spicy chili recipe!
Ingredients: 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 white onion (chopped), 2 jalapenos (chopped), 1 can chili beans (in chili sauce), 1 can black beans (drained), 1 can sweet corn (drained), 1 can tomato paste.
Step 1.) In a large non-stick soup pot brown your lean beef, stirring and breaking into bite size chunks. Add a couple dashes of Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning for flavor as the meat cooks. Once it’s brown, drain it in a strainer to remove excess grease/fat then put it back into the pot.
Step 2.) Add your chili beans (not drained), black beans (drained), corn (drained), and tomato paste into the pot with the beef with about 4 cups of water. Then add HALF of your chopped onions and jalapenos followed by these spices: 2 tsp Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, 1 tsp garlic salt, 1/2 tsp parsley, 1 tsp italian spice blend, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp curry powder, and 1 tsp dried habanero flakes (optional). Stir all together until the tomato paste is fully dissolved. Finally, cover with a lid and simmer on low heat for about 45-60 minutes while stirring occasionally.
Step 3.) Stir in the other half of your onions and jalapenos for an al dente appeal. Serve with finely shredded fiesta blend cheese and saltine crackers on top. Enjoy!
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The American Centrist 