Hearty & Healthy Chili

I make a lot of different chili's because it's a one pot meal (although I use a pot + skillet here) with so many modifications you can make to keep it interesting: swap ground beef for ground pork or stew meat. Make it vegetarian with your favorite meat substitute. Pinto beans, cannellini beans or no beans to stay low carb. Spicy or not. In this one I added liver (you don't have to, don't worry). My staples are always tuscan kale to sneak those greens in (the hearty leaf holds up better than other greens through cooking and reheating), and bone broth for some collagen protein.

Another reason it's one of my favorite dishes: it feeds you for days after and is actually even better the next day (and the day after that). Or, it feeds a large group in one fell swoop. Win-win.

Enough of that, lets get to it:

Tools you’ll need:

1 large pot (6 quart)

1 deep sauté pan

Spoon for stirring veggies & chili

Spoon for sautéing/ breaking up ground beef

Ingredients

• 3 strips of bacon- chopped

• 1 ½ lbs 100% grass fed ground beef (I like 80/20 or 85/15 for lean to fat ratio)

• 1 sweet onion- chopped

• 1 cup celery- chopped

• 1 cup carrots- chopped

*Time saving note: you can buy pre-packaged mirepoix in a box (a chopped blend of onion, carrots, and celery) at most grocery stores- it’s in the veggie section

• 2 red bell peppers- chopped

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled & crushed (I use garlic in everything- you can also buy a pack of pre-peeled garlic to save time, usually need to use it up within 3-5 days)

• 2-3 chipotle peppers in adobo- chopped (more or less depending on how much heat you like, omit if you don’t like spice)

• 1 tsp tomato paste

• 1 (28-ounce) can diced fire roasted tomatoes

• 2 (16-ounce) packs of beef bone broth (I like Bare Bones)

• ½ bag of chopped tuscan kale

Spices:

• 1 ½ tablespoon cumin

• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika

• ½ tablespoon garlic powder

• ½ tablespoon onion powder

• 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)

Optional ingredients:

• ½ lb 100% grass fed beef liver, chopped (one of the most nutrient dense foods you can eat, along with protein it is packed with B12, Riboflavin, Folate, Vitamin A, Iron, Copper- it does have a strong taste so this is a great way so sneak it in)

• 1 can of pinto or cannellini beans (if you’re keto, or paleo leave out)

Garnish:

Sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro, chopped green scallions, chopped jalapeño for more heat

1. Sauté the bacon in the large 6 quart pot over medium/medium high heat until the pieces start to brown and crisp, about 3 minutes.

2. Add the onion, celery, carrots and red pepper to the bacon and bacon fat, mixing well to coat with fat and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring often until the vegetables soften. There are a lot of veggies so this takes 10-15 min.

3. Meanwhile, heat your sauté pan over medium heat, adding the ground beef and garlic. Break up the meat and cook until the meat is browned (the color is important!). Add in tomato paste, chipotle peppers and spices, cooking for an additional minute until it's well mixed.

4. Add the spiced ground beef to the veggie mix, along with the can of diced tomato and bone broth (add beans if using). Cook uncovered over medium heat for 20 minutes, then add your kale and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes- until your carrots and celery are tender. If you’re not adding liver- this is it!

5. For my liver eating friends- use the same skillet that you cooked the beef in to heat ½ a teaspoon avocado oil. Add your chopped liver, seasoning lightly with salt & pepper, browning well and cooking through. Add to the chili pot when it’s done.

6. Let the chili cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Top with your favorite goodies and enjoy!