1980s CHILI-RONI

1 lb ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1 can (28-oz) whole tomatoes, do not drain
1 can (15-oz) kidney beans, do not drain
1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce

In a large skillet, cook and stir the beef, onions and bell pepper until beef is browned and crumbly; drain well. Add the remaining ingredients and break up the tomatoes with a fork. Heat mixture to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20-30 minutes until macaroni is tender.

Yield: 6 servings

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VEGGIE CHILI FOR 12

2 large carrots, diced

1 med onion, diced
1 tbsp canola oil
1 pkg (3-4 oz) chili seasoning kit
1 can (8-oz) tomato sauce
3 cups tomato juice
2 cans (14.5-oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (15-oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cans (15-oz each) great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 large zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 cup whole kernel corn, frozen or canned, drained

Heat the canola oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or stew pot.  Add the carrots and onion and sauté about 7 minutes until onions are translucent.  Stir in half of the red pepper packet from seasoning kit and stir in all of the remaining packets.  Sauté for 2 minutes.  Stir in the tomato sauce, tomato juice, diced tomatoes, black beans, great northern beans, zucchini, squash, and corn.

Bring the chili to a boil; cover and reduce heat to medium-low.  Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Serve with toppings if desired.

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Topping suggestions:
chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream
chopped green onions
shredded cheese
diced tomatoes

Yield: 12 servings

WHITE BEAN-SWEET POTATO CHILI

I got this soup recipe from my health insurer. It is suggested as a great dinner meal as the spices promote healthy digestion, especially important in the evening.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cups diced sweet potato (winter squash or pumpkin may be substituted)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
1 can (15-oz) cannellini or Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup baby spinach (kale may be substituted), chopped
fresh cilantro, avocado, and lime wedges for serving

Heat oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion, celery, and sweet potato with the spices. Cook 5 minutes until fragrant; add the rice and stir to coat.

Add the beans and broth to the pan, stirring to mix. Place lid on pan and simmer soup 15 minutes or until the rice is tender; stir occasionally during cooking. Add the spinach and season with the salt and pepper to taste.

Serve in bowls and top with the cilantro, avocado, and lime. May add a dollop of plain Greek yogurt if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
Approximately per serving: 364 calories, 57 carbs (11.5 dietary fiber), 15 g protein

Recipe and photo from United Healthcare.

Venison Chili

1 lb boneless venison steak, cube

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 tbsp olive oil

1 can (15-oz) chili without beans

1/2 cup water

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp celery

In a large saucepan, cook venison and onion in oil until meat is browned, Stir in the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour or until meat is tender.

Garnish as desired.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

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QUINOA AND ROASTED PEPPER CHILI

This is an old recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen where it was adapted from an old Cooking Light magazine.

2 red bell peppers
1 large poblano chile
4 teaspoons olive oil
3 cups chopped zucchini
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes with chipotles, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup low-sodium vegetable juice

Preheat broiler.

Cut bell peppers and chilies in half lengthwise, discard seeds and membranes. Place halves, skin sides up, on a foil-lined baking sheet, and flatten with your hand. Broil 10 minutes or until blackened. Place bell peppers and chilies in a paper bag and fold to close tightly. Let stand 10 minutes before peeling and coarsely chopping.

In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add zucchini, onion, and garlic. Sauté 4 minutes or until the onions have softened and browned. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and paprika and sauté for 30 seconds. Add roasted peppers and chiles, 1/2 cup water, quinoa, salt, diced tomatoes, pinto beans and vegetable juice. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender.

Yield: 4 servings of 1 1/2 cups each
Per serving: Calories: 258 Fat: 6.3g Saturated fat: 0.9g Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g Polyunsaturated fat: 1.2g Protein: 9.7g Carbohydrate: 42.1g Fiber: 9.8g Cholesterol: 0.0mg Iron: 3.7mg Sodium: 430mg Calcium: 108mg

SPAM SPRING CHILI

For those of you who love SPAM, here is a soup-type chili for you.

Nonstick cooking spray
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 green bell peppers, cut into strips
1 cup sliced green onions
3 jars (4.25-oz each) diced green chilies
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp cumin
2 cans (15-oz each) cannellini beans or kidney beans
2 cans (10 3/4-oz) condensed chicken broth, undiluted
1 (12-oz) can SPAM luncheon meat, cubed

Coat a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray; saute garlic over medium heat 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, green onions, chilies, jalapenos, oregano and cumin; saute 5 minutes.

Stir in the beans and broth; bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes. Stir in the SPAM and simmer 2 minutes.

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CHILI CON CARNE WINCHESTER

2 tbsp canola oil

1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 lb ground beef, drumbled
1 garlic clove, minced
2 (15-oz) can kidney beans, drained
1 (16-oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can VEG-ALL mixed vegetables, do not drain

Heat oil in a 3-qt stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring, until softened.

Add the ground beef, garlic, kidney beans and stewed tomatoes. Bring to a boil; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.

Stir in the VEG-ALL and cook 10 more minutes.

Serve hot. Top with sour cream, thin red onion slices, grated cheese, etc, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings

Personal note: For health reasons, I always cook my ground beef first, drain well and then use in the recipe.

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CHUNKY VEGGIE CHILI

 

1 tbsp canola oil

1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 can (14.5-oz each) Mexican-style tomatoes, undrained
1 can (15-oz) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15-oz) pinto beans*, rinsed, drained
1 can (11-oz) whole kernel corn, drained
2 1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked rice
2 tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

Heat oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring, 5 minutes or until tender. Add the tomatoes, beans, corn, water, chili powder and cumin; stir to blend well.

Bring chili to a boil; reduce heat and cover. Simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rice is tender.

*I prefer a can of chili beans, undrained

Yield: 6 servings

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QUICK BAKED CHILI WITH CORN

1 can (approx 1 lb) chili without beans
3 tbsp finely chopped onion
1 can (12-oz) corn with sweet peppers, drained
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cookin spray.

Pour the can of chili into the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the onion over the chili. Top the onion with the drained corn and sprinkle the cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

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SMOKED SAUSAGE WHITE BEAN CHILI

1 tbsp olive or coconut oil

1 pkg (14-oz) smoked sausage, cut into bite-size cubes
1 cup low-fat chicken broth
2 cans (15-oz each) great northern beans
1 can (4 1/2-oz) chopped green chilies, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
chopped fresh cilantro for garnish, if desired
shredded Mexican-blend cheese for garnish, if desired

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; add sausage to hot oil and sauté until browned, approximately 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir to dislodge browned bits from bottom of pan.

Add the beans, chilies, and spices; cook 10-15 minutes or until heated through.

For a thicker chili, remove about a half cup of the beans, mash and stir back into the chili.

To serve, dip into serving bowls and add garnishes as desired.

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UPSIDE DOWN CHILI PIE

This is a recipe I have had since we left the USAF and moved back to Indiana around 1970.

1 tablespoon salad or olive oil
1 1/2 lb ground chuck
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 can (8.25-oz) tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8.50-oz) kidney beans, undrained
1/2 cup red wine*
1 pkg (12-oz) corn muffin mix
1 can (8.75-oz) cream-style corn
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
Chopped parsley
Catsup

Put the oil in a hot heavy 10-inch skillet. Sauté the beef, onion, and garlic until the beef is browned--about 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder, salt, oregano, basil, and tomatoes; mix well. Cook over low heat, covered, 30 minutes. Stir in kidney beans and wine, and cook 10 minutes longer.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine the corn muffin mix, corn, egg, and milk; mix just until the muffin mix is moistened.
Skim the fat from the meat mixture in the skillet and discard. Spread the muffin mixture over the meat mixture evenly.
Bake 25 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand in skillet for a couple of minutes. Invert pan onto a serving plate. Garnish with the chopped parsley. Serve with catsup.

Yield: 8 servings
*If you don't want to use wine, substitute water.
Note: Instead of catsup, I like to use salsa.

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QUICK AND EASY SOUTHWESTERN TWO-BEAN CHILI & RICE

 

1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 can (15 1/2-oz) chili beans in sauce (do not drain)
1 can (15 1/2-oz) pinto beans, drained
1 can (10-oz) diced tomatoes with green chilies (do not drain)
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup shredded low-fat Mexican-blend cheese

Cook rice according to the package directions.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and spices. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

To serve, transfer to 4 shallow soup bowls. Ladle the chili over the rice and top with the cheese.

Note: Brown 1/2 lb of ground beef or ground turkey and add to the chili with the beans, tomatoes, and spices, if desired.

Yield: 4 servings
Per serving (w/o the meat - if adding meat it will add to the calorie and protein counts) 407 calories, 64 g carbs, 15 g dietary fiber (Making net carbs 49 g), 24 g protein. This is a good carb/protein ratio for a diabetic.

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BLACK BEAN VEGGIE CHILI

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 tbsp canola oil
1 can (28-oz) whole tomatoes, undrained, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup picante sauce (your choice according to taste)
1 1/2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp basil
1 can (16-oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup cubed zucchini
1 cup cubed yellow squash
shredded cheese, for garnish
sour cream for garnish, optional
chopped green onion for garnish, optional
tortilla chips for serving, optional

In a Dutch oven or a large saucepan, cook the onion in the oil under tender; add the tomatoes, picante sauce, and the seasonings.  Cover pan and simmer mixture for 5 minutes.

Stir in the beans, peppers, zucchini, and squash; cover and simmer until veggies are tender, probably about 15 minutes.

Ladle into serving bowls and sprinkle with the shredded cheese.  Add a dollop of sour cream, if desired.

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VEGETABLE-BEEF CHILI

This recipe takes right at an hour, maybe a few minutes plus. However, you are not working on it the whole time. There is a 45 minutes simmering time.

1 lb top round or chuck steak, cut into cubes
1 tbsp canola oil
1 cup coarsely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, minced
 3 (or 4) tbsp chili powder
3/4 cup A.1. Bold and Spicy Steak Sauce
2 cans (16-oz each) tomatoes, coarsely chopped (do not drain)
1 can (15-oz) chili beans, do not drain (may use red kidney beans, drained)
1 regular size can whole kernel corn

In a large pot or Dutch-oven heat the oil over medium-high heat; add the steak cubes and brown.  Drain if meat was fatty.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the bell pepper, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring about 3 minutes until tender.  Mix in the chili powder; cook stirring for a minute.

Add the steak sauce and tomatoes; heat to boiling.  Reduce the heat and cover; simmer 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the beans and corn to the pot and simmer for another 15 minutes or until the steak cubes are tender.

Garnish with sour cream, red onion slices, grated cheese, or whatever you like.

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