As I mentioned while discussing the amazing chorizo dip recipe for the MFRW Summer Camp, I looked at my favorite party dish recipe with new eyes. And thought there just might be ways to make it marginally healthier. Not that chili, 
cheese, and sausage will ever win any culinary awards from the dietary council. But we can at least cut down on some on the processed foods.
So I started with the first component, chili. Everyone who likes chili has their own ideas about what makes a good combination of meat, tomatoes, and spices. I’ve certainly sampled some fabulous recipes in the past. For grins, I went hunting for a “low carb” chili recipe, to see what I could find. And I discovered Low Carb Friends, with this great recipe for
Dottie’s Texas Chile
1 pound ground beef
1 large yellow onion – diced
1 can (14.5 ounce) cut diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounce) tomato sauce
1 can (14 ounce) beef broth
1 cup water
11/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Optional: 1 can (15 ounce) black soy beans –drained and rinsed well.
Shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream
Brown ground beef and onions, breaking up well. Drain well. Add spices and continue to cook and blend well. Add the remaining ingredients. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 30 minutes or until reduced slightly. Add beans (if using) in the last 10 minutes, just long enough to heat through. Black soy beans have a softer texture than pinto beans and will break down faster. Add water or more broth if necessary. Serve hot with shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream.
Great starter recipe. I didn’t go for the bean option., and I decided to use the crock pot. Since I didn’t have beef broth, I
See the tip of the bone?
increased the water, and threw in a couple of beef bones. Then I let it do its simmering thing for a few hours. Eventually it bubbled into a delicious chili, a bit more watery than my preference but this is just for starters. I poured most of it into a heavy pot to sit for a couple days (refrigerator of course!) and saved out a little to enjoy right now. This morning I had some with my eggs. Meant to take a picture for you but oops ate it too fast!
I also added about a cup of New Mexico Green Chile, roasted, chopped and frozen, to give it that extra boost. If you want to try something extra good, then add some VERY dark chocolate right at the end of your cooking. Puts that chile right over the top.
Upcoming: I’m going to try a home made version of Velveeta, to continue getting away from processed foods. So stick around. And you do have those dates blocked out for MFRW Summer Camp, July 12-14 right?
Mona Karel Author 