Winter is one of my favorite times of the year. A rainy winter day sitting in front of the fire drinking something warm listening to the rain. Well, this winter season has held a lot more of those days in California. Eating a meal that is hot, nutritious and easy to make is at the top of my list. This black bean chili recipe is our families new favorite.
Dried beans vs. canned beans
It is easy to pop open a can of beans and add them to your favorite soup or chili. This still gets the same result in the end. However, there are some added benefits to dry bag beans, first the cost. The cost of dried beans is a huge money saver. You can stretch a bag of beans further. A 15 ounce can of beans is usually $2 or more dollars depending upon if you look for organic beans, whereas a bag of beans is roughly the same, but you get 12-14 cups of beans. Another reason to purchase bag beans is BPA lining found in most cans. BPA is an endocrine inhibitor and has been linked to many diseases as well as cancers. It’s always best to limit exposure where you can. For more on BPA and other chemicals read more Chemicals in your Home.
Black Bean Chili
Note: Don’t be afraid of dried beans. Simply open the bag place in a bowl large enough to cover the beans with water, cover, and place in refrigerator overnight. When ready to use drain, rinse and place in pot to cook.
Ingredients
- 16-ounce bag of black beans or beans of choice
- 1 pound ground beef(grass-fed if you can find)
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 1 small green pepper finely chopped
- 3 carrots roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 quart of vegetable broth(or any broth of choice)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 avocado diced
- 1 bunch cilantro chopped
- 1 lime quartered
- 1 TBSP olive oil
Directions
Follow above instructions for dried beans. In a crock pot or large stock pot add beans covering with vegetable broth, cover with lid. Note: if you are using a crock pot cook on a high setting if you use a stock pot simmer on medium. In a large fry pan on low heat add oil and chopped onion, stir cooking until onion is translucent, add garlic continuing to stir. Important not to let the onion or garlic burn. Add ground beef breaking up into small pieces as it cooks. While meat is cooking chop carrots and green pepper add to the meat mixture continuing to stir until meat is cooked thoroughly. Season meat with salt, pepper, & cumin. When the meat mixture is done add to simmering beans, stir and recover continuing to cook in crock pot on high for 4 hours or stove top on medium/low heat remembering to stir occasionally if on the stove top. After four hours stir and cook for an additional 4 hours or until desired tenderness. Additional salt and pepper to taste.
When chili is done spoon into a bowl, squeeze 1/4 of the lime, diced avocado and chopped cilantro on top. This is a mild chili
Enjoy!
Wendy
