Low Sodium Rainbow Chili

Recipes

Jan 10

Written By

Cool weather? Seeking warm comfort food? Chili + cornbread often top the list, especially for those of us with southern roots! Enjoy noshing off a pot of chili for a week or two of quick meals. But for this occasionally lazy gal, best thing about chili? It's uber easy to prepare! Using only one pot drastically decreases clean up time. Love cooking! HATE CLEANING. Photo Credit: Fab client Nicky Wicks! Love the variety of textures, spices + now colors that each bowl provides. The one thing I will insist on, is that we build flavor. The chilis I do not enjoy are the ones that have a homogeneous flavor throughout + that flavor is salty, spicy MUD. That muddy flavor is the result of throwing all ingredients in the pot or crockpot at once to stew, cooking on too high heat + adding too much salt. While chili is a simple comfort food of peasant roots, it's flavors should be a rich complex mosaic, maintaining integrity of each ingredient but together creating something more beautiful, intriguing + satisfying than they could be independently. Yeah, dishes like chili are the perfect culinary metaphor for America, a nation composed of generations of immigrants each bringing unique culture, techniques + ideas, learning from each other, enriching the lives of our neighbors + celebrating our one ongoing commonality, being American.In a few simple steps, we can avoid muddy! Instructions below show you how to gradually build multiple levels of flavor, encouraging each ingredient to play a specific role, beautifully complementing fellow elements. Of course, all without an abundance of bloat-inducing sodium!For the ultimate comfort food meal, pair Rainbow Chili with our LOW FAT SWEET CORNBREAD!INGREDIENTSAs always, please choose organic ingredients for YOUR health!1/2 Tbsp olive oil1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped3 cloves garlic, chopped2 bay leaves1 tsp ground cumin2 tbsp dried oregano1/2 tsp salt1 green bell pepper, chopped2 jalapeño peppers, chopped (Fresh! Not pickled in jar)2 lbs ground grassfed beef, diced boneless skinless chicken breast OR vegetarian crumbles6 cups chopped fresh tomatoes OR 3 15oz cans unsalted diced tomatoes3-4 Tbsp chili powder1 Tbsp ground black pepper1 15oz can kidney beans, drained1 15oz can garbanzo beans, drained1 15oz can black beans2 cups corn (cut off cob)DIRECTIONSSauté onion in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, 1 minute. Add garlic + sauté til fragrant. Add cumin, oregano, black pepper + salt. When onion is tender, add meat, sauté + break into smaller pieces until meat is cooked through. Add chopped peppers + jalapeños + sauté a few minutes to soften. Reduce heat to low. Stir in tomatoes, kidney, garbanzo + black beans + bay leaves. Cover pot + simmer 5 minutes. Add chili powder. Simmer 45 minutes. Stir in the corn. Remove bay leaf + serve hot. Makes about 10 1 1/2 cup servings.