February 14, 2023 66: Comments:
What’s the key to great tasting chili? (cocoa powder) Many will suggest that you put a lot of meat and sausage to make it tasty…
I believed in meat until I attended a chili cook-off at a friend’s house. Of course, I was convinced I was a winner until I tried the host’s chili. Something was different about her recipe and I couldn’t figure out what.
Her chili won (argh) and I was confused. I kept going after him (calling, knocking, emailing) and he FINALLY told me the secret. Cocoa powder.
Yes, the depth of flavor is achieved by adding unsweetened cocoa powder, which you find in the baking section of the supermarket. The cocoa powder gives the chili a richness that makes FOUNTS of meat unnecessary.
Since my family is trying to save money and eat less meat (my daughter has become a vegetarian), I decided to cut the ground beef I add to my chili in half and add more beans. I was shocked to learn that no one noticed.
Some of my favorite vegetarian standards are my Cauliflower Potato Curry and my Vegetarian Black Bean Soup recipe.
This chili includes thirty-four percent of your daily value of iron and 13 percent of your daily value of calcium. You can keep all the ingredients in your pantry except for the ground beef (which you can keep in your fridge).
This is my go-to dinner that I’ll make later in the week after I don’t have time to grocery shop. It’s cheap, quick and delicious and great for a crowd.
We eat it with rice, pasta, tortillas or just plain. You can add fresh salsa, avocado, a dollop of plain yogurt, or anything else you can think of to mix it up.
What’s your favorite chili recipe addition?
Chili Cocoa Powder Recipe
(serves 8)
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Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (80% lean)
3-15 oz cans assorted beans (black, kidney, white, pinto, etc.), drained and rinsed
1-28 oz can plum tomatoes
4 tablespoons of good quality chili powder
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cumin
salt to taste
hot sauce (optional)
Instructions:
Brown ground beef in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the meat is browned, drain the fat. Pour in tomatoes with their juices, beans and add spices. Heat to boiling and taste for salt. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat and serve.
Nutrition Facts
For one serving (about 1 cup): 228 calories, 4.4 g fat 1.7 g saturated fat 21.2 g carbohydrates, 3.8 g sugar, 24.2 g protein, 7.4 g fiber, 400 mg sodium, 2 blue, 2 purple, 3 green smartphones
Point values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for informational purposes only. See all snack recipes