Chili Time

Making chili doesn’t have to come out of a can or box. This is an easy recipe that you can bend and shape to fit your taste.

First I start out with some onion and pepper cooked through. You can use olive or coconut oil to saute them but I just go naked with this step.

Then I add some beans. I use black, red kidney, navy beans and pinto beans. Use whichever beans you like. I add some diced tomatoes and some tomato puree. You can use beef or chicken broth if you don’t like tomatoes. Some people like to add some sliced carrots, whatever floats your boat.

Next I add some green Anaheim pepper and Jalapeños chopped. I brown some ground beef and rinse it before adding it to the chili. I do this to make sure all the excess fat is rinsed off the meat. You can use chicken, turkey or sausage if you don’t like beef or just go vegetarian. Now for the spices. I add chili powder, salt and garlic a half teaspoon at a time, tasting as I go. Once you add it to the pot you can take it out so take your time and add spices slowly and carefully.



Lastly I add some Masa Flour. You can find organic Masa in white, blue or yellow. Again, add this slowly to thicken your chili.

Now it’s time to serve. A little cheese, some sour cream and cilantro and we are ready to eat. Plain yogurt is a great substitute for sour cream and the cheese and cilantro are optional. Cook from your heart and not by the book and you’ll end up with a great meal.

Salad by the numbers.

One of my favorite summer salads is a raw corn salad. I make it with corn that has been cut right off the cob. Try to get corn from your garden, local farmers market or buy organic.



Mix with black and kidney beans, cilantro and sweet Vidalia onions.



Next mix in some halved grape tomatoes and pickled jalapeño peppers that have been coarsely chopped and some finely-chopped garlic.



Now give it a splash of olive oil and juice from one orange. Salt and pepper to taste.



It’s a delicious cold salad but what’s even better is it can be cooked. We cooked some this evening to serve with burritos. You can even freeze this salad for use during the winter months! So versatile and so yummy!



Enjoy!