Chunky Beef and Bean Chili

Chunky Beef and Bean Chili

Here’s my go-to dinner meal when time is short and especially when the weather starts to chill.  First of all, it’s my go-to because I usually have all these ingredients on hand and it’s a snap to put together.  Secondly, look at all that gorgeous nutritious goodness all in one pot!  It doesn’t get much better than this.  Lean beef (or I’ve used ground turkey), onions, garlic, bell peppers, tomatoes and beans galore.  There’s plenty of life-giving vitamins, minerals and mostly anti-oxidants that are so crucial to tissue repair and recovery.  Bonus:  This chili freezes very well so make a double batch for later!

A word about canned tomatoes.  Interestingly enough, canned products provide not just convenience, but also a more concentrated source of anti-oxidants.  The cooking process combined with the preservation of canning increases the amount of lycopene, a powerful anti-oxidant in tomatoes.  That’s a win for this recipe and our health.

Another win is the symbiotic benefits of the iron from the beef combined with the vitamin C from the tomatoes and red bell peppers.  The absorption of iron is enhanced in the presence of vitamin C.