Chili con carne is as American as apple pie. Some like it hot, some like it mild, but almost everyone likes chili. Here’s a recipe that’s great for parties and great for a quick, easy dinner for two.
Serve the chili with bowls of sour cream chopped onion and cilantro. Chili freezes well. Double the recipe and freeze half for another quick dinner.
Open a bag of washed, ready-to-eat salad and serve with reduced-fat dressing to complete the meal.
Helpful hints:
- White cannellini or navy beans can be substituted for the red kidney beans.
- To save preparation time, use chopped or diced fresh onion available in the produce department of the supermarket.
- 95 percent lean ground sirloin can be substituted for the buffalo meat.
Countdown:
- Make chili.
- Assemble salad.
Shopping list:
To buy: 1/2 pound ground buffalo, 1 can reduced-sodium red kidney beans, 1 can reduced-sodium crushed tomatoes, 1 bottle chili powder, 1 bottle ground cumin, 1 carton reduced-fat sour cream and 1 bunch cilantro.
Staples: olive oil, onion, garlic, salt and black peppercorns.
Chili con Carne
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion, divided use
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 pound ground buffalo
1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups reduced-sodium canned crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For garnish:
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion and sauté 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add the meat and brown. Add the kidney beans, crushed tomatoes, chili powder and ground cumin. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add more chili powder or cumin as needed. Serve chili and pass the bowls of sour cream, remaining 1/2 cup onion and cilantro.
Yield 2 servings.
Nutritional analysis per serving: 532 calories (19 percent from fat), 11.2 g fat (2.4 g saturated, 3.8 g monounsaturated), 74 mg cholesterol, 45.2 g protein, 67.7 g carbohydrates, 20.2 g fiber, 341 mg sodium.
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