Beef Chili
Some days you just need to stand over a heavy pot, stir away the noise of the world, and let a comforting meal put you back together. If you’re looking for a delicious way to reset, this hearty chili is the ultimate kitchen therapy. We are tossing out the strict rules and loading up a rich tomato sauce base with a satisfying combination of savory ground beef, earthy lentils, and creamy black beans. To top it all off, a handful of briny olives joins the party, adding a brilliant pop of flavor that wakes up the whole dish and adds delightful texture. Grab the nearest spoon—it’s time to leave the day's stress behind and dig into a bowl of classic comfort.
Ingredients
4 Garlic cloves, minced
1 medium Yellow Onion, diced small
2 lbs ground beef
2 teaspoons Salt
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
2 teaspoons Cumin
2 cans of drained Lentils
1 can drained black beans
4 cans of Tomato Sauce
3 Green Bell Peppers, diced
2 cans of Olives, diced
Optional Toppings: Cheese, greek yogurt or sour cream, squeeze of lime, cilantro, chives or sliced green onions.
Instructions
-Sauté garlic and onion. (You only need a small amount of oil or butter for this. Avocado oil is the best for heating in this way.)
-Add ground beef. As this is browning add salt, chili powder and cumin.
-Add lentils, black beans and tomato sauce. Bring to a low simmer.
-Add diced green bell peppers. Simmer for 10-15 minutes then add diced olives.
Corn bread muffins always go great with this and sometimes I opt to bake some up especially for the kids though I often opt out of that part depending on my health goals at the time. We really enjoy chili so when I make it I make this double batch size which provides multiple meals for the week or I can put it into the freezer for on of those “leftover nights”. I simply fill a gallon zip lock and lay it flat in the freezer so I can stack it.
My favorite way of using this though is for the “cook once eat twice” in the same week method. On a Sunday I will make this up then have it again on Tuesday only served over baked potatoes. It’s packed full of protein and simple ingredients but if you are running a little low using it for that second dinner it can be stretched with something like cottage cheese added to your bowl.