ArcaMax

Chili travels to the office too and makes a fine and dandy meal heated in the microwave. A bowl of chili can even make a quick after school snack.

I opened my cupboard the other day and found a jar of those roasted red pepper strips. That inspired me to make a new chili. Plan Z, the diet by Zola has 7 chili recipes now. Everything from simple Chili Con Carne to firey Caribbean Chicken Chili. Comfort food that’s diet food. That’s a BIG YUM.

Roasted Red Pepper and Beef Chili
Serving Size: Serves 5 to 7, 1.5-cup servings.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of ground sirloin
1 bell pepper, diced (you can use your choice of yellow, orange, red or green)
1 large onion, diced, approx. 2 cups
2 Tbl of chili powder, your choice. There are hot chili powders and mild ones.
1 tsp of garlic powder
2 tsp of ground cumin
2 – 15 oz cans of diced tomatoes (undrained).  You choose if you want them with chilies, oregano and garlic, or even fire roasted.
1 – 16 oz jar of roasted red pepper strips packed in water (in jar).  Rinse them in a colander and drain. If you buy whole roasted peppers just cut them into strips or chunks.
¼ – ½ tsp of cracked red pepper flakes (The kind people use on pizza.  If you want your chili really mild, leave these out)
3 cups of water
½ tsp of grated sea salt (or to taste)
1 lime (optional garnish)

Instructions:

Spray a soup pot with olive oil spray.  Put in the ground sirloin and begin to break it up. Cook on medium-high, stirring often and breaking it up, until it’s half done.  Then add the onions and bell pepper.  Cook until the beef is completely done and the veggies are moistened.  (The beef won’t be pink in the middle anymore).

Add everything else except the lime.

Turn to a simmer and let bubble for a minimum of 15 minutes.  The longer it simmers (up to an hour) the more melded the flavors will become but it will also cook off some of the liquid.  That’s why the servings number is a variable.

Garnish with a lime wedge- optional. Some like to squeeze the lime over their chili.

Cheers,
Zola