I’m a beans eater. So, for any recipe that calls for beans, I’m in!
Chili con carne is (of course) one of my favorite ones. And I can have a chili con carne plate for breakfast, snack, lunch, or dinner. Seriously I like it that much!
As a busy wife, I’m always thinking about saving time on house chores. And after working all day long, the last thing I want to do is get in the kitchen and cook for 2 hours.
That’s why meal prepping is my favorite strategy to have a healthy meal ready to eat at any moment and spare some extra time for self-care, romance, and studying.
It’s also one of my methods for Eating Healthy on a Budget.
Meal prepping Chili con Carne
Do you guess which recipe I love meal prepping? You are right! Chili con carne! And this recipe the longer it sits in the refrigerator, the better the taste seems to get. Some chefs even recommend never eating chili freshly cooked but refrigerated overnight to seal in the flavor. Curious eh?
And for sure, this recipe tastes better the next day!
The recipe I’ll share with you today makes eight hearty servings (around 1 1/2 cups per serving). So, do your calculations on how many extra hours you will have to enjoy life, watch your favorite series, spend time with the kiddos, your hubby, or pamper the lazy girl in you by doing nothing at all.
In this video I show you how I prepare this recipe from scratch ⬇︎
Chili con Carne health benefits
You probably know already that I enjoy being a cooking nerd. I like to eat! But I love to eat food that makes me feel awesome and helps improve my health.
So, here I go with the benefits of Chili con Carne.
This recipe is loaded with protein and nutritional fiber. Mommas, this one is for you! Say bye-bye to anemia and constipation during pregnancy.
On top of that, spicy foods have longevity benefits, speed up your metabolism, and combat inflammation.
Opt for grass-fed beef so you can benefit from the Omega 3 fatty acids. And Grass-fed meat is always leaner than Grain-fed.
Why are beans hard to digest
Beans contain lectins, making them hard to digest and sometimes causing flatulence, stomach pain, or bloating. Lectins are a natural plant defense against being eaten by bugs and plagues.
The good news is that you can neutralize these lectins by soaking, sprouting, or thoroughly cooking beans before eating.
Secret Tips
- Cooking your meat and veggies in the bacon fat will contribute to the flavor.
- Add some sweet veggies such as carrots to add a layer of texture, flavor, and color to this exquisite chili con carne.
- Cook your beans from scratch. It will take you around 40 minutes in a pressure pot. And it completely worth it if you are a beans eater like me. Canned beans are more expensive and have a higher sodium content. Besides, most cans are lined with BPA-containing resin that ends up in your food. And cooked dried beans taste better.
Chili con Carne from Scratch
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
- Big Pot
- Measuring cups
Ingredients
- 2 cups Red Kidney Beans (Soaked overnight)
- 1 ½ pounds Minced Beef (Lean & Grass-Fed if possible)
- 4 pieces Bacon
- 3 big Tomatoes (Diced)
- 5 small Carrots (Chopped)
- 5 Celery Stalks (Chopped)
- 1 Red Bell Pepper (Diced)
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper (Diced)
- 2 medium Yellow Onions (Diced)
- 4 Garlic Cloves (Peeled & Minced)
- 2 ½ cups Tomato Sauce (or Strained Tomatoes)
- 1 cup Green Onions (Chopped)
Spices & Condiments
- 1 tbsp Crushed Red Pepper
- ½ tbsp Cayenne Pepper
- 2 tbsp Cumin
- 2 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 2 tsp Salt (Sea salt or Himalayan Pink Salt)
- 2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
To make the Beans
- First, put 2 cups of dried kidney beans in a bowl, cover with enough water and let them soak overnight.
- After soaking for a minimum of 8 hours, rinse the beans well with fresh water.
- Next, place them in a pressure pot and cover them with 6 cups of water.
- And finally, let them cook for 40 minutes.
To make the Chili con Carne
- While the beans are cooking, chop the red and yellow bell pepper, celery stalks, carrots, onions, green onions, and bacon. And also, peel the garlic cloves and get them ready to mince.
- Next, in a big pot, sauté on medium heat the bacon until it is crispy.
- Immediately, add the onions, peppers, celery, and carrots. Stir occasionally and let them cook until they have softened for around 4 to 5 minutes.
- After, add the minced garlic cloves and stir for one more minute.
- Next, continue with the ground beef and let it cook until it's perfectly browned. If you are not using lean meat, you will need to strain some fat out of the pot at this point.
- Add the dried spices. Let them cook till they are fragrant.
- Add 3 cups of tomato sauce or strained tomatoes, and mix well.
- Add diced tomatoes
- Add in the beans with liquid and everything.
- Increase the heat to high and let the chili comes to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to avoid the chili from sticking or burning at the bottom of the pot.
- Serve in bowls and top with some green onions.
- Garnish with grated cheese, avocado, or cilantro.
Chili con carne side dishes
If you are thinking of white rice and corn tortillas to complete this dish, I get you some healthier ideas that are delicious as well.
Top your chili con carne with sour cream, grated cheese, green onions, or chopped avocado. And you can also pair it with some quinoa, cauliflower rice, or green leafy veggies such as spinach, arugula, or Romaine lettuce.
How to store chili con carne
Let it cool down after cooking, and place it in airtight containers. In the fridge, you can keep it up to 5 days.
If you freeze the chili con carne, you can store it for up to 2 months. Then you only need to let it unfreeze overnight and warm it up on the stovetop or microwave.
If the texture is too thick, add a little bit of water or broth to improve it.
I hope you will love this recipe. I personally love it! We eat this at home frequently, and it’s one of my favorites when I have guests for dinner.
Don’t forget to follow me on Wife New Life Youtube Channel for more healthy, juicy, and tasty recipes.
Let me know in the comments if you try it at home.
See you next time!
