by Lisa Knapek, Dietetic Intern [University of Minnesota – The Emily Program]
As a child, I really did not like chili. I picked out everything except the hamburger and sauce. My parents always told me to try eating it all because the combination of ingredients supposedly gave chili a wonderful, savory flavor. Finally, I decided to listen to my parents and I tried eating the chili without picking anything out. To my surprise, it was delicious! Plus, it really warmed me up on cold fall and winter nights.
I am glad I gave chili a try because now it is one of my favorite soups when I am in need of something to warm my insides. Not only is chili a great way to warm up, but it is packed with nutritional benefits. Chili is a great source of fiber, protein, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. Without even realizing it, you are getting a bowl full of nutrients when you eat chili!
Easy Hamburger Chili
This recipe is from my mom’s recipe collection.
(Serves: 8-10 people)
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ lb. hamburger
- ½ cup green peppers, chopped
- ½ cup red peppers, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- One 32-oz can of V8 tomato juice
- Two 15-oz cans of chili beans
- One 14-oz can of diced tomatoes
- One 10-oz can of beef broth
- One 6-oz can of tomato paste
- 2 tbsp. chili powder
- 1 ½ tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. sugar
- ¼ tsp. pepper
Directions:
- Brown hamburger and drain off excess liquid produced.
- Combine hamburger with all other ingredients in a large pot.
- Stir ingredients together.
- Simmer 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Tips:
- This makes a large batch of chili. Extra chili can be frozen and thawed at a later date for another meal.
- The beans can get mushy if they are frozen and thawed later so add beans right before you heat up the chili to eat, rather than putting them in the large batch.
Nutrition Information:
Per serving based on 9 servings: 278 calories, 7.6g total fat, 2.8g saturated fat, 21.8g protein, 31.6g carbohydrate, 7.7g fiber, 1368mg sodium
