I really love a baked potato… and you know what’s even better than just a baked potato?  A baked potato with chili.  When I used to work in DC’s Penn Quarter, I would get an amazing baked potato for lunch at a place called Potato Valley Cafe.  I still crave their baked potatoes with chili on top… cheese… crunchy chips… and a slice of mango.  So good.  I’m salivating right now.

So, the other day, I decided to make chili on the fly.  We had several good ingredients in the house and I was up to the challenge.  Here goes for my first blog post recipe:

Bell Pepper Chili 

Serves 6

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1 tablespoon
• Crushed Garlic – 1 teaspoon (2-3 cloves)
• Onions (white) – 2 cups diced
• Red Bell Pepper – 1.5 cups diced (about 1 pepper)
• Yellow Bell Pepper – 1.5 cups (about 1 pepper)
• Green Bell Pepper – 1.5 cups (about 1 pepper)
• Ground Beef (97% lean) – approximately 1 pound
• Beans, kidney or cannellini – 1 can – 15oz
• San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes – 1 can (28oz)
• Double-concentrated Tomato Paste, 3 tablespoon
• Salt – 1 tablespoon
• Chili Powder – 4 tablespoons
• Garlic & Pepper Seasoning – 1 teaspoon
• Cayenne Pepper, ground – 1 tablespoon

Using a large sauté pan, add the Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan and bring the pan to a medium heat.  Add the Crushed Garlic and Onions.  Sauté until the onions begin to become translucent.  There are few things I love more than cooked onions…. yum.  Try not to eat spoonfuls of the onions right now. Then, add the red, yellow and green bell peppers to the pan and stir with onions.

Once the onions begin to caramelize, add the Ground Beef.  As the chili mix cooks, continue to use your spatula to break up the meat and mix with the onions and peppers.  When the beef is about halfway cooked, drain the beans and add to the pan.  You can then add the can of peeled tomatoes.  The tomatoes will be whole so it’s important that while you use the spatula  to break up the meat – use it also on the tomatoes.  You can add the tomato concentrate at this time as well.

Now, it’s time for the spices… add the salt, chili powder, garlic & pepper seasoning (I bought this as the local Dutch Market – love it) and cayenne pepper.  You’ll notice that the chili has a good deal of water due to the peeled tomatoes.  Make sure to stir, mix and chop up.

Then, let it sit for about 30 minutes on low-medium heat.  The smell of chili is so good.  This will let all of the flavors further concentrate in the chili (it’ll thicken up).  Stir occasionally. Then Serve!!  Suggestion – serve on top of a potato with cheese or with tortilla chips and cheese.

And guess what, friends – this chili is 288 calories per serving (sans cheese and potato, of course) and fiber-rich.

It’s good… flavorful… filling… low calorie… and easy.  In fact, my husband decided the leftovers were perfect for breakfast 🙂 True Story.