Stew vegetables and ground beef with chili and espresso for a hearty, spicy one pot meal that tastes better the next day. It’s paleo-friendly, so its free of dairy, gluten, and legumes!
I used to say that my last meal before I died would be chili with cornbread and lemonade. My parents were like “did you not grow up in the South?” Nowadays, that “last meal ever” list has expanded to include carrot cake, molten chocolate lava cake, tuna wraps, sushi, cheese and crackers, caesar salad, fruit, toast with PB, sweet potato fries, wine, dried dates and figs, oatmeal cookies, etc. It’ll be a feast…you’re all invited.
Since following something close to the Whole30 recently, I’ve been gravitating towards super simple but deeply flavorful foods. I experimented a bit with adding ground espresso and chili powder to grass-fed ground beef and chopped up rainbow bell peppers, and the result was something so satisfying. I couldn’t wait to share with you all! The serving options for this recipe are endless, which is why it’s a great meal to make in bulk on Sunday to eat on Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday.
When you’re trying to clean up your diet in general, people worry that they are going to lose out on all of the flavor and enjoyment of food. And that cooking for others will always seem like they are trying to push “healthy” on them. My taste testers especially have had to sample their fare share of healthified baked goods (some good, some cardboard-y) and quinoa stuffed vegetables. The best part about this chili was when I served it to others, no one thought that it was part of any “healthy eating shtick”. They just thought it was delicious, and we turned this 4-6 serving meal into 3.
Side note - this can be done in a crockpot. But sometimes I truly enjoy the process of cooking everything piece by piece, and that’s what I decided to do on the rainy Saturday that I put together this chili. (Yes I did say RAIN, we had RAIN here in Los Angeles! Give us some more, rain spirits!) Anyways, one way to simplify your chili making is to use canned and diced fire-roasted tomatoes. There are several brands that make these, and they add wonderful flavor to your chili without YOU having to do much else. The way this chili works is easy. Brown the meat with the onions, skim off the fat, and then add in everything else. Let sit for however many hours on low heat. Serve with your toppings of choice. Repeat the next day, and the next, and the next.
There are a ton of options for how to serve this chili, which is why I love making a big batch on the weekends. You can make a burrito bowl out of it with quinoa or brown rice on the bottom. You can mix in tons of fresh spinach. You can use it for taco or quesadilla fillings. Or you can do it Dani California Cooks childhood-last-meal-ever-style, with some cornbread and a glass of lemonade. I personally like mine all doctored up with cilantro, avocado, jalapenos, and red onions.
I could happily eat meals like this all week. And now that I made this, I will!
- 1 lb grass-fed ground beef
- 3 bell peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
- ½ white onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 cans of diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ground espresso
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- Dash of cayenne
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- In a large pot over medium heat, cook the onions and garlic in a tablespoon or two of olive oil for about 5 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to brown, about another 5-7 minutes. Break up the beef into smaller pieces. Skim off the fat
- Toss in the chopped bell peppers and cook for several minutes
- Add in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes,and spices
- Taste and add salt and pepper
- Cook for 3-4 hours on low
- Serve with toppings of choice! (Jalapenos, red onion, avocado, plain yogurt, cilantro, you name it!)
To cook in a crockpot, add in all ingredients and cook on low for 8-10 hours.Skim off the fat before serving!
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