Hearty Chili Stew

Ingredients

• 2 lb lean ground meat (I use 90% lean beef)

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 1 tbsp avocado or olive oil

• 8 oz tomato paste

• 2 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tbsp garlic powder

• 2-3 tsp paprika

• 1-2 tsp red chili powder (to taste)

• 1-2 tsp salt (to taste)

• 8 oz carrots, chopped

• 2 - 15oz cans of dark red kidney beans (thoroughly rinsed and strained)

• 1 - 15oz can of sweet, whole kernel corn (thoroughly rinsed and strained)

• 8 oz frozen peas (thawed, rinsed and strained)

• 2 cups shredded cheddar, for serving

Directions

1. Pour oil in a 4-5qt pot (I use my 4qt Staub Cocotte) and place on medium heat.

2. Add the chopped onions to the pot and stir occasionally, cooking until light golden brown.

3. Add the tomato sauce and spices (start with just 1 tsp of salt for now and add more at the end of the recipe if necessary) along with 1 cup of water, stirring and cooking until fragrant.

4. Add the ground meat to the pot, breaking up any clumps. Continue cooking on medium heat until all the meat is browned.

5. Add the chopped carrots to the pot along with 1 cup of water. Lower the heat to medium-low and cover for about 3-5 minutes, until the carrots are fork-tender.

6. Now add the kidney beans to the pot along with another 2 cups of water. Give it a good stir, cover, and let cook for another 5 minutes.

7. Lastly, add the corn and peas to the pot along with another 2-3 cups of water. Stir, cover, and let cook for another 5 minutes.

8. Stir the chili, checking for consistency. Taste it at this point and consider adding more salt (1/2 tsp at a time, to avoid overdoing it). If the chili is too runny, you can add more water and bring the chili to a rolling boil before removing from heat and covering until ready to serve.

9. Serve with toppings (shredded cheese, sour cream) and a side of bread (sourdough, foccacia, cornbread, yum!) and ENJOY!