Tired of holiday eating and holiday food? I know I am. Ready to get back to normal? Maybe lose a few pounds that you picked up over the holidays?
The trick to quick weight loss (and better health) is to pitch the holiday cookies, breads, rolls, and starchy, processed foods. Grains (even whole grains) and sugars are your enemy. As soon as you can wrap your head around this fact, you are well on your way to quick and easy weight loss.
What foods are the best fat burning foods? The best fat burning foods are those foods that nourish your body, satisfy your hunger (you do not have to starve to lose a few pounds!), and KEEP YOUR BLOOD SUGAR STABLE. That includes healthy fats, a good protein source, fiber and antioxidants.
That’s why this healthy chili recipes is just the ticket. Warming, satisfying, delicious, and full of antioxidants, protein, and fiber.
Fat Burning, Supercharged Chili
I made this chili this weekend for a group mountain bike outing. After a long ride outside in the fresh air, sunshine, wind and chilly air, nothing tasted better.
I like to add some unexpected ingredients into my chili recipe, not only for a taste sensation, but to increase the nutrient and antioxidant punch. This chili seems to be a proven crowd pleaser. Adjust the seasonings as you wish for a milder or spicier version.
I personally like LOTS of seasoning, but try to keep it under control when serving this for a group!
The added spices and ‘secret ingredients’ in this chili add a massive amount of healthy, fat burning antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
I always add a generous amount of cumin. Not only does it taste great, but cumin stimulates your body’s pancreatic enzymes, which aids in digestion and your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Cumin also contains iron–and it has powerful antioxidant properties as well. The latest research also shows that cumin has the power to keep blood glucose in check, adding to its fat burning potential.
Oregano contains two oils, thymol and rosmarinic, that are also very potent antioxidants. These antioxidants are so potent that they contain 42 times more antioxidant power than apples, 12 times more than oranges and 4 times the antioxidants of blueberries. Oregano also has anti-bacterial properties, as well as providing vitamin K, iron and manganese, an often overlooked but essential trace mineral.
One of my chili’s ‘secret’ ingredients is cinnamon. Cinnamon has the ability to lower your LDL (the bad kind) cholesterol, keep blood sugar stable, (which means you stay in fat burning mode!), fight certain types of cancer, and helps prevent harmful blood clots (like the kind that cause heart attacks and strokes).
The touch of chocolate in the chili adds a dark, rich flavor to the chili. Dark chocolate powder is chock full of flavenoids, a powerful type of antioxidants. It also contains a rich source of magnesium, a mineral the majority of people are deficient in. (Did you know one of the reasons people crave chocolate is because they need magnesium?) The serotonin and other phytochemicals in chocolate also have a calming effect on mood and lift depression.
Chili peppers have some very powerful medicinal properties. Although some chiles are quite hot, many are valued for their soothing effects on the digestive system, their warming effect on the body, circulation, and as a hangover remedy. (Bet you wished you knew about that yesterday!)
Peppers, especially the hotter ones can prevent heart attacks and strokes and are proven to ease depression and create endorphins.
And chili peppers actually raise your metabolism and help you burn fat better.
I add a variety of chili peppers (canned green chilis, chili powder, paprika, chopped jalepenos, etc.) for the best flavor.
On top of all that you have the super healthy (Omega 3, and CLA) fats in the grass fed beef, the lycopene in tomatoes (known for its cancer fighting ability), and the anti-inflammatory and immune strengthening power of the onions and garlic.
So you see—how can you not feel GREAT when you eat this chili?
Ingredients
1 lb of grass fed ground beef or bison, or beef stew meat, chopped in small pieces
1-2 Tbsp of olive oil
1 medium red onion chopped
4-5 cloves of garlic chopped
2 Tbsp of cumin, or more to taste
2-4 Tbsp of chili powder (I used Whole Foods’ “Valle de Sol”)
1 Tbsp of oregano
1 Tbsp of cinnamon
2 tsp of unsweetened organic cocoa
1 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
1 can of crushed fire roasted organic tomatoes
1 to 2 cups of water
2 14 ounces cans of any combination of kidney beans, black beans or pinto beans
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1-2 Tbsp of Frank’s red-hot sauce
½ to 1 tsp of sugar
Red pepper flakes to taste (be careful, these get hotter as they cook!)
Sea salt
Directions
Brown meat over medium heat with onions, garlic, salt, and seasonings. Add in rest of ingredients, and simmer over low heat, 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Adjust seasonings to taste, keeping in mind that red pepper flakes pick up heat and intensity as they cook.
Garnish with grass-fed grated cheese (if you would like), avocado slices and a big handful of chopped cilantro. Serves about 4.
Note: This is great for leftovers and tastes even better when it’s re-heated as a leftover. The flavors and spices all mingle together and become richer and tastier.
If you really like your chili served over noodles, try it with spaghetti squash instead, for a gluten free, grain-free version. (Slice a spaghetti squash in half, scrape out seeds and bake, cut side down in ½ “ water in shallow pan covered foil, 30-40 minutes in oven at 375 degrees F. Scrape out “spaghetti with a fork.) Voila! Chili Mac the healthy way.