Warm Up for the Game!
The gang’s all coming to your house for Super Bowl Sunday this year. Regardless of who’s a Denver or Seattle fan, everyone will be cheering for Super Bowl Chili. You’re sure to win big with this one!! And, use it time and again for potlucks, tailgates, and hearty family gatherings.
Making this Super Bowl a truly memorable occasion (pun intended) is the chili’s secret ingredient…unsweetened cocoa powder! It’s a deliciously rich source of flavanols so good for your cardiovascular system. Plus, cocoa is high in magnesium, a mineral essential for heart health that is also calming, which may be a good thing for those overexcited fans.
Just a tablespoon or two of cocoa powder will really help to kick up flavor, somewhat similar to an authentic Mexican mole poblano sauce.
Super Bowl Chili
Makes about 8 servings
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds grass-fed stew beef, cut into cubes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 15-ounce can green chilies
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 medium jalapeno, diced
1 10.5-ounce can unsalted tomato puree
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 ½ teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1-2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder
3 15-ounce cans red kidney beans, rinsed
Sea salt
- Place the oil in an oven-proof skillet on the stove top and brown meat. Add onions, green chilies, garlic, red pepper, and jalapeno and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Add tomato puree and chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and cocoa powder. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover the pot and place it in a 325 degree Fahrenheit oven and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours until meat is tender. Stir occasionally and add water if it gets too thick.
- Add beans and return to oven for 15 minutes. Salt to taste. The chili serves up nicely with a large salad, enjoy!
Before you dive into the chili, try this pre-game starter:
Avocado-Cilantro Dip
Serve this tasty dip with some cruncy jicama, carrots, cucumbers, or celery sticks.
Makes about 2 cups
2 large ripe avocados, peeled, pitted, and mashed
½ cup scallions, finely chopped
½ cup cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4-6 drops of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Place avocado in a large bowl and mash. Blend in scallions, cilantro, lemon juice, tomatoes, cumin, hot sauce, and sea salt. Pour in oil and blend, using a wooden spoon. Serve with veggie dippers.
Last but not least, let’s take a poll – Broncos or Seahawks? Post a comment with your pick!
