Mountain Man Chili

21 Day Fix Approved: Mountain Man Chili 

My husband is a SoCal native, but you'd never know it! He's most comfortable in a flannel, rocking a beard, Coors Light in hand. He grew up riding horses and even raised and sold a pig for 4H.

The Mountain Man and his Girls. Another vacation, another beard. 

When it comes to gastronomic fare, he's all about a good, hearty meal. And luckily for all of us in this house, his cooking skills exceed mine! A student of his Italian mama, he can concoct a delicious meal out of seemingly bare cupboards with a pinch of this and a handful of that. 

He didn't know I was snapping this, but I couldn't resist. Who doesn't love a man in the kitchen?

One of my favorites that he's taught me is what we call Mountain Man Chili. It's the perfect meal for a weeknight when you're short on time and haven't prepared anything. It's one of those few meals that everyone loves, from my husband to me to my kids (my three-year old asks for it weekly) to friends, etc. 

You can pair it with chopped bell peppers, a salad, avocado slices, or eat it on its own and it's healthy and filling. Best of all, it fits the 21 Day Fix lifestyle, so we can eat it and still reach our fitness goals. 

Without further ado, here's the recipe! 

Mountain Man Chili 

Serves : 8

Serving Size: 1.5 cups

21 Day Fix Equivalent: 1 yellow, 1 red, 1/2 green*

Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

- 2 pounds lean ground beef (grass-fed preferably)

- 2 cans kidney beans (2 14.5oz cans)

- 1 can diced tomatoes (14.5oz)

- 1 cup of your favorite salsa (we used Trader Joe's Organic Tomatillo & Roasted Yellow Chili Salsa this time)

- 1 large onion, diced

- 1/2 tsp cumin

- 2 tbs chili powder

- 1/2 tsp garlic powder

- 1 tsp oregano

- Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. On medium heat, brown meat in skillet. Drain grease and set meat aside. 

2. In the same pan, cook diced onions until translucent. Add meat back into skillet. 

3. Add salsa, diced tomatoes, kidney beans and spices. Mix well. 

4. Simmer for 10 minutes. 

5. Dish up and enjoy! You can pair it with chopped bell peppers, avocado slices, a dollop of Greek yogurt on top, or eat it on its own and it's healthy and filling.

Best of all, it makes a large batch so you'll have leftovers. Guess who doesn't have to make lunch tomorrow?

Let me know what you think of it! 

Cheers!

Maryanne

* I counted the salsa and diced tomatoes as a green because they only contained veggies and spices (i.e. no sugars or other additives).