Beef Chili Carnavale

Sure to become a favorite, this fantastic chili recipe is an excellent source of fiber, protein, niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, iron, selenium and zinc; and a good source of choline.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef (95% lean)
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles
1 (14.5-ounce) can regular or reduced-sodium beef broth
1 (12-ounce) bottle regular or light beer
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 medium green, red, yellow or orange bell peppers, diced
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/3 cup chili powder
1 large jalapeño pepper, seeded, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
Lime wedges and baked tortillas chips (optional)

Suggested Toppings: Sliced cherry tomatoes, sliced green onions, sliced serranos or jalapeños, chopped onion

Cooking Directions:

1. Heat stockpot over medium heat until hot. Add ground beef; cook 8 to 10 minutes, breaking into 3/4-inch crumbles and stirring occasionally. Remove drippings.
2. Add tomatoes, beef broth, beer, onions, bell peppers, tomato paste, chili powder, jalapeño pepper, garlic, cumin and oregano to stockpot, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in black beans and continue to simmer 15 minutes or until thickened to desired consistency, stirring occasionally.
4. Season with salt and black pepper, as desired. Garnish with toppings, as desired. Serve with lime wedges and baked tortilla chips, if desired.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: Cooking times are for fresh or thoroughly thawed ground beef. Ground beef should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160°F (70°C). Color is not an indicator of ground beef doneness.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/8 of recipe): 318 calories; 7 g fat (3 g saturated fat; 3 g monounsaturated fat); 76 mg cholesterol; 955 mg sodium; 28 g carbohydrate; 7.5 g fiber; 32 g protein; 7.8 mg niacin; 0.5 mg vitamin B6; 2.3 mcg vitamin B12; 6.4 mg iron; 19.8 mcg selenium; 6.2 mg zinc; 96.0 mg choline.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of The Beef Checkoff.