Santa Fe Chili - real foodified

One of our favorite chili recipes was introduced to us by our friend Jenn M. on the very day we moved into our house almost 4 years ago! It was so yummy, I immediately asked her for the recipe the next day and shared it with my mom as well.  We enjoy making this every year, but the more I have learned about food and additives, the less I have wanted to use the taco seasoning and ranch seasoning packets it calls for.  Thanks to Pinterest, google, and the interwebs, it fortunately hasn't taken me long to find easy homemade substitutes that DO NOT contain the abominable MSG or maltodextrin.  *Phew!  So now we can consume this chili guilt-free and without the neurotoxic side effect.  I sure hate getting headaches when I eat, don't you!?

photo credit: tasteofhome.com

Here's the recipe, which I found is originally from TasteofHome.com:

• 2 pounds ground beef (grass-fed if possible)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• the equivalent of 2 - 15oz cans of kidney beans, soaked (*rinsed & drained)
• the equivalent of 2 - 15oz cans of black beans, soaked*
• 3 cans (7 oz each) white shoepeg corn
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can diced tomatoes & green chilies (e.g., Rotel)
• 2 servings of homemade ranch seasoning
• 2 servings of homemade taco seasoning
• 2 cups water (or homemade chicken stock)
• Optional garnishes:
• sour cream, non-GMO corn chips, shredded cheddar cheese

Brown the ground beef, drain.  Add in chopped onion and cook until the onion is soft.  Add in the beans, corn, tomatoes, chilies, seasonings, and water/stock.  Cover & cook on high for about 2 hours.  Serve in bowls with additional garnishes if desired.   

*I soaked and cooked dry kidney beans and black beans to include in this recipe.  I used 1.5 cups of soaked beans to substitute for 1 can of beans.  So therefore, I used 3 cups of each type of soaked beans. That's a lot of beans!!!

The general rule of thumb is: 

1 15-ounce can of beans equals

• 1/2 cup dry beans, before cooking

• 1 1/2 cups beans, after cooking 

Read more at Dried to Canned Beans conversion.

Enjoy!