A Week of Beets!

I bought beets from the store this past weekend, and I'm aiming to use them in recipes all week. I LOVE what beets do for the color of any dish. Talk about eye-catching. The first thing I did was roast them and store them in the fridge. And last night, inspired by the cold, wet weather, I made a big ol' pot of Chili with beets. You have never seen such a color on a pot of chili before. Think of the richest Indian tapestries you've ever laid eyes on. Is there a name for RedPurpleOrange? Repurpange? Photos don't do it justice. This was some day-glo Chili, and it was choc full o' health. My kids Squashcake, 4, and Squishpie, 2, lapped it right up. Yours will, too. Here's the recipe. You can use turkey, chicken, or beef, and any arrangement of vegetables you choose. Really, it will always come out tasting like chili if your spices are right. Here's what I used:

Ingredients:
Olive oil
1 pound ground chicken thigh
1/2 an onion, chopped small
1 roasted beet, chopped small
6 or 7 baby carrots, sliced very thin
1/2 of a red bell pepper, chopped small
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14.5 oz.) can chopped fire-roasted tomatoes
1 (32 oz.) carton chicken broth
2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
(add cumin to kick up the smoky flavor without the heat that will turn kids off)

Directions:
1. Coat the bottom of a large pot with some olive oil and put it on medium heat. Add the onion, red pepper, and carrot, and cook until it begins to soften, about 5 minutes.
2. Add the ground chicken, garlic, and all the spices. Cook until the meat is done, breaking it up into the bite size you want, or that your kids will tolerate.
3. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken broth, corn meal, and flax meal, stirring together.
4. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, then simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
5. Add beans at the end and stir through gently.
6. Taste and adjust spices accordingly.

This recipe grew from Jessica Seinfeld's Turkey Chili recipe in Deceptively Delicious. I use her book as a springboard and I swear you can substitute just about any vegetable for any other in a dish like this and it will taste just as good. It is not too spicy for little kids, but adults can get more chili flavor by adding chopped jalapenos to their own bowls and by adding cumin to the pot. Cumin gives you the smoky flavor without the heat. Shred some cheese and let kids sprinkle it on. Throw a few corn chips around the side and they'll be even happier.

Tomorrow: Blueberry Banana BEET Chocolate Chip Pancakes...

Comments

[wlpeak on October 10, 2008 at 12:43 PM]

Chicken
Beets
Carrots
Bell Peppers
Flax Seed meal
Kidney Beans
Pinto Beans

That isn't Chili!
I thought you guys are supposed to be knowlegable. Damn.
Just because it has Chili powder in it doesn't make it Chili. And please, end this mythical heresy of putting beans into Chili. What are you, Yankees are something? Just asking.

Oh and FYI, just in case those beets start to migrate towards real meat, BBQ is a slow cooking process not something thrown on a grill or some sorta sauce.

[Jim Shippey on November 20, 2008 at 12:13 PM]

Where do you put in the beets? I don't see it in the recipe steps!

[Thierry Rautureau on November 26, 2008 at 06:30 PM]

Ooops. Thanks Jim. Add the beet in step 3. Then just let it all simmer together so the flavors will combine. Thanks! Sweet B.