Chili con Carne Soup

Chili con carne is what we used to make as students, only there was less carne, and more of the frijoles. That was because we had very little money and beans were cheaper than meat!

One of my favorite quotes from J is “the only difference between a stew or a soup, is the amount of water added”. It’s very true! To water down chili con carne would give you chili con carne soup!

This soup is a satisfyingly rich and hearty soup. It gives four decent bowls of soup, or in our house that means two bowls per person. If serving two people, you’ll get 450 calories, 4-5 portions of fruit/vegetables and 2 portions of protein each. The richness in this soup is highly deceiving! I like to serve this soup with cornbread muffins (keep an eye out for this post), totally a 725 calories for dinner.


CHILLI CON CARNE SOUP
Serves 2-4

Ingredients
½ t peanut oil
1 small onion, peeled and diced
2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
225 g (½ lb) extra lean minced beef (lower than 12% fat)
400 g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
2 small green peppers, de-stalked, de-seeded and diced
225 g (½ lb) mushrooms, thickly sliced
300 g (⅔ lb) kidney beans
Cajun spice, to taste
Additional paprika, around 1 T

Method
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic until golden, about 3-5 minutes.

2. Add the minced beef, fry until evenly browned. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir.

3. Add 600-725 ml (2 ½-3 c) boiling water to thin out the soup a little (more can be added later).

4. Bring the soup back to boil, then add the peppers.

5. Simmer for a couple of minutes before adding the mushrooms and kidney beans. Season with cajun spice.

6. Add more water if necessary to thin the soup. Add the additional paprika and adjust the seasoning if required.

7. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes before serving on its own or with cornbread muffins. Enjoy!