Harvest Chili

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September has me digging out the chunky sweaters and searching for comfort food recipes. And for me, nothing screams comfort or warms the belly on a cool autumn evening better than a big bowl of chili.

When I first started making homemade chili I used Modern Honey’s Award-Winning Chili recipe which still has a strong influence on this Harvest Chili. I have found that their “secret ingredients” contribute to the amazing flavours of this chili. I definitely need to give them credit for this recipe.

This might sound strange but the one aversion I had to chili growing up was the beans. I have never been a huge fan of beans, especially kidney beans. So, when I learned through experimentation with the paleo diet that you could still make hearty, delicious chili without the beans, I started to play around with my chili recipe. I ditched the beans and started adding vegetables that we were harvesting from the garden. I think any squash would do, zucchini, butternut or even sweet potato. You could probably add corn too but that is a vegetable I also tend to avoid. This recipe does not fall under the paleo or Whole30 category because of the 12 oz can of Dr. Pepper (eek!), but it definitely falls under the delicious and hearty category.

I think a Chili Bar is a fun meal idea for when you are hosting a group. A few years ago I had a Chili Bar on Boxing Day when my entire family came out to the farm for Christmas. It was the perfect meal after a full day outside sitting around the bonfire and going for hayrides in the snow. There are so many toppings you can offer at your Chili Bar to make it fun and flavourful for everyone.

Harvest Chili

Tools I Used

• Skillet or Dutch Oven
• Hamburger Chopper
• Garlic Mincer

Ingredients

• 1 to 1.5 lbs ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• salt
• pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 3 medium carrots, chopped
• 2-3 medium zucchinis, diced (I use zucchini to replace 1 (14.5 oz) can of chili beans)
• 1 (12 oz) can Dr. Pepper
• 1 (28 oz) can Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• 3 tablespoon taco seasoning
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 tablespoons ranch dressing powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

1. In your cast iron skillet or dutch oven, brown meat and garlic over medium heat until beef is thoroughly cooked. Season with salt and pepper. Drain off any excess fat and set meat aside.
2. Add oil, onions, carrots, and celery to skillet and cook over medium-heat until translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add zucchini and cook for another 2-3 minutes making sure to stir the vegetables really well.
4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add beef and all remaining ingredients to the skillet.
5. Let simmer for at least 30 minutes.
6. Serve in large bowls with your favourite chili toppings.

Chili Toppings

• sour cream
• shredded cheddar cheese
• green onion
• cilantro
• avocado
• tortilla strips