“Wendy’s” Chili…do you want onions and cheese with that?!

“WENDY’S” CHILI

Hon loves Wendy’s chili – he would buy and eat it every single day…and does!

My friend sent me an e-cookbook of copycat recipes and this was one of them.  I changed it up a little bit, and made the first batch.  I held my breath as SuperMan ate one…and then two bowls of it and pronounced it “Very Good – almost exactly like the original.”  Whew…

It really does look and smell pretty darn close – and is easy and economical.   Treat your family to fast-food…but you’ll know exactly what’s in it!

I read about the original-original and someone said that to make it the closest to, use frozen diced onions and green peppers.  Ever wanting to make things super easy, I do.  They also said it was imperative to boil the meat after browning.  So I do that, too.

Does it make a big difference?  Who knows.  Hon likes it…I’m going with that.  You do what you want…!

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1 pound 97% lean ground beef or turkey (Vege Version: 1 pkg Morningstar Crumbles)

Salt and black pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup frozen diced green peppers

1/2 cup frozen or fresh diced red peppers  (I’ve not found frozen in my neck of the woods)

1 cup frozen diced onions

2 tablespoons chili powder

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

One 15-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups water

One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

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In a stockpot, over medium heat, brown the meat with a little salt and pepper.  (Do NOT do next step if using Meat Substitute.) Add water, just to cover by 1/2 an inch, and bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Drain and rinse.

Return meat to pot – medium heat – and add the olive oil, celery, green peppers, red peppers, onions, chili powder, cumin, salt, black pepper, and garlic powder.  Cook for one minute.

Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and beans.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.  Makes approx ten 1-cup servings.

Per Serving: Calories 164; Protein 13 g; Fat 3 g; NET Carbs 13 g; Sugar 3 g; Sodium 512 mg  (The carbs are complex and from the beans and veggies – super for us!)

 

 

 

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That wonder seed is at it again…Quinoa goodness in a SW flavored salad

SOUTHWEST QUINOA SALAD

I love quinoa!  It’s replaced rice in just about all my recipes.  It’s a seed that is fairly high in protein and complex carbs – which does not cause carb cravings in me.  It cooks like rice…can be made savory or sweet, and takes on the flavors you pair with it.

This salad had added high fiber pinto beans and sweet bell peppers for a great lunch.  Add some soy crisps or serve on top of shredded lettuce.

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3 cups cooked Quinoa (see below)

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

Juice from 1/2 of a lemon, about 2 tablespoons

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup canned pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup finely diced sweet bell peppers, red and yellow are sweet and colorful

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

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To cook quinoa: Rinse 1 1/4 cups of the grains in a fine-meshed sieve until water runs clear. (Most on the market is very clean already, so a quick rinse is fine.) Bring to boiling 2 1/2 cups of water or chicken broth. Add salt if desired. Pour rinsed grains into boiling water and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered for 15-18 minutes. All of the water may NOT be absorbed. You can tell that it is done when the white spot in the middle is gone and the little ‘sprouts’ are present and it is fluffy and soft. If there is still water in the pot, scoop out the grains into the sieve and shake until they stop dripping. Use when either warm or cold. (I like to mix it with seasonings when warm…it seems to soak up the flavors better.)

In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, garlic, cumin, oregano, chipotle pepper, chili powder, black pepper, salt, lemon juice, and olive oil. Stir until well combined. Stir in pinto beans, sweet bell peppers, and fresh parsley. Cover and chill for at least two hours. Makes 8 servings.

Per Serving: Calories 203; Protein 8 g; Fat 5 g; Carbs 18; Sugar 0 g; Sodium 395 mg

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