Whole foods Chilli recipe.

vatblack

I am looking for a chilli recipe that would not require me to use canned chopped tomatoes or canned beans. I know it is 10x the work, but I want to make it as chemical free as I can.

Also, if I make a lot of it and freeze it in portions, then warm it up for lunch over, say 5 days or 7 days, do you think I am making it as void of nutrients than when I would buy it canned/frozen/packaged foods?

CEHayes73

I've never used fresh tomatoes, but I do use dry beans in my chili. It really isn't too much more work, just a little more thought has to go into it. You can use any kind of dry beans (I use a 9-bean mixture that I buy at Costco) and just soak them in plenty of water overnight. Then drain and rinse in the morning, put them in a pot with water to cover, and boil them for around 15-20 minutes. Drain and rinse again, and add them to your chili. I soak mine overnight, and then cook them in the morning while I'm making my kids lunches, and then throw them in a crock pot with the rest of the chili fixings, and at suppertime, voila, chili! It's not much time that you're actually doing something, but you have to find a time when you're in the kitchen that you can do those couple of extra steps.

vatblack

Thanks. The 9 bean mix sounds good. Do you use meat in your chili too? I am trying to decide if I'm going to make it with just beans and veg or if I am going to add some meat to it.

I am increasingly thinking that a nice chilli for lunch will be great on a daily basis as my husband hates spicy food and I can get a lean protein lunch that is filling and spicy! Mmmmm...

lkcuts

I grow my own tomatoes and can them in season. I guess you can freeze them too. It takes a long time for tomatoes to boil down to a sauce and a hand food processor helps while they are in the pot simmereing. In season, buy your tomatoes in bulk if possible and preserve them. When its time for your chili batch you can cook them till they are close to sauce stage. Personally, i like a few chunky tomato pieces in my chili. If you can them you can just cut up and add the tomatos with their canning water directly in the chili and simmer them all together. The taste is so much better than processed canned tomatoes. i also grow my own chili peppers and dry them or use them fresh in season instead of processed powder. a littlefresh garlic and cumin,onion,fresh beans yummmy.I do like meat with mine . goodluck!