Flavor Packed 3 Bean Beef Chili

Well hey there, your favorite inconsistent blogger is here. Hahaha. I always say that the reason I love blogging and writing for you is the fact that I write when it feels right. And sometimes it drops to the bottom of the list. Especially during this balancing act of motherhood during Covid-19.

Now onto this recipe, one I have been making for like 10 years and have never shared! I have shared this Mexican black bean soup, these enchilada bowls (from wayyyy back), and this Mexican Quinoa dish that I have not made in forever. But never my chili. It's one of the meals that I can make that everyone loves and tastes even better as leftovers, so in my book that is a win. I think this may have been the first meal I made for O ages ago in my tiny NYC apartment with my tiny ass stove!

Ingredients

Red Onion

6 Garlic Cloves

2 tbsp tomato paste

3 Cans of Beans ( I used a mixed of pinto, black and kidney beans, rinse beans!

1 Can of crushed tomatoes

2tbsp dried oregano

2 tbsp cumin powder

1 tbsp white pepper

2 tbsp chili powder

2tsp garlic powder

3 tsp onion powder

2 tsp black pepper

2 tsp all spice

1/2 tbsp dried cilantro

1 tbsp adobo (love Louisa's or Badia)

1 tbsp of salt

2 cups of chicken stock

2 - 3 tbsp maple syrup or honey

juice of 1 lime

1 chopped red pepper

1 chopped orange pepper

1 bag of spinach or greens of your choice

1 bag of frozen corn, roasted corn from Whole Foods is favorite

(we top with shredded cheese, jalapeńos, cilantro, arugula for mine and eat with tortilla chips or white rice on the side!)

Recipe

Sauté the onion and garlic in a heavy pot

Add tomato paste

Add beef, until completely browned.

Drain fat (not necessary if you use turkey)

Add beans and stir.

Bring to a simmer.

Add all seasonings + maple syrup and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add chicken stock or bone broth.

Bring to a simmer for 4-6 minutes

Add frozen corn, chopped peppers, handful of finely chopped cilantro & spinach and let it simmer uncovered.

And add lime juice and leave gently simmering uncovered for 75-90 minutes (or even more) I find that the longer it simmers the better it tastes.

When making chili on the stove, I simmer it uncovered which allows the chili to naturally thicken without having to add anything. While thickening chili by simmering is the best option (in my opinion), you may not always have time to let it reduce. If you don’t have time to simmer it to thicken you can sprinkle in a little bit of cornmeal or make a cornstarch.

Serve topped with avocado, cilantro, shredded cheese and jalapeños and even a big handful of greens like I do. I'll share our favorite very easy cornbread recipe in the next weeks because it's awesome as bread or muffins. The girls love to have it with tortilla chips too!

We often make this vegetarian but skipping the beef and adding in sweet potatoes or butternut squash! Just all around the perfect Fall recipe!

xoxo

Natalie

Our Favorite Fall Instant Pot Indian Chickpea Soup

Hey hey, it's almost the weekend and none of my posts I had planned got finished but here I am sharing a dish I get a lot of questions about when I post. It is one of the dishes I have been making for a few years and by far one of our favorite dinners. Plus it is one that is even better the next day. Hellooooo weekend meal preppers, make a big batch and save for a busy night!! I have made it in the Instant Pot and stove top but I am sure a slow cooker would work too.

Ingredients

3 Cans of Organic Chickpeas

1 Can of Organic Full Fat Coconut Milk ( I sometimes do 1.5 to curb the spice)

2 tbsp of olive oil

1 tbsp Chicken Boullion ( I used a powdered version but love Better Than Boullion too!)

3-4 cups of water (I use unsalted bone broth when I have it!)

2 tbs Tomato Paste

2 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Dried Oregano

1 tsp Dried Cilantro

1 tsp Coriander

1 tsp of white pepper

2 tsp sea salt

1 tbsp Sweet Paprika

1 tbsp Chili Powder

6 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 tbsp of ginger, finely minced or use a paste

1 Onion, minced

2 tbsp Garam Masala

2 tsp Curry Powder

1 tbsp of a sweetener like agave or honey or maple syrup

Frozen Peas

Fresh Cilantro ( for topping )

Recipe

1. Turn instant pot pressure cooker to Saute function.

2. Saute onion, garlic and ginger in oil until fragrant. Mix often, and careful not to burn!!

3. Add all the spices, sauté 2ish minutes, letting them mingle, lol.

4. Add the tomato sauce and coconut milk. Add the sweetener and salt.

5. Add the drained chickpeas, ( you can add potatoes and/or cauliflower!) and give a good stir.

6. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes!

7. Naturally release to finish the cooking.

8. Once it's released completely, open and set Instant Pot to “saute” function, add frozen peas (and sometimes I add red peppers or even mushrooms would work) and you can let them cook five minutes on sauté or just serve (the girls prefer crunchier veggies so I don't continue cooking).

Remember that as the sauce cools, it will thicken!!

* If you have a pickier bunch you can use a blender (be careful!!) or an immersion blender to blend up some of the soup or even all! This is huge for anyone that may not be a fan of chickpea texture.

Serve topped with fresh cilantro and with Naan, or white rice (we love long grain basmati rice!) or you can serve with both which we often do for the girls.

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Everyone in my family eats and loves this dish, I do not skimp on the spice and have gradually made them try spicier foods in the last few years (especially since Miss Birdie loves spicy foods) because I want them to really get use to or try all kinds of flavors and foods but you can lay off the spice for your preference!

If cooking on the stove top, heat oil in a large Dutch Oven. Sauté onion, garlic and ginger in oil, until fragrant, about 2 minutes, over medium heat. Add all the spices and lightly toast. Add tomato paste and coconut milk. Stir and salt and sugar. Add the drained chickpeas (and potatoes or veggies that you may want!). Simmer gently on medium heat uncovered, until potatoes are tender, about 45- 60 minutes, then add bell pepper and peas. Simmer 5 more minutes and serve!

One day I will write a cook book that will be filled with stories on how/why I learned to make different dishes, and this is one with a big story that still makes me giggle. But signing off for now and hoping for a few more promised posts in the next few days, yay for a long weekend. :)

xoxo

Natalie

Learning to Cook as a Latina & Fall Dishes

I started learning to cook early in my life, and then really cooking in each relationship I had. But it wasn't until I moved to NYC on my own, single in my mid 20's, before I actually fell in love with cooking and baking. This is the time when I started cooking more for just myself and I actually FELL IN LOVE with tinkling with recipes and flavors. I started collecting cookbooks and meal planning, loved going to the grocery store and farmers markets to pick out my ingredients and to a little spice shop in Hell's Kitchen to pick up all the different spices and legumes to play around with.

And as my Zoe learns the basics of cooking with her Mimi and me, I have gotten to watch her really enjoying it. I will say that it has triggered some feelings, and thoughts on why I pushed so hard on learning to cook traditional recipes with my mama who is such an incredible cook.

When it comes down to it, in the Latin culture (and many other cultures), a women learning to cook is, "Para que te puedas casar" or so that you can get married. I mean not only cooking, but same goes for cleaning, homemaking, taking care of myself was all so that I could make a great wife. Oh man the pressure!! Without even noticing this was a huge turn off for me. Luckily as I took time to find myself in NYC in my 20's, I also found my passion for cooking and baking. I find comfort in, the routine of a recipe, feeding others and the creativity that goes into creating a new recipe.

All this to say that sometimes we get the chance to reparent ourselves as we mother, and it's pretty magnificent.

As I ask my girls how something makes them feel, I get to remind myself that we should do the things that make me happy.

As I tell Zoe to look in the mirror when she asks me how something looks, and ask her, how do YOU think you look? I am reminded that I need to wear the clothes that make ME feel good, the outfits that make me happy or feel like myself.

As I include them in making dinner or baking every week, letting them taste, make a mess and create something, I watch them light up. We can learn fractions, we can practice spelling or reading but most of all I am watching them fall in LOVE with making all kinds of recipes because they love doing it with me. Together.

This is a reminder that we should ignore the noise and "do us" so that they witness and learn to find things that bring them joy.

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And now as I meal plan before groceries, I thought I would share some Fall meals we are looking forward to making this season in my air fryer! (here is my air fryer post!)

Crispy Broccoli with a ton of red pepper flakes, maybe pair with this Air Fryer Salmon and white rice!

Wings are big in my house and I have tried them in my AF and they are yummy. These garlic parmesan, these bbq, these buffalo and these lemon pepper ones were so good.

Chicken Taco Soup is one of our favorite, insane how fast this one is! This can be preppeded ahead of time!

These paleo chicken nuggets are a great lunch alternative for the girls, I am going to try and make a bunch to freeze/easily defrost! You can make some homemade french fries to go with them.

These airfryer veggie dishes are all great options for sides. These zucchini curly fries are yummy.

My mom use to make a big turkey breast so we could easily make sandwiches or salads during the week! This one looks so good. Love this as a meal prep item, chicken also works!

Taquitos for Taco Tuesday, with this refried beans and cilantro rice. These sides can be all made in advance (even tacos can be rolled up and ready for dinner!).

I have made a version of this sausage and potatoes recipe, I like to load with peppers & onions for the last few minutes, and you can sub in squash instead of potatoes. So yummy and can be prepped ahead of time.

This chicken parm looks soooo good. And perfect for a cold Sunday!

Oh and I have never thought of making fried rice in the AF but omg I am so doing this! I love cold left over rice for this, you get the best fried rice.

This time of year I love making big batches of squash to add to salads or tacos or snack on alone, this acorn squash right here looks soooo good.

This recipe is for the instant pot but I am planning on picking up some corn and making a corn chowder this week, this one looks delicious. Or maybe this one.

This pop tart recipe looks incredible. And crispy, chewy brownies are my love language. OMG. Let's not forget a little something to make with all the apples, apple fritters, apple cinnamon rolls, and wow, these egg roll apple pies.

I hope that by seeing some of these yummy meals you will be ready to shop and prep for some meals for the week. The thing about the Air Fryer is that I find it's so much easier/faster than the stover/oven. I am also looking forward to getting some slow cooking down this Fall, I have an Indian soup I make that the girls love that I am going to share next weekend.

Here is to a great week!

xoxo

Natalie

PS coming up: Transitioning your Summer wardrobe into Fall, Fall Table Decor Tips, Loungewear for everyone, Re-Introducing Quiet Time and more.