Anthony's CHILI

2 TB extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. 93% lean ground beef
chili powder, to taste
1 sweet onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans
1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, no salt added, drained
28 oz. tomato sauce
1-2 cloves garlic, smashed but not chopped
1-2 bay leaves, whole
*** a splash of water or broth if needed ***

Place large, heavy pot over med-high heat and drizzle 2 TB olive oil in pan. Add ground beef and cook, crumbling, until brown. Add a couple of TB of chili powder to the meat. Then add onion, peppers, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until veggies start to soften. If mixture starts to dry out, add a splash of water or broth to moisten.

Once veggies are soft, add beans, tomatoes, and tomato sauce. Stir well. Add crushed garlic clove(s) and whole bay leaf(ves), then reduce heat and simmer. After about 30 minutes, taste and add salt, pepper, and more chili powder if desired. Remove garlic & bay before serving.

Makes 9 one-cup servings. Great served over brown rice!

Number of Servings: 9

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user STRINGI719.