I am not a fan of January dieting after holiday binges. No matter how much you have eaten and drunk in December, or how much weight you have gained, January is a month for healthy eating, not starving yourself.
When I hear someone decline a treat because they say they are “being good,” it annoys me. Does that mean that they believe that eating is bad? Whether we like it or not, food is life. Without it there is none.
Rather than saying they want to be good, I advise people to focus on being careful. Sure, you want to avoid too many sweets or calorie-laden alcoholic beverages. But an occasional indulgence isn’t going to make or break your diet.
We all know that we feel better when we eat healthy foods. So, the key to January eating is to be aware of everything we eat, focus on lean meats, vegetables and fruit, and make our bodies feel good.
In that spirit, here is a simple but meaty slow cooker chili recipe from tasteofhome.com that will warm you up on cold January nights. Freeze any extra for later use and adjust the peppers and seasonings to your personal tastes. Happy eating!
1 whole garlic bulb
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 dried ancho chiles
2 dried chipotle chiles
1 bottle (12 ounces) dark beer
3 pounds beef stew meat, cut into ¾ -inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
3 cans (16 ounces each) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
3 cans (14 ½ ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
2 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Optional: Shredded cheddar cheese and sliced jalapeno pepper, seeded
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove papery outer skin from garlic bulb, but do not peel or separate the cloves. Cut off top of garlic bulb, exposing individual cloves. Brush cut cloves with 1 teaspoon oil. Wrap in foil. Bake until cloves are soft, 30 to 35 minutes. Unwrap and cool slightly. Squeeze garlic from skins; mash with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large dry skillet over medium-high heat, toast chiles on both sides until puffy, 3 to 6 minutes. (Do not blacken.) Cool. Remove stems and seeds; coarsely chop chiles. Place in a small bowl; cover with beer. Let stand until softened, about 30 minutes.
3. In the same skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches, adding additional oil if needed; transfer to a 6-quart slow cooker. In the skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat. Add onions; cook and stir until tender. Add to beef.
4. Stir in the remaining ingredients, mashed garlic and dried chiles mixture. Cover and cook on low 7 to 9 hours or until meat is tender. If desired, serve with cheese and jalapenos.
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