This healthy chilli with black beans recipe is a tasty everyday meal that can also be frozen to have as make-ahead dinners during the week.

Cook once and eat twice, or more, is my healthy time-saving mantra.

Choose organic, grass-fed meat

To stick with the whole food theme, I've used organic grass-fed beef mince, which is a great source of protein, iron, zinc and omega 3.

When meat isn't organic or grass-fed you're consuming a lot of harmful toxins, adding unnecessary stress in the form of increased chemical load, so it's really important to buy high quality meat if you can.

Increase your fibre intake

I've used black beans in this recipe to increase fibre, and add additional flavour / texture. By doing so your healthy chilli with black beans dish will also go further.

Vegan recipe option

To make this healthy chilli with black beans recipe meat-free, just remove the beef and add in red kidney beans. Start at step 2 in the recipe for the vegan option.

Healthy Chilli With Black Beans Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes  Cook time: 40 minutes Total time: 55 minutes  Serves: 10

INGREDIENTS:

• 500g organic, grass-fed lean beef mince
• 1 onion (chopped)
• 3 garlic cloves (minced or grated)
• 100g mushrooms (washed and sliced)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• Fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chilli flakes or powder
• pinch of cinnamon
• 400g jar or carton tomato passata
• 1 tablespoon tomato puree
• 4 medium tomatoes (washed and chopped)
• 1 carton or can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
• vegan option: 1 carton or can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
• fresh coriander (to garnish)

RECIPE:

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper and brown it in a large pan for about 3-5 minutes to seal in the flavour.
2. Add the onion, garlic and mushroom. Stir and cook until soft - about 3-5 minutes. If you're not using meat heat a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan before adding the onion, garlic and mushroom, so there is some fat to saute them.
3. Add the bay leaf, chilli powder or flakes, oregano, cumin and cinnamon. Stir the herbs and spices into the meat and cook for about 1 minute.
4. Stir in the tomato puree, tomato passata and tomatoes. I love a rich tomato flavour.
5. Simmer everything for about 25-30 minutes before mixing in the black beans and red kidney beans.
6. Place in individual dishes or on plates. Garnish with the fresh coriander and serve with a healthy salad or steamed green vegetables and brown rice (if you eat grains) alongside the chilli.

Top Tip: Take care not to overdo the chilli. Adjust according to your spicy-hot taste.

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