Dinner: Black Bean and Beef Chili with Green Sour Cream

This recipe includes superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Lemon

Health benefits of Black Bean and Beef Chili with Green Sour Cream

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Lemons can help to prevent oxidative damage to the body, which women with PCOS are often susceptible to. Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, flavonoids, and other antioxidants. They can potentially support the immune system and have other health benefits. Lemons also have a low glycemic index, so they should not cause a rapid rise in blood sugar when consumed in natural form.

Ingredients

2 ancho chiles, seeded and stemmed
2 guajillo or New Mexican dried chiles, seeded and stemmed
3 cups beef stock
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large portobello cap, scraped of gills and diced
1 1/2 pounds ground beef, patted dry
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce1 cinnamon stick
1 cup lager beer
One 14-ounce can black beans, drained
1 avocado
1 cup sour cream
1/2 lemon, juiced
Sharp Cheddar, for topping
Tortilla chips, for dipping

Instructions

Toast the chiles in a saucepot over medium-high heat. Add the stock and simmer to reconstitute, 10 minutes, then puree with 2 to 4 tablespoons of the liquid until smooth.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high to high heat. To the pot add the mushrooms and brown. Then add the meat, brown and crumble. Season the meat with the coriander, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Then add the onions, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, Worcestershire, bay leaf and cinnamon stick. Deglaze with the beer and add the beans and pepper puree and simmer 45 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Serve right away, or cool, refrigerate and then reheat on the stovetop.
When ready to serve, peel and pit the avocado. Puree the avocado, sour cream and lemon juice, and season with salt.
Top the chili with the cheese, green sour cream and serve with the chips.