Warming Chilli Con Carne

Recipe by Fertile Ground Naturopath, Rhiannon Hardingham

This Chilli Con Carne slow cooker recipe is my favourite Winter comfort food. It’s packed with nutritious ingredients and full of what we need to replenish iron, vitamins, fibre and immune boosting nutrients. In this recipe I use Kangaroo mince which is my preferred red meat protein source because it’s high in iron, low in fat and is meat sourced from low intervention farming (naturally grass fed). Along with a generous dose of onion and garlic’s immune boosting qualities, the kidney beans provide fibre and plant protein and all the benefits of the supercharged antioxidant spices of chilli and cinnamon. Add some tasty sides of avocado and yoghurt full of the good fats and calcium and you have yourself a totally nutritious and delicious meal! Enjoy!

400g dry black or kidney beans, soaked over night, or 2 cans of beans
1 tbs olive oil
1 large brown onion, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 large chilli chopped, or 1 tsp of chilli flakes, or to taste
2 tsp each ground cumin and coriander
1kg of mince, preferably kangaroo
2 cinnamon sticks
1/4 cup of tomato paste
1 can of crushed tomatoes
1 bottle of tomato passata
1 fresh cob of corn
salt & pepper to taste

Rinse beans thoroughly, cover generously with water, and bring to the boil. Boil for 5-10 minutes.

In the meantime, heat olive oil over moderate heat in a large frypan or pot. Cook for 5 minutes, being careful not to let it burn. Add garlic and chilli, and cook for a further minute. Add ground spices and fry until fragrant (about 1 minute).

Add mince and fry until browned and broken up. Add to the slow cooker with cinnamon, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, passata, 1 cup of water and beans (if using canned, don’t add these now), and stir to combine.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or high for 4-5, until beans are cooked through (if using canned beans, add about an hour before serving). Add the corn kernels in the last 10 mins of cooking so they just cook through but remain sweet and juicy. Season to taste.

Serve to share accompanied with fresh coriander, natural yoghurt, fresh salsa, fresh lime, avocado and brown rice, quinoa or corn tortillas (the best tortillas in Melbourne are made in Kensington: www.latortilleria.com.au)

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Rhiannon is an experienced naturopath and nutritionist, with post graduate qualifications in Fertility Education. Specialising in male and female infertility, IVF support and pregnancy care, Rhiannon expertly supports couples and individuals in their successful efforts to overcome fertility challenges. Her care philosophy extends to supporting her patients to achieve healthy and uncomplicated pregnancies and births and healthy, happy infants and children. She particularly enjoys working with single women and same sex couples as they navigate their way through their fertility journey. Optimising male fertility and health is also an area of significant focus in Rhiannon’s practice.