This week’s recipe comes from Mindy Gorman-Plutzer, one of the hosts who interviewed me for a recent podcast, “Reclaiming Health, Culture & Connection Through Meal Making.” Near the end of the podcast, Mindy shared a wonderful story about her chili recipe. I want to pass it on to all of you because it touches on the small miracles that happen when we make friends with the kitchen and spend a little time making meals.
For many years, Mindy dealt with a good deal of fear around food. For instance, her body wouldn’t allow her to experience the soul-warming and nutritious benefits offered by a comforting bowl of chili. Instead, seeing a recipe for chili would have had her calculating calories, carbs and fat. She would have categorized it as “comfort food” and denied herself the joy of making and eating it.
But one wintry day, she took the plunge and bought and prepped the ingredients. As she mixed everything together and then seasoned, simmered and tasted, magic happened. She was delighted with the dish! And at that point, she sensed that her obsession with the dark side of food had finally lifted. She could simply enjoy “this glorious pot of simmering, soul-warming chili!”
“Who Woulda Thunk” a bowl of chili would have such powerful magic?
I have always taken my love of food for granted, but Mindy’s story made me realize that being able to savor, relish and be fully nourished by food is a blessing. In case you’ve experienced food fear or an unhelpful relationship with food, take a look at Mindy’s website. She has used her experience to develop books, programs and coaching to help others, and I’m always impressed by the knowledge and wisdom she brings to this area.
The Recipe
Saute, Dump, Stir and Simmer
I love recipes like Mindy’s chili because they’re so simple. Saute a few aromatics and seasonings, dump in beans, tomatoes, squash and broth, and finally simmer to let the flavors meld into yummy goodness. Here are the main ingredients, and as you’ll notice it is full of veggies, another reason to love the recipe:
Step 1: Saute Aromatics and Seasonings
- Onion
- Red and Green Pepper
- Jalapeno
- Garlic
- Chili Powder
- Cumin
Step 2: The Dump-Ins
- Broth
- Butternut Squash (cubed, precut is fine)
- Canned Beans (a variety is kind of fun, e.g., kidney, black, white and pinto)
- Canned Diced Tomatoes
- Kale (chopped)