Chilli con carne

GREEN (ACT & SA) / Everyday (NSW)

Makes 20 serves

Ingredients:

• ½ tablespoon olive oil
• 1kg lean beef mince
• 3 onions, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, thinly sliced
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 3 teaspoons cumin powder
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste (no added salt)
• 2 x 400g cans of diced tomatoes
• 3 x 420g cans red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil then add beef and cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned.
2. Add onion, red capsicum and carrot. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until tender.
3. Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika, water, tomato paste and canned tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add red kidney beans and cook for a further 20 minutes.
5. Serve with yoghurt and/or mashed avocado on warm tortillas.

Variations:

• Mexican rice: top cooked rice with chilli con carne, a sprinkle of reduced fat cheese and a spoon of mashed avocado.
• Bread burritos: cook the chilli con carne until you have a relatively dry mixture. Place a piece of bread in a rectangle-sized piece of foil and spoon on a row of chilli con carne. Add a sprinkle of reduced fat cheese then roll bread over the filling and cover with foil. Place in or on top of pie oven to keep warm.
• Soft tacos: stuff soft taco shells (tortillas) with a spoonful of the chilli con carne and top with lettuce, tomato and reduced fat cheese.
• Jacket potato: spoon chilli con carne into a warmed potato, then top with reduced fat yoghurt or mashed avocado.

Tips:

• Add other vegetables such as green beans, mushrooms and zucchini at step 3.
• For a vegetarian option, swap out the beef for 2 extra cans of kidney beans and add 1 cup of sliced mushrooms.
• Use lean chicken breast/mince instead of lean beef mince.
• Replace the kidney beans with four bean mix.
• If herbs are grown in your school garden, substitute fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, rosemary and thyme.

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