Exciting Experiments

Yesterday everything was better with bacon; today, everything is better with chocolate!! My Pixie would wholeheartedly agree, she's recently added the word "chocolate" into her vocabulary...and heaven forbid she should spot any hiding around the house! She wont let it alone.
I have been very much looking forward to tonight's meal, first because it is not something I had ever thought to try; and second, because it is a variation of one of my very favorite dishes: Chili! Tonight we're trying Chocolate Chili.
I like to do my research when trying new things, so when I decided to give Paleo a go, I purchased a few books, which included recipes (and in case you didn't know, I am a cookbook hoarder; another confession). I also joined a couple of forums, read up on various websites, and spoke to people who have done/are doing Paleo. In one of my handy dandy books there was a recipe for Chocolate Chili. I sat back, and thought "Humm, this is new!" I love a good chili, and (being a semi-typical female in some aspects) I love chocolate. Combining them was a very intriguing thought. I put it on the menu (which I keep up in my kitchen), and Hubby made slightly doubting faces when he read it. I am happy to say he made blissful, satisfied faces when eating it! Note: if you're using organic, grass fed beef as we did, this will smell a little unusual. This kind of beef has a pungent odor, it is ok, it is normal!
I personally have always loved to eat my chili with flour tortillas. Since that wasn't an option this evening, I decided to try it with my new-found, slightly sweeter, coconut flour tortillas (remember when I made them and froze them last week?). One tortilla was sufficiently filling with everything else, and the little sweetness in it went well with the chili's flavor! Think Mole.

Chocolate Chili
Compliments of Melissa Joulwan's book Well Fed

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. coconut oil
2 medium onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lbs. ground beef
1 tsp. dried oregano
2 Tbsp. chili powder
2 Tbsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. salt
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted, chopped tomatoes (Muir Glen brand is my favorite)
1 14.5 oz. can beef broth
1 C. water

Directions:
Heat a large, deep pot over medium heat and add coconut oil. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 30 seconds and then crumble meat into pan with your hands (this separates it better than dumping and hacking at it with a spoon). Once all meat is crumbled in, mix well with spoon and cook until no longer pink.
In small bowl, mix all spices and combine with a fork. Then add to pot, and stir very well to mix. Add tomato paste and stir until well combined.
Add tomatoes with their juices, broth and water. Stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat so the chili stays at a gentle simmer. Simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Do not skimp on the simmer!

You can top this with fresh onions, avocado slices, or even olives. This can also be good with mixed meats, like beef/bison, beef/pork, beef/lamb, etc.
Try putting some spaghetti squash, mashed cauliflower, or even a handful of spinach on the bottom of your bowl...it subtly changes things!
As this was the first time I'd prepared this dish, I followed the recipe to the T. In the future, you can bet I'll be experimenting with this to my own tastes! Maybe a little more chocolate, and something to give it a little bite! Play with yours as well.