Beefy Butternutty Chili

I've heard great things about The Fast Metabolism Diet created by Haylie Pomroy. I don't like the word diet so I refer to it as The Fast Metabolism Program :) It was a New York Times best seller with millions of copies sold. Of all the diets I've experimented with this one is worth trying! 

Women's Health said..."The Fast Metabolism Diet is a strategic 28-day plan to nurture the body back to health. It uses targeted nutrients at strategic times to evoke a metabolic change in a body that's stuck or has become sluggish at burning fat. It incorporates healthy whole foods and all of the food groups but in a way that rotates between rest and restoration and rebuild and burn cycles. It celebrates food. The recipes are delicious and decadent. It is based on the science that pleasure stimulates the metabolism and that the body needs more, not less, for true repair."

This recipe can be eaten 5 days out of the week and it's DELICIOUS!

Beef Chili with Butternut Squash

Prep Time: 30 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 1 hour Yield: Serves 8, Phases 1 and 3

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil (Phase 3 only -- Phase 1, use broth)
  • 1 cup finely chopped white onion
  • 1 cup seeded and chopped red bell pepper
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon, if you like things spicier)
  • 2 pounds lean ground beef
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl, combine the chili powder, cumin, oregano, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper.
  2. In a large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil (or a couple of tablespoons of broth for Phase 1), onions, bell peppers, tomato paste, garlic, cayenne, and half of the seasoning. Stir and cook until everything turns a dark reddish brown, about 10 minutes. Add the ground beef and sprinkle over the remaining seasoning. Stir and cook until the beef is browned, and then add the 3 cups of broth and the squash. Raise the heat until it comes to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Cover and cook until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes.