Lectin-Free Chili

This is my most favorite chili recipe and it contains no tomatoes or beans, can you believe it?  Tomatoes and beans are high lectin foods so I've been avoiding them as part of my anti-inflammatory diet.  If the beans are pressure cooked, then the lectin content is reduced.  Unless you pressure cook your own beans, the only other kind they say are compliant are Eden Organic Beans which are sold at a store near my house but I don't mind avoiding them.  And they say you can eat tomatoes if you avoid all the seeds and skin so tomato paste and sauce is O.K. if you know that they process them that way such as the brand Pomi.  So, there are lots of ways to avoid lectin by not being that restrictive in your diet but I've found that there are so many good recipes out there by avoiding high lectin foods altogether, like this chili recipe.  It's amazing you can love a chili with no tomatoes or beans, but trust me, you will.  I've made this recipe four times this fall already and everybody loves it.  The trick is that it has a can of puree sweet potato and beef broth.  The "beans" are actually pine nuts.  It's really easy to make, too.  Most of the lectin-free food blogs use the Instant Pot to cook in because it is like a pressure cooker but I just use an old fashioned stock pot that I cook all my soups and stews in and it turns out just great. Last night was a good chili night because we went down to Alki Beach near our house to sing Christmas carols with the Christmas ships. 

This is a 69-year tradition in Seattle, since 1949.  The Christmas ships have a schedule of all the beaches where they stop and there is a choir on the biggest ship that sings Christmas carols.  All are encouraged to join in singing. 

There is a bon fire on the beach where they stop, but nowadays, the bon fire is not very big.  It's mostly just a regular fire now.  I remember when it was a huge bon fire in the days before safety was an issue.  It was an adventure to go down to the beach where the Christmas ships were just to see the bon fire!  Not so much anymore. 

There were hardly any people around the fire last night because it wasn't cold at all.  This was the first time I can remember going to see the Christmas ships and not FREEZING!  But it was a balmy 40 degrees last night, no wind, low tide so you could walk out far from the beach to see the ships and it was just extremely pleasant.  

I eventually peeled off my gloves, hat and scarf by the night's end because I was too warm!  Imagine that.  The chili actually did warm me up, I guess.  

Serves 4

1 Tbsp. oil

1 medium onion, finely diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 ribs celery, finely diced

1 pound ground beef

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. ground cumin

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 pinch ground cloves

2 cups beef broth

2/3 cup pine nuts

1-15 ounce can sweet potato puree

1 Tbsp. adobo sauce from preserved chipotles (These come in a can so I put them all in a baggie and keep in the freezer.  Thaw out before using to get a Tbsp. of the sauce)

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

2 tsp. coconut aminos

salt and pepper, to taste

scallions and sour cream for garnish, if desired

1.  Heat oil in a large stock pot and add onions, garlic and celery.  Cook for about 5 minutes until soft.

2.  Add ground beef and brown meat, breaking apart while cooking for about 3-4 minutes until browned.  

3.  Add chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves, and stir, cooking for 1 minute.

4.  Pour in broth and stir. 

5.  Add the pine nuts, sweet potato puree, adobo sauce, wine vinegar, coconut amino and salt and pepper to taste. 

6.  Cover and simmer slowly for 1 hour.  May serve with scallions and sour cream, if desired