Microbrew Bison Chili

Use ground bison instead of beef. Bison (or buffalo) meat is much leaner than any cut of beef, and in a big pot of chili, nobody can tell the difference. And the addition of a good bottle of beer -- preferably something deep and flavorful, like a stout or porter -- makes it even better. Serve some of the beer with the meal!

Meaty chili

Recipe: Microbrew Bison Chili

Serves 6-8, or more

Ingredients:

3 T canola oil, divided

1 large onion, diced

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red bell pepper, coarsely chopped

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced

½ cup diced green pepper (optional)

3 T good-quality chili powder

½ teaspoon chipotle powder, or more to taste

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 large can diced tomatoes, preferably no-salt-added

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup water

1 pound ground bison (buffalo)

1 bottle dark beer, such as stout

Salt, to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat 2 T of the oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add next five ingredients (onion through green pepper) and sauté, stirring frequently, until veggies start to soften, about 4 minutes.

2. Stir in chili and chipotle powders. Add next 5 ingredients (black beans through water) and stir well. Reduce heat to medium, cover pan.

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 T oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add bison and cook, crumbling meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. When the meat has no pink left in it, remove with a slotted spoon and add to the chili.

4. Stir in beer, and add more water if you want a more soupy consistency (leave it as is if you prefer stew-like chili). Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and let the chili simmer for at least 15 minutes to let all the flavors combine.

Season with salt to taste.

Serve over rice, with corn chips or (my favorite) cornbread.  Pass a bowl of grated jack or cheddar cheese at table, if you want. You can freeze leftovers and have it again on a cold winter night.

Super Bowl Snacks: Good, Bad & Ugly

Americans don't eat a meal on Super Bowl Sunday; they snack for 4-5 hours straight. If you're one of the millions who'll be watching the game (along with the pre- and post-game hoopla), remember that some snacks are healthier than others. So that you don't lie in bed Sunday night cursing your lack of willpower, try to select from the list of "better for you" (at least in general) snack choices on the left.

Chicken wings...............are better than...............................................................ribs
Tortilla chips (esp. baked).............................beat out.........................potato chips (esp. fried)
Black bean dip.................................has fewer calories than.........................guacamole
Mixed nuts..........................................are healthier than.................................pretzels
Beer....................................is better for you than..................................sugary soft-drinks
Grapes or oranges.................................trump all other............................sweet desserts

Go easy on the chicken wings, and please don't dip them in blue cheese sauce! Guacamole isn't something to avoid -- avocado is a healthy food -- but it does pack lots of calories. Nuts are high in calories too but they're nutritious, as opposed to pretzels, which are empty calories. Popcorn is another healthy and filling snack food -- just don't load it down with butter or lots of salt.

What to eat during the Super Bowl?

For the first time ever, we are hosting a small Super Bowl party at our house. The question arises: what do we eat?
Apparently, it is de rigueur to avoid an actual meal while watching this extravaganza and instead consume chips, dips, wings and other such "junk food" fare. But there has to be a middle ground, at the very least -- I don't even like such things, and at the same time I don't want to spoil the party.

What might work:

Guacamole dip -- while it's high in calories, at least guacamole contains "good" fat in the avocado. Pair it with whole-grain tortilla chips (Trader Joe's has some multigrain chips that we like) and cut-up veggies instead of potato chips or fried corn chips.
Hummus or bean dip (sans cheese) -- include this dip with your guacamole and the same chips and veggies. Hummus comes in various flavors -- I'm fond of the chipotle kind -- and you can serve more than one.
Chili made with ground turkey, bison (my fave), tofu or just beans -- spice it up, add plenty of diced onion, pepper, garlic, carrots and celery in the first step of the recipe -- and go easy on (or skip) the cheese topping.
Drink wine instead of beer or cocktails -- fewer calories, as a rule.
Serve these chicken strips --  yes, you need more protein to go with all the carbs and fat that inevitably will laden your table. This chicken is baked rather than fried, but the breading and seasoning make it crunchy and quite tasty. You can prepare the chicken a day in advance and store the strips in the fridge; bake them just before the party starts. The dip also will keep just fine in the fridge for a day or two.

Recipe: Baked, Spiced Chicken Fingers

Makes about 8 servings

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup fat-free milk
• 1 teaspoon barbecue smoked seasoning (such as Hickory Liquid Smoke)
• 1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
• 2 teaspoons garlic and herb seasoning
• 2 pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch strips
• Honey-Mustard Dip:
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork to combine. In a separate shallow dish, combine milk and liquid smoke. In a third shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, oats, and garlic seasoning.

Dip chicken into flour, and turn to coat both sides; shake off any excess flour. Transfer chicken to milk mixture and turn to coat. Transfer to the breadcrumb-oat mixture, and turn chicken to coat. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet, and spray tops of strips with cooking spray.
Bake for 25 minutes, until the crust is browned.
Meanwhile, combine the mustard and honey in a small bowl; serve with the strips. (Make more dipping sauce if this doesn't seem like enough.)