a linkup with Amanda, Becky, Heather, and Jenn.

Oh, I should mention, this isn’t a recipe post. I’ll save that for another day because I wanted to explain to you the 3 secret ingredients I use and why I use them otherwise you might think I’m crazy if you just scroll to the ingredient list(you are about to see some pretty awkward ingredients…but I promise they make the dish that much better.)

Slow roasted grassfed beef patty(from that sale @wholefoodsmarket). This is my new bae. Thus why do i ever make my slowcooker my love.

A photo posted by Linda (@thefitty) on Sep 24, 2014 at 3:08pm PDT

 

When I first heard Mexicans have a dish where they topped chicken with chocolate syrup, I turned my nose at the idea. How do could you pair chocolate with meat, of all things? And to have it as part of the main dish and not dessert? It just seemed bizarre. If you presented the nice Mexican dish before me, I would try it out of curiosity but otherwise wouldn’t go out of my way to try to make this dish myself. Isn’t it ironic how a few months later, I’m using chocolate in my meat dishes too, not just in baking anymore! If there’s one thing that calls “welcome home :))))) let’s hug” on a cold winter day, it’s chili(or any soup. Soup is great.) The spice in chili will generate heat in your digestive system and the warm, hearty bowl will send huge electric heat through your hands and into your back and somehow, just somehow, you know you’re safe and sound. I love this dish because not only is it nutritious, but it’s also an exotic twist on the original tomato chili.

There is one secret ingredient in this dish that makes it so unique and nutritious. No, I take that back–there are three secret ingredients that make this signature dish.

Secret ingredient reveal #1: Unsweetened Cocoa powder

Cocoa Powder’s bitterness adds perfectly to the other spices, like cumin and paprika and gives your chili a little–whats the word…chalky? Flour-y? Grindy? -taste that you’ll want for this recipe. Cocoa and ground beef as best friends, trust me.

Secret Ingredient reveal #2: Chocolate Syrup

Nunaturals cocoa syrup(the one on the left) is my favourite to use in this case. Calorie free and all natural, this adds the quintessential hint of sweetness among the spice and is like sunshine breaking through clouds. Don’t skip out on this just because you got the cocoa powder. The syrup and powder are not the same! You can get the same one I use through amazon below(hey…help support the blog!)

Secret Ingredient reveal #3: Animal Liver

Remember that last time I said I would show you how to cook and eat animal liver without tasting liver? Well this is it, fitties! For the liver 101, click here to learn how to cook, where to find and all the other mish mash of info you should know. Adding liver is like adding adding the value of vitamin A, B, coQ10 pills(and much more). Animal organs are incredibly nutrient-rich, save yourself the money and get those instead of the pills you’ve been taking. For chilli, you’re going to need ground beef, but add in ground up liver(you can do this manually by chopping the meat and kneading it a few times back and forth with a knife till you get a consistency of ground meat) in a 3:1 ratio. If you’re brave and you don’t mind the taste of liver at all, do a 2:1 or even 1:1 ratio!

Next time on the blog, I reveal the full out chocolate chilli recipe to you. Stay tuned!

Animal organs–yes or no?

Chocolate in main dishes–yes or no?

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