nourish: chilli con carne

I was most inspired by Gemma (my big nutshell)'s not-too-long-ago post praising herself for cooking that suburban staple, Chilli Con Carne. I wanted to reach back to my three-bedroom-brick-veneer roots and cook something from my childhood. Completely lacking in originality, I chose to cook

Chilli Con Carne.

I scoured my stash of Super Food Ideas mags and found this recipe:

Lower GI Chilli Con Carne

1 TBS canola oil

1 medium brown onion, finely chopped (or in my case, roughly hacked)

2 garlic cloves crushed

500g lean beef mince

2 tsp ground cumin

2tsp ground coriander

1 tsp cayenne pepper

2 TBS tomato paste

1 medium carrot, grated

1 medium zucchini, grated

400g can chopped tomatoes

420g can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

In a large, deep frying pan, cook onion until softened. I don't have a large, deep frying pan. I used my big saucepan. Add garlic, cook until fragrant. Retrieve toddler from bed, clean up the wee he has done over the side of the cot.

Add mince, brown. Put the toddler on the toilet.

Add cumin, coriander, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste. Cook for a further 30seconds. Turn everything off while you re-dress toddler and breastfeed baby.

Return the meat mix thus far to heat. Add the carrot and zucchini, stir to coat. Add tomatoes and beans, simmer for thirty minutes. Or, if you have a stovetop like mine, watch in a panic lest the evil burner cremates the bottom of your saucepan even though it's on the lowest possible setting. If it does get a little burnt, proudly declare that it's "caught for a bit of flavour" and chuck a bit of water in. The simmering time should allow you to a) bring in the washing, b) have a cuppa and put your feet up, or c) find the hidden poo in your loungeroom.

Serve with rice, corn and pita bread. And if you are real posh, a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

The verdict? I have come up with a patented rating system for recipes. It's called The Stuff and Nonsense Patented Rating System for Recipes.

Tightarseness: This recipe gets 3 out of 3. I don't know what it actually cost, but I reckon it would come close to ten bucks.

Leftoverability: Good the next day, and can be frozen. 3 out of 3.

Tastyliciousness: Was nice, but not as good as my mum's, circa 1987. 2 out of 3.

Into the mouths of babes: Some veggies went in, unnoticed- ace! But the beans caused a major whinge-fest from the six-year-old. 2 out of 3.

Singlehandedness: Can I make this recipe with one hand whilst breastfeeding? Well, no. But was pretty easy to leave and come back to later. Also only made one rack of washing up to do. 2 out of 3.

So in total, a 12 out of 15 points. Not too shabby, I think.

I linked this up at Kate's. So can you!

S.