Cincinnati Chili

When I met my husband, he bought cases of this Cincinnati chili.  He told me it was a childhood favorite, and I could tell he had fond memories associated with it.  When I looked at the opened can, well, it scared me a bit.  Mainly because there was a lovely reddish oil that sat at the top of the can when you opened it.  Also, the sodium content was out of control.  So in my quest to give his chili a health make-over, I came up with an alternative to the canned favorite.  First, I figured out it was the spices in the chili that he loved.  So I looked online and ordered the spice package.  This way I could buy the meat fresh, then just add the beloved flavor.  Then I thought, I don't just want any ground meat.  I want the most healthy, eco-friendly meat.  That is when I discovered grass fed bison meat at Whole foods.  Bison is usually leaner compared to beef.  Also, bison are not kept in cow factories, therefore they eat grass and roam freely.  Cows are usually fed a corn based diet which is not what they normally eat.  The corn is not digested well and causes them to get fat, make which makes more $$ for the owners.  Seems really sad to me.  If you have seen the movie Food Inc, then you know what I'm talking about.  If not, then you must watch it.

Now, my hubby wants his chili about once a month, and I feel so much better about him eating it with my health makeover.  I usually enjoy a chili hot dog too.  My chili hot dog is about as wonderful as a trip to the southern favorite, the Varsity, but with so much less fat, sodium, and calories.  I buy organic turkey dogs, organic hot dog buns, and use a little organic mustard with a sprinkle of sharp cheese.  I have this theory that if enough of my ingredients for my chili dog are organic, then I feel a lot better about eating it.  I would advise people to NEVER consume regular hot dogs.  Why? Well, because the meat is so highly processed, no one really knows what is inside.  Talk about taxing your body.   However, if once a year or so you go to a baseball game, then I realize a hot dog is called for.  Please, just wash it down with some whole food based vitamins and lots of fruits and veggies the rest of the day.