Bariatric Beanless Chili

Perfect for the cool Autumn days ahead!

Today is our first cool day of Autumn here in central Pennsylvania. It's October 17th and amazingly enough it's been pretty mild here up until today. In fact we had some 85 degree days just this past week! Today it's about 60 degrees which is perfect chili cooking weather if you ask me!

Chili is great for bariatric patients. It's loaded with protein and veggies and is quite filling for lunch or dinner. I love it because the kids love it which means I don't have to cook a separate meal for them. Everyone can eat the same thing, hooray!

One issue I've had since my surgery has been an intolerance for beans. For whatever reason, they just don't sit well for me and create more gas and bloating than I ever thought possible. This recipe was always my go-to prior to surgery, except it was loaded with black beans and pinto beans. Now, I've left them out and upped the protein by adding crumbled loose sausage to the mix which makes for a heartier bowl. I also recommend using a less sodium chili seasoning if you can find it. Aldi has a great one that is only 35 cents a packet! Please note that this is not a hot spicy chili. I prefer it mild, but you can add hot sauce or jalapenos or whatever you'd like to make it hot.

*If you can tolerate beans, go ahead and add some in! They are a great source of nutrition and protein. Use this recipe as a base to create your own perfect chili.