Go ahead, snicker if you like, but in the Southwest, chili and cheese are considered to be “foundational foods”, and putting them on a burger, a potentially epiphanal eating experience. For carnivores, it just doesn’t get much better than meat on meat with “fried” potatoes on the side; and we promise you that many Texans, if asked to ponder the choice of a final meal, would have this on the short list.

So, rather than wasting our efforts in feeble and futile protestation, and fully embracing our philosophy of “no forbidden foods”, we offer you this “enlightened’ recipe. Perhaps with a few judicious ingredient choices and alternative cooking techniques we can put a little blessing on this blasphemy.

At the resort we use locally ranched, certified organic beef that is upwards of 95% lean and serve it on a 100% whole wheat bun with our tasty (and almost fat free) chili. By the way, you can take this recipe and with just a little tinkering and a few corn tortillas, make yourself some of the best Tex Mex enchiladas (another pillar of the chili/cheese foundation) that you’ve ever eaten.

1 pound ultra lean all natural ground beef
1/2 cup finely diced onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 cup beef stock
2 ounces reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
4 whole wheat buns

Make 4 three ounce beef patties. Chill. Take the remaining beef and sauté, using a little spray, in a non-stick skillet until the meat grays. Add a couple of tablespoons of onion and cook for 30 seconds. Add the garlic, sprinkle the seasonings and flour over the meat and cook, stirring for a few more seconds. Whisk in the tomato puree and stock and continue to cook until slightly thickened. Keep warm.

Grill the patties over charcoal. Divide the meat onto the bottom halves of the buns, top with chili, diced onions, cheddar and the bun tops.

Yield: 4 Burgers

Fries:
2 medium potatoes
non stick pan spray
salt, pepper, paprika

Peel the potatoes and cut into thick french fries. Blanch in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain, cool, pat dry. Spray a large baking sheet with non stick spray. Spread the potatoes onto a baking sheet and bake on the sheet at 400 degrees until crispy and slightly browned (20-25 minutes). Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients Per Serving: Cal 305; Prot 34 g; Carbo 39 g; Fat 7 g; Sod 366 mg

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