I’ve been more strict in counting my carbs, and while the last Bacon & Beef Chili was great, there were carbs in some of the things I added and didn’t taste the difference.

Version 2 leaves out the unnecessary ingredients, really ups the bacon to the majority of two packages, and adds more flavor with an additional pepper and mushroom to add a nice texture.

So here’s the ingredients and the numbers:

Ingredient	Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Protein
2 lbs. 80/20 ground beef	2272	179	0	152
5 Tbsp bacon fat	570	60	0	0
2 packages of bacon, precooked	840	42	0	56
1 can Trader Joes Chiles	40	0	8	0
1 14.5 oz can Trader Joes Fire roasted organic tomatoes with green chiles	87	0	14	4
1 large green bell pepper	48	0	8	2
1 large red bell pepper	48	0	8	2
2 tbsp chili powder	42	2	2	2
2 tsp ground cumin	16	1	2	1
Trader Joe’s – Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms – 10 oz Container	72	0	10	7
Salt	0	0	0	0
Pepper	14	0	1	1
Total for the entire pot	4049	284	53	227
Total Per Portion (1/12)	337	24	4	19

(The portions last time were a guesstimate. This time I put the chili in 1 cup covered glassware. While I already ate some, I think if were using one cup of the stuff, the number are pretty correct.)

The instructions are simple:

1. Melt the bacon fat in the bottom of a pot
2. Set the burner to high and add ground beef, black pepper, and some salt (add to taste later)
3. Let it cook on high while you deal with cutting the vegetables and bacon, stirring occasionally
4. Dice the bacon and toss in the pot
5. Cut the peppers and toss in the and give it a stir
6. Toss in the can of chilis and tomatoes
7. Add the remaining spices. I tend to go heavy on the chili powder and grind the cumin in a mortar and pestle – what a great fragrance
8. Add salt and pepper, but remember that there’s a lot of salt in the bacon so don’t overdo it.

Now set it to a low simmer and let cook for 2 hours to let the flavors meld.

The verdict: very enjoyable. As I am attempting to cut back on dairy I’ll skip the cheeses and sour cream – but you’re free to use it if you like.

A quick update for the old gang: I’ve been away because, well, I had nothing to write about. On April 2nd, however, I went full-bore into a strict ketogenic diet. I’ve written a whole lot about that, but it’s not ready for publishing yet – but how about a recipe?

I’ve been deep into ketosis and have been very strict for the past 2 weeks. I use the weekends to cook and wanted to have a goto meal for the week so I thought: why not chili?

In the past I have not watched my carbs as closely as I am now, and it has paid off: a 10 lb. loss in 2 weeks, a 20-40 point drop in blood glucose levels, and ketones as measured by a blood testing meter averaging between 2-3 mmol/ml.

So unlike in the past where I might have gone apeshit with onions and other higher carb vegetables, this chili measures nutrients down to every damn spice.

So here’s the ingredients and the numbers:

Ingredient	Calories	Fat	Net Carbs	Protein
2 lbs. 80/20 ground beef	2272	179	0	152
5 Tbsp bacon fat	570	60	0	0
7 slices bacon	308	25	1	20
1 medium onion	46	0	3	1
1 can Trader Joes Chiles	40	0	8	0
1 14.5 oz can Trader Joes Fire roasted organic tomatoes with green chiles	87	0	14	4
1 large green bell pepper	48	0	8	2
2 tbsp chili powder	42	2	2	2
2 tsp ground cumin	16	1	2	1
2 tsp garlic powder	18	0	4	1
Salt	0	0	0	0
Pepper	14	0	1	1
Total for the entire pot	3461	267	43	184
Total Per Portion (1/10)	346	27	4	18

It was a pain in the ass to pull these numbers together – especially as different sources give different nutrient counts for the same thing, but I think this is about as accurate as I’m going to be able to get it.

The instructions are simple:

1. Melt the bacon fat in the bottom of a pot
2. Set the burner to high and add ground beef, black pepper, and some salt (add to taste later)
3. Let it cook on high while you deal with cutting the vegetables and bacon, stirring occasionally
4. Dice the bacon and toss in the pot
5. Cut the onion and toss in the and give it a stir
6. Do the same for the pepper
7. Toss in the can of chilis and tomatoes
8. Add the remaining spices

Now set it to a low simmer and let cook for 2 hours to let the flavors meld.

The verdict: pretty darn good. I’ll be eating this all week. I found it very flavorful by itself, but I’m sure with a little shredded cheese on the top – and maybe a dollop of sour cream – I’d be in some serious flavor territory.