Recipe: Chicken-and-Chard Chili

• 2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
• 2 organic chicken breasts, chopped in small pieces
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon mild chili power
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 3 cups water
• 5-6 cups cooked pinto or red beans
• 2 teaspoons Herbamare (or to taste)
• 2 cups chopped chard

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat, and add in the olive oil. It really does matter, by the way, that you use real extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin has health benefits that other types of olive oil don't have, because it undergoes less processing.

After the oil, add the onions. Sauté them for 5-10 minutes or until they've turned soft and they're beginning to change color.

Add the garlic, the jalapeno, and the chicken, and sauté for 2-3 more minutes. (Be sure to scoop the seeds out of your jalapeno, unless you're a glutton for punishment.) Next, add the cumin, chili powder and smoked paprika, and then sauté for another minute

Now add the tomato sauce, water, beans and Herbamare. (Haven't heard of Herbamare? It's a seasoning mixture made from herbs, and you can use it in place of table salt to add flavor.)

Give everything a stir, cover the pot, and let it simmer over medium-low heat for 45-60 minutes.

Once the chicken is tender and the flavors have melded nicely (give it a taste), it's time to add in the chard.

Simmer for 5 more minutes to wilt the chard. Now turn off the heat, taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, and serve! It should yield 6-8 servings.