A Chili Recipe for the GAPS Diet - (2024)

FAQs

What beans are gaps legal? ›

Chili does not always cause flatulence. The secret is anti-flatulence herbs and spices. I'm talking fennel seeds, anise, dill, ginger, cumin, caraway seeds, garlic or parsley, just to name a few. They will allow for the unwanted gases to leave your body odorless and unnoticed.

Only Add Flavorful Liquids

Instead of adding water to your chili, add some more flavor with chicken or beef broth, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, or even beet or wine. Each one of these options brings out different notes and levels of sweetness that will enhance your culinary creation.

The best beans for chili are pinto, kidney, and black beans, like in this easy and tasty recipe. This 3-bean chili freezes great for meals later in the week. If you prefer thinner chili, add an extra can of tomato sauce. The green chiles are not hot and add a wonderful flavor, so don't be afraid to use them.

Other cheeses that are allowed on Full GAPS: Asiago, Blue, Brick, Brie, Camembert, Cheddar, Colby, Edam, Gorgonzola, Gouda, Havarti, Limburger, Monterey Jack, Muenster, Parmesan, Port du Salut, Roquefort, Stilton, Swiss, Romano, un-creamed cottage cheese (dry curd).

Selecting the right bacon is important: GAPS does not recommend smoked meats as they normally contain nitrites or other substitutes that are even worse than nitrites with alleged cancer causing agents so store bought bacon is out (including some nitrate free commercial brands).

The easiest beans to digest (therefore less likely to cause gas), according to Country Life Foods, are lentils, black eyed beans, adzuki beans and mung beans. (Click through to learn more about the amazing health benefits of mung beans.) The harder ones to digest are red kidney, soy, black and lima beans.

Epazote has been used for generations in traditional cooking

People love using it, especially when they cook beans. Bean can sometimes make people feel a bit gassy. Well, Epazote is famous for helping with that! It makes beans more enjoyable by reducing the gas they can cause.

Potatoes conflict with digestion of the beans, so avoid eating them in the same meal. Eat a whole grain with beans to complement them.

Beans and non-vegetable fillers such as rice and pasta are not allowed." If that sounds a bit uptight, the ICS's Homestyle Chili competition defines chili as: "any kind of meat, or combination of meats, and/or vegetables cooked with beans, chili peppers, various spices, and other ingredients.

What adds the most flavor to chili? ›

If you want more of a smoky flavor, add cumin, Spanish paprika, ancho chili powder, or a combination. If you are looking for more heat, add cayenne, crushed red pepper, or Hungarian paprika. If it's too spicy add a little brown sugar and some sweet paprika.

Add chili powder, cocoa, and tomato paste; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes more. Add tomatoes, broth, and cooked beef. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, until thickened slightly, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; serve with sour cream and chives.

"Use a good canned tomato -- San Marzano, basically -- or fry the tomatoes in peanut oil and peel them yourself, which is my preference. It adds a great nutty flavor." Once you get everything into your cast iron Dutch oven, "the chili should be brought to a boil and quickly reduced to a simmer".

"Bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, crushed tomatoes, onions, and carrots are all great choices." We mentioned adding pumpkin and sweet potatoes to a pot of chili, but you could also make chili inside a sweet potato.

In this case, the question was, “What peppers go best in a chili recipe made with beef?” In the end, I decided on three: red and green bell peppers, both for sweetness and their perfect colour combination, and a jalapeño to raise the heat a tiny bit more.

Full GAPS Diet Tips:

Avoid all grains, sugar, potatoes, parsnips, yams and sweet potatoes. Athletes, avid gym-goers, and patients suffering from adrenal issues/energy dips without digestive issues may find including some of these starchier foods along with peas, lentils, and beans beneficial.

Starchy Vegetables

Vegetables that are not allowed on the diet include potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and yams. Beans and legumes are also not allowed on the GAPS diet.

Two items are up for debate: navy beans and red lentils are allowed on full GAPS for people who tolerate them so it is up to you to figure that out. If you have digestive issues you may want to avoid all legumes.

Sweet green shelling peas are bountiful in the spring and delicious eaten right out of the pod. Similarly, fava beans are a great bean to eat raw. When they're very young, they can even be eaten pod and all. Mung beans aren't the flashiest legume, but they contain zero lectins and are packed with nutrition.