No, it’s not a stew made from ground burrowing mammals, although if that’s something you’d like to try, you go right ahead. I was playing around with my classic chili recipe today and decided to take some inspiration from a Mexican sauce, Mole Poblano, which utilizes a long list of ingredients including chili peppers, ground peanuts, chocolate, and oregano. All those things wound up in my chili, and the result is delicious: smoky, spicy, with an unexpected richness from the peanut butter and cocoa powder. Top it off with some cheese and sour cream (to cool the burn) and you’ve got an exotic adventure for your tastebuds without the cost of a flight to Oaxaca. (And the entire pot contains just 25 grams of carbs.)

For 1 pot of chili, you’ll need:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion (about 1/2 a large onion)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tbsp. low-sugar ketchup
2 tbsp. natural peanut butter (just peanuts and salt)
1 14-oz. can low-sodium beef broth
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. chili powder
4 tsp. ground cumin
3 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
1/2 tsp. smoked sea salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. chipotle powder
1 bay leaf

Brown the ground beef in a dutch oven with onion and garlic until meat is no longer pink.

Drain the fat, and return beef to pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring chili to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until chili has thickened and darkened in color.

Serve with shredded cheddar cheese (or pepper jack, if you’re brave), sour cream, and chopped onions. Steve’s verdict: Olé!