A brain-boosting recipe for healthy green chile stew packed with vitamin C.
Green chile is a delicious New Mexico staple in addition to being a state icon. But did you know it may also boost the brain?
Now our official state vegetable (along with frijoles), green chiles were first brought here by Spanish settlers from Mexico, where the peppers had been grown by the Aztecs for centuries. Harvested in the early fall, green chiles are toasted, peeled, and served in a variety of dishes, offering a low-calorie, vitamin-C-packed punch of flavor. “Eating green chiles just gives you a warm feeling inside,” says Ophelia Steppe, the state nutritionist for New Mexico. “They also have a lot of nutrients and antioxidants, making them good for your immune system.”
One of Steppe’s favorite fall dishes is vegetarian green chile stew from the MIND Diet for Beginners cookbook ($12, thehealthytoast.com), by dietitian Kelli McGrane. A New Mexico–style stew, the dish is rich in protein and high in fiber, plus a yummy way to cut down on meat. It also follows the guidelines of the MIND diet, a blend of the Mediterranean and DASH diets, which help stave off hypertension by emphasizing grains, vegetables, and dark, leafy greens.
“The diet supports healthy aging and weight loss, and may help lower the risk of mental decline,” Steppe says. “And green chile stew is particularly enjoyable during this time of year.”
Vegetarian Green Chile Stew
Serves Four
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil (not extra-virgin) or canola oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
½ yellow onion, diced
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ tablespoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon dried thyme or Mexican oregano
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (not drained)
8 ounces roasted hatch green chiles, diced and seeded
4 teaspoon Better Than Bouillon vegetable base
2 tablespoons warm water
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Juice of half a lime
Refried beans and tortillas for serving (optional)
Preparation
1. Place olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add paprika and diced onion. Cook until onion starts to soften and paprika is fragrant, about four to five minutes.
2. Next, add in garlic and cook for roughly 30 seconds. Add coriander, cumin, thyme (or oregano), and diced tomatoes. Cook for one to two minutes or until the spices are fragrant.
3. Add roasted chiles and stir. Stir in six cups of water, followed by the bouillon base. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for roughly 45 minutes or until the broth has reduced down slightly.
4. While chile is cooking, combine two tablespoons of warm water with one tablespoon cornstarch. Add the slurry to the chile stew to start the final 15 minutes of cooking.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. To serve, place a spoonful of refried beans in the bottom of each bowl. Ladle green chile over beans and serve with homestyle tortillas. Drizzle the stew with lime juice and enjoy!
