Stew On This: Chili Recipe Will Keep You Healthy If Not Alive Longer

Of all the minerals out there, zinc is pretty much the showstopper.

Why think zinc? It's an essential mineral that keeps you healthy by boosting your immune system, and according to a recent study, it can apparently prevent and reverse damage to DNA. Damaged DNA can lead to aging, as well as chronic conditions like cancer and Alzheimer's disease, reports RealAge.com.

I swear by zinc when I feel that first zing of a sore throat or cold symptoms, and not those lozenges that make you sick to your stomach. Regular zinc in capsule form (11-15 mg is safe according to government recommendations, but of course, check with your doctor if you're concerned about levels).

A recipe RealAge recommends is a zinc-rich kidney bean red stew from EatingWell.com. It works double-duty by taking the chill out of a cold autumn night, too. If stew's not your bag, other sources of zinc include oysters, lamb, turkey and ricotta cheese.

You might just stave off the winter nasties — if not premature aging — with a little bump in your zinc intake.

Ingredients

• 1 pound beef round, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 3 onions, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 12 ounces dark or light beer
• 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 8 sun-dried tomatoes, (not packed in oil), snipped into small pieces
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 19-ounce cans dark kidney beans, rinsed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons lime juice

Preparation

1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add half the beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, 2 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with another 1 1/2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the pot. Add onions and bell peppers; cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, 10 to 20 minutes. Add garlic, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, paprika and oregano. Stir until aromatic, about 2 minutes.
3. Add beer and simmer, scraping up any browned bits, for about 3 minutes. Add diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, bay leaves and reserved beef. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is very tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
4. Add beans; cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until chili has thickened, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Recipe and photo courtesy of EatingWell.com