Chili--Low Carb Style

I have never been a lover of chili.  Mainly because I don't particularly care for the 2 chief ingredients.
Neither hamburger nor beans are on my list of favorites.  However, living here in Chicagoland it gets quite cold.  So, I've been cooking a lot this winter and experimenting with recipes--low carb of course.  One day I happened upon a low carb chili recipe and after some tweaking came up with my own version.  I can't tell you how many carbs are in each bowl.  I can tell you, however, how many bowls I want to eat!  I truly walk away from the dinner table rubbing my stomach.  It's that good.  I am now a chili lover--of my own chili that is.  I hope you like it too!

This recipe makes a big dutch oven full, eat it for 2 nights (you will want to) or freeze some for another night.  Or, halve the recipe or in my case--double it if you'd like.  It's really up to you.

2 lbs of lean ground beef
4 to 5 cups water
1 onion--chopped
2 cloves garlic--chopped
2 cups fresh mushrooms--chopped
1 cup red bell pepper--chopped
1 t cinnamon
1 t cumin
1 t Worcestershire sauce
2 t salt
1 t pepper
1 t chili powder (or to taste)
dash or 2 of red pepper flakes
1/2 t allspice
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 can (16 oz) chopped tomatoes
2 bay leaves

Brown the ground beef in the dutch oven, drain off the fat.  Add everything to the pot and simmer for about 3 hours or so.  The smell is awesome!  You can top off your bowl with sour cream and cheddar cheese if you'd like--we do!