Serves 4

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 to 1 1/2 pounds chuck steak, chopped small, or ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

1 or 2 green chiles, seeded and chopped

Handful of chopped cilantro

1 (15 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato purée

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1/2 cup chicken stock or water

1 cinnamon stick

1 red pepper, seeded and chopped

Salt and pepper; squeeze of lime juice

• Heat half the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Tip in the steak or ground beef. Turn quickly until brown.

• Lower heat. Add the rest of the oil, the onion, garlic, chile and cilantro. Cook for a few minutes until soft. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato purée, sugar, stock or water and cinnamon stick. Stir. Bring to boil.

• Reduce heat. Cover. Simmer for 1 hour; stir occasionally. Add water if needed.

• Add the red pepper and stir. Cover and simmer gently for 40 more minutes.

• Season with salt, pepper and lime juice. Remove cinnamon stick. Serve with grated cheese, taco chips, avocado.

- from Cooking Up A Storm, The Teen Survival Cookbook by Sam Stern

Nutritional information per serving: 742 cal., 45 g fat (16 g sat.), 145 mg chol., 29 g carb., 856 mg sodium, 9 g fiber, 55 g pro.