Spicy (Meat) Chili (4 points+ per half cup serving)

I really thought I'd have time to blog every day, but with Pesach fast approaching it really hasn't happened (that plus my daughter's been sick so it's been a little hectic around here). Thank G-d I am not making Pesach this year, I've never made Pesach. I'm still lucky enough that my parents or in laws want to host my family for Pesach. We've been busy with visiting family, which brings me to today's recipe. My brother and his family are visiting from Israel and I wanted to have them for dinner. I decided to make my mother's amazing chili recipe. I've doctored it a bit, it's probably spicier than it used to be, but my husband raves about it. He finds lots of things to do with the leftovers, chili dogs, chili burgers, chili fries, etc.

The point+ value is 4 points for a half a cup of chili. I dont think you'll want to eat more than 1 cup at most. We usually serve it with tortilla chips or tacos (check your package for points values) and a big salad.

Recipe:
1 large onion
1 jalapeno pepper (omit if you dont like too spicy)
1 tbsp oil
2 lbs lean ground beef
2 cans (19oz each) mixed beans (rinsed and drained- it lowers the sodium)
1 can tomato sauce (about 21 oz. or 630 mL) (use flavored sauce, I use spicy for extra kick)
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tbsp bbq sauce (I use honey)
1/4-1/2 cup salsa
*Sorry there are no measurements for the spices, this is how my mom's recipes work. Just shake a bit in*
salt
pepper
LOTS of chili powder
garlic powder
paprika
little cayenne
little red pepper flakes

Dice onion and jalapeno (use gloves when cutting the jalapeno). If you want a more mild taste, take the seeds out of the jalapeno and only use the pepper itself. heat about a tablespoon of oil in a large pot (you can try and only use cooking spray to lower points, but it just didnt work for me) and saute jalapeno and onion. Add meat and break down into smaller pieces. Saute until meat is browned. Add beans, sauce, syrup, bbq sauce, salsa, and spices. Mix and cook for a loooong time. You could get away with cooking it on a higher flame for an hour or so, but in my experience the longer this cooks on a low flame the better it tastes. I put my pot up at 8am and let it cook on low til 1 or 2pm.  Serve with tacos or tortilla chips, or whatever you like!