Category: Soups and Appitizers

Entrees, Gluten Free, Dairy free, High Protein, Poultry, Soups and Appitizers, Traditions

Chili (shh…its healthy!)

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

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I love chili-  but chili doesn’t always love me.  the heat from spices as well as the fat from the red meat didn’t always sit well with my tum tum.  I ventured out to make a healthy hearty chili- with out all the fat but high in protein.  This recipe was a real home run with the family as well as hitting home with 98% fat free, low calorie, high fiber and high protein.  Punching almost 18 grams of protein per 1 heaping cup serving.

Recipe:

  • 1 Lb ground lean turkey browned
  • 1 cup each follow veggies
    • Yellow Onion
    • Mixed bell peppers
    • roasted sweet potato chopped
    • zucchini
    • cauliflower
  •  5 12 oz cans each of organic beans red kidney, black, pinto, great northern
  • Large can 28  oz crushed tomatoes
  • sm can 12 oz chopped roasted tomato
  • small can roasted green chilis
  • 2 tsp chopped jar garlic or 2 cloves cleaned and chopped
  • 2.5 TBS Chili Powder
  • 1 tsp Cayenne  pepper (more to taste)
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp garlic powder

Veggies hiding in this pot!  so yummy.

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yes veggies! As you can see I added cauliflower, chopped zucchini, mixed bell peppers (frozen from my freezer shortcut) and not pictured sweet potato to add a bit of sweet spice.  1 cup of each.

98% fat free lean ground turkey
browned meat then add veggies to cook.
add tomatoes and spiced

 

Brown the ground turkey (98% Fat free lean) in a tablespoon of olive oil. drain any fat and add veggies, fresh garlic, pepper and garlic powder – cook until soften and to flavor the meat.  Add seasonings.

Let us talk Chili Power. they are not all alike. They all have salt and major color differences.  there is Organic, low sodium and smoker flavored.  so go to your spice store and explore. Taste- and see what you prefer. I like a darker color but the lighter has more flavor- so I do a three pic chili powder. img_5431

Then Cayenne to taste.  I go light to avoid the hot…

Beans! Beans! Beans!

Dried beans work great if you do the pre-soak the night before. This is a great option for the pressure cooker.  Doing dried beans in the pressure cooker can rush the process if canned is not available.  I use organic canned that has no added seasonings.  Black, red kidney, great northern and pinto. all fat free, high fiber and protein and full of flavor. Canned be sure you rinse the metallic slime water off before adding to your pot.

img_5427 Add your large crushed organic tomatoes, and a small can roasted red tomatoes as well as a can of roasted green chilis.  I also incorporated a half cup of TVP (Bobs Red Mill).  (Total vegetarian protein) It hides like the turkey meat and absorbs all the great flavor and added protein. really amazing product.

add tomatoes and spiced

 

Slow simmer for 2 hours.  If you don’t want to babysit the pot- stirring to insure it not scorch- trader to your large crock pot on 4 hour low.

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped onions.  All optional.  This freezes fantastic.

 

Soups and Appitizers, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Cauliflower Corn Chowder

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Im trying, probably like most, to eat healthier these days. Smaller portions, more vegetables and lower fat. I love the new rice made from cauliflower and this simple chowder is hearty, healthy and satisfying. Using our friend cauliflower for the star of the party.

Easily made Vegan (suggestions added) my shown recipe includes bacon, chicken-broth and 1 %milk.

  • Small cauliflower stemmed and florets chopped
  • Small sweet onion chopped
  • Stalk of celery chopped
  • Med carrot cleaned and chopped
  • 1 small bag frozen sweet corn
  • 2 slices of bacon chopped (sub olive oil) V
  • 6 cups broth
  • Tsp better than bouillon chicken (V sub vegetable flavor)
  • 2 cups milk or coconut milk V
  • 2 T flour or 4 cornstarch V
  • Bay leaf
  • White pepper to taste

Cook bacon til partial done add vegetables less corn.

Cook until onion and vegetables just start brown. Stay close so they dont burn.

Add broth and bullion and simmer 10 min til soft.

Carefully with hand mixer or blender blend the veggies to desired texture. I like mine at a choppy texture larger than rice.

Return to pan-add corn and bay leaf bringing back to gentle simmer. Heat thru-

Sprinkle flour across top and mix in. If using cornstarch mix first with 1-4 cup water or broth and add.

Add milk( or coconut milk) and simmer to desired thickness.

Serve with garnish of parsley and croutons.

Hearty soup that is creamy, filling and satisfying.

Garden, Salads, Soups and Appitizers, Uncategorized

Watermelon fresh caprese with herb goat cheese

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

A summer twist to bring a bright refreshing taste to a herb goat cheese and fresh basil from the garden and balsamic reduction drizzle. The fresh melon really sweetens up the combo and I serve as a single bite. Be creative and serve larger as a sharable watermelon steak. Happy Summer!

Soups and Appitizers

Italian sausage and rice soup

Gritcooking- A Southern Girls Taste

Todays cooking has sparked my creativity and imagination for one pan meals. With home cooking comes many more dishes. This is a simple one pot simmer that is satifying and full of glorious veggies. Enjoy!

Chicken Italian sausage sliced bitesize

1.5 cups rice

6 cups chicken broth

Chopped 1/2 cup each

Carrot, sweet onion, celery, okra, thin sliced cabbage

2 clove diced garlic

3 cups fresh spinach leaves

2 can roasted diced tomatos

2 bay leaves

Tbls Italian seasonings

1 sprig fresh rosemary in seasoning bag.

Olive oil

Brown meat with oliveoil for about ten minutes.

Add rice and veggies and brown til onions limp (reserve add after veggies limp)

Add tomatoes , broth, herbs, and simmer 25 minutes covered.

Enjoy.

Serve with fresh Parmesan and warm bread.