Tag: Gluten Free Alternative

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.

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. 

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.

 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.