I heart Fall and I double heart Turkey Chili.

Ahh, Fall is finally here.  I love the leaves, the sweaters, the cider mills, the pumpkins, and most of all, the food.  Chili is one of those warm, comforting, Fall foods and I love how easy it is to throw together.  I typically prepare it in the morning before work, as I love coming home to a house that smells wonderful and a delish dinner that’s already done.  Chili is similar to Chocolate Chip cookies, in that everyone likes their’s a different way.  My chili is a smooth, bean filled, thick, spicy dish that of course, is beef free so that both my husband and I can enjoy it.  With a dollop of fat free Greek Yogurt and a sprinkle of low-fat cheese, you’ve got yourself a warm, fiber filled, protein loaded, low-fat Fall meal.  And now you can have that extra piece of Halloween candy for dessert since you had such a healthy dinner. ;)

 

 

 

Turkey Chili

• 20 oz. Extra Lean Ground Turkey Breast
• 1.5 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 cup Chicken Broth
• 1 can Tomato Paste
• 1 can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 can Bush’s Chili Beans, undrained
• 1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can Black Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can Pinto Beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tbsp Chili Powder
• 2 tsp Ground Cumin
• 2 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Paprika
• 1/2 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

 

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Brown the ground turkey and season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili powder. 
2. Once turkey is cooked thoroughly, drain grease and set aside. 
3. In a crock pot, combine the chicken broth and tomato paste.  Whisk the paste into the broth until smooth.  Add the beans, turkey, crushed tomatoes, and all seasoning to the crock pot. 
4. Cook on the low setting for 8 hours or the high setting for 4 hours. 

Beef: It’s what’s for dinner…at least for Gus.

If you know me, you know that I just don’t enjoy the taste of red meat.  I don’t feel bad for cows or anything…I just don’t care for the taste of them.  My husband, on the other hand, loves his beef.  He has compromised his love and will tolerate my substituition of ground turkey in many dishes, but his favorite meal is Pot Roast…or “Beef Stew”, as he prefers to call it.  The dish is not very stew like, so I refuse to call it that, but he knows the dish as “Beef Stew” from his childhood, so we agree to disagree on the name.  It is a very easy dish to prepare, which is great for me since I usually end up making another beef-free dinner the same night so I don’t end up with cereal for dinner.  It’s also really easy to prepare it in the morning before leaving for work and then you come home to a dinner that’s almost done.  It’s a great Fall or Winter meal, but my husband loves it so much that he requests it in August, so clearly you don’t have to play by the rules.  My version is a little heavy on the carrots since that’s how Gus prefers it, but you could really get away with 1 bag.  I also use baby carrots because 1.) they are sweeter and 2.) no prep work.  This recipe makes about 5-6 hefty portions and it freezes well. 

 

 

Pot Roast (or Beef Stew, if your name is Gus)

• 3 lb. Chuck Roast
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• Salt/Pepper/Garlic to taste
• 1 bag Petite Yukon Gold Potatoes, chopped
• 2 bags Baby Carrots
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 packet Onion Soup Mix
• Half a can of Beef Broth
• Few teaspoons of flour or cornstarch to make Gravy

 

1. Take the chuck roast and season with salt/pepper/garlic to taste.  Coat a large skillet with butter and brown the meat on all sides over medium-high heat.
2. In a large bowl, coat the carrots, onions, and potatoes in 3/4 of the onion soup mix.
3. Place the meat in the slow cooker and sprinkle the remaining soup mix over the beef.  Add the beef broth, carrots, onions, and potatoes.
4. Cover and cook on low setting for 8-10 hours. 
5. When done, remove all beef and veggies to a serving bowl.  Turn the slow cooker on the high setting and using the remaining liquid, whisk in a teaspoon at a time of flour/cornstarch to thicken it into gravy.  Once it’s thickened, pour over beef and veggies.