Turkey Chili

 

By Kay MacInnis

 

Looking for something special to serve family and guests during the Big Game Sunday?

Or maybe you’d just like to get something warm and hearty into you on one of these cold winter days – but without snarfing down a lot of things that will be bad for you.

It may seem counterintuitive to put “healthy” and “Super Bowl food” in the same sentence, but… the two concepts CAN be made to work together!

I don’t know about you , but I always try to take at least one healthy option to any party that I might be invited to. It makes life easier, and healthier. Here is an easy way to provide one healthy alternative on a cold-weather favorite:

 

Turkey Chili

1 cup chopped onion

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped

1¼ pound lean ground turkey

1 tbsp. Chili powder

2 tbsp. tomato paste

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

1 can diced, fire-roasted tomatoes

1 14-oz can of fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Spray large pan with non-stick vegetable spray. Over medium heat, brown ground turkey. (It takes a few minutes to really brown the ground turkey.) Add onion, garlic, and pepper; cook until soft. Stir frequently to crumble meat. Add next 9 ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 30 minutes.

This is a really easy recipe that can be modified by adding any type of bean that you prefer. You can increase the heat flavor by adding more or less pepper, or using plain diced tomatoes instead of the fire-roasted choice. If sodium is a concern, omit the salt. Garnish with the cilantro as desired.

 

Nutrition Information: 210 Cal, 6.5 fat grams, 1.7 grams Saturated Fat, 22.5 grams protein, 16.5 grams Carbohydrate, 4.7 grams Fiber and 474 mg Sodium

………………………………………………………..

This is another in a weekly series of healthy recipes from Kay MacInnis, registered dietitian at Providence Hospitals in Columbia.

Kay works in Health and Wellness at Providence, helping cardiac and diabetes patients eat their way to healthier lives. She’s not a chef herself, but in consultation with the actual chef at Providence, she’s learned a lot over the years as she has worked to help patients help themselves after they leave the hospital.

She also conducts a number of health and wellness events for the public, including the monthly Providence Cooks! classes. The next class is this coming Tuesday, Feb. 3.

 

 

Sign up here to start your free subscription to MidlandsLife!