Chili is typically a dish that I’ll think about during the cold, winter months. When it’s snowy, cold, and all you can think about is getting inside a toasty place and eating warm, comfort food, you think about Chili.

But last week was the beginning of summer- it was hot, humid, and uncomfortable. I was sweating profusely and could feel the dampness of my shirt from the sweat. Any cool room felt like a taste of paradise. Yet, I still wanted Chili. Despite the heat and dense humidity, I was in the mood for one of my favorite comfort foods.

The spicy and zesty stew, filled with red beans, tomatoes, and tender ground turkey, was a perfect choice for my healthy eating plan as well. 

fresh onions & green peppers, canned tomatoes & corn

chopped green pepers

Red beans are loaded with fiber and the ground meat gives needed daily protein. I’ve been trying my best to limit carbs, mainly white carbs, such as potatoes, sugar, breads, and pasta. I’ve noticed that eating heavy carbs for dinner is an easy way to pack on the pounds and expand my waistline, something that I am certainly not trying to achieve this summer. So Chili for dinner is a great option. I tend to make my Chili using lean (93%) ground turkey; however, I did make Chili a few months ago using a ground pork/turkey/veal mixture (the supermarket labeled the package as a “meatloaf mix”) and the result was just as tasty.

Apart from its healthy aspect, Chili is easy to make and uses inexpensive ingredients, which is great for anyone trying to cook healthy on a budget. Two large pots are all you need. Dry beans, canned corn, canned tomatoes, green peppers, and onions are simple items that are easy to find at basically any food store and tend to be on sale. The slow simmer of all the ingredients in one pot makes it a great meal to cook on a relaxed Saturday or Sunday evening. Once the Chili is all cooked, dinner for the entire week is set.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of red beans
• 3 medium onions
• 1 bouillon cube
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 lb ground meat
• 2 crushed garlic clove
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 can of corn
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Directions:

1. Soak red beans (in cold water) overnight in a large pot.
2. Leave the water in the pot and add 2 chopped onions, and a bouillon cube. Cook the beans until nearly tender (roughly 1 hour).
3. In a separate pot, sauté the remaining onions and garlic in oil.
4. Add the ground turkey, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and paprika powder and cook meat until browned.
   

   cooked ground turkey and onions

5. Add the meat to the cooked beans along with the corn, 1 tbsp oil, green pepper, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Chili powder, and cumin. Cover pot and set heat to low to allow all the ingredients to simmer.
6. Cook for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Serve in bowls and top with some shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Chili topped with Cheddar Cheese