Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili

 

If you showed this recipe to a Texan, he or she would scoff and call it a goulash, insisting this can not be called a chili.  If there is one thing I learned from my time spent in the Lone Star state, it's that there is no place for beans in chili!  However, beans are the perfect little vessel of vegetarian protein, a boatload of fiber, and a plethora of vitamins and minerals including folate and iron.  Therefore, this Texan-born gal will continue to include this magical food in her chili. 

The great thing about chili, is that there is a lot of room for you to make it your own!  Don't want beans?  Then leave them out!  Want to cut fat with turkey instead of beef?  Go for it!  Want to add a ton of veggies and varieties of beans for a vegetarian version?  You got it!

In this case, I wanted to celebrate the flavor of the season- pumpkin!  And of course you know there is a nutrition bonus... pumpkin, along with other winter squash, is a fantastic source of vitamin A and carotenoids.  This means you are gaining powerful antioxidant benefits from this beautiful orange fall treat. 

And as if that wasn't enough!  But you are also getting a healthy dose of fiber, and low calorie count per serving.  My clients have all heard me push fiber-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains.  For someone looking to keep off the pounds over the holidays, high-fiber foods, like pumpkin and beans, can help keep us full for longer. 

But let's get down to the good stuff now... Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili, a great one-pot meal for a chilly fall evening.

Start by browning your beef.  I used NC grown, grass-fed beef.  This is a more sustainable choice, but does not mean the beef is lower in fat.  So brown your beef and then drain the meat in a colander under hot-running water.  This removes the extra saturated ("bad") fats.

 

Set your meat aside.  In a large skillet, heat 1 Tb oil (coconut, olive, canola) over medium heat.  Add your chopped bell pepper, onion and garlic and sauté until tender and onions are somewhat translucent, about 5-8 minutes. 

 

 

While the vegetables are tenderizing you can start adding your seasoning.  Stir in chili powder, cumin, chipotle, oregano, pepper. 

 

 

When your vegetables are nice and tender, you will stir in your pumpkin, fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and drained black beans.  Simmer for 30 minutes.  You may add water as needed if chili becomes too thick. 

 

 

 

Scoop your chili into bowls and top with guacamole.  I also served mine with Trader Joe's Sweet Potato Tortilla chips.  These are awesome... just make sure you scoop your serving onto the plate instead of eating strait out of the bag.  This will help you from over-eating!

 



 

Pumpkin & Black Bean Chili

1lb grass-fed ground beef

1 onion, diced

1 Tb coconut oil (may use oil of choice)

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tb chili powder

1 Tb cumin

1 Tb dried oregano

1 tsp chipotle powder

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can pure pumpkin

 

1. Brown beef over medium heat until no longer pink, about 5-8 minutes.  Drain and rinse under hot water.

2. Heat oil over medium heat.  Add bell pepper, onion, garlic and cook until veggies start to tenderized, about 5 minutes. 

3. Stir cumin, chili powder, oregano, chipotle and salt and pepper into veggies.  Stir and cook 1-2 minutes longer. 

4. Add diced tomatoes, rinsed black beans and pumpkin.  Bring to boil, then turn heat down and simmer for on low for 30 minutes.  Add more water as needed to reach desired consistency.  Serve with guacamole and tortilla chips.

 

 





Spaghetti Squash Breakfast Frittata

We've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. That's a fairly true statement. I don't like to say one meal is more important than another but breakfast is a big one. However, what you eat for breakfast is more important. The ideal breakfast should be high in protein versus carbohydrates. Eating highly refined carbohydrates for breakfast will bring your blood sugars right up and promptly back down. This will cause you to have a sugar crash and leave you hungry within an hour or two after you ate. Try to give your breakfast a little protein punch without having to wake up earlier to scramble eggs or blend a smoothie.

*sorry there isn't a picture for this. I hate it all before remembering to snap one. I hate cameras to this taking pictures thing is difficult for me to remember!

Spaghetti Squash Breakfast Frittata

-1 small spaghetti squash
-1/2 bag of frozen broccoli
-4 slices of turkey bacon
-1 carton of eggs (only 5 whole eggs)
-1 tsp dried parsley
-1 tsp garlic
-salt/pepper to taste

-Preheat the oven to 350F. Slice your spaghetti squash in half and remove the seeds. Roast for about 30-45 minutes or until fork tender. Remove from oven and let cool. Once cooled use your fork to make little spaghetti noodles by raking the flesh.

-Microwave the frozen broccoli to thaw and squeeze extra water out with a paper towel. Set aside.

-Cook turkey bacon. I put the entire package on a baking sheet and cook it in the oven. I then use the other strips for different recipes in the week. (batch cooking perk!)

-Whisk together spices and eggs.

-Now that you've got all the components made you'll need a pie dish or brownie pan. Press the spaghetti squash noodles into the base of the pan (I used a le creuset dish and did not grease it). Then add broccoli layer followed by torn up turkey bacon. Pour the egg mixture on top and place back into the oven (already preheated to 350F). Bake for ~45 minute or until browned on top and fork/knife comes out clean.

-Once cooled cut into squares and you've got a high protein, healthy breakfast on the go all week or a great brunch!

Butternut Squash Soup

It's definitely feeling like fall in NC. There was actually frost on my windshield this morning when I woke up to head to the gym. Warming up to a bowl of soup was just what I needed.

Soups,stews, and chilis are great one pot meals that can feed a family easily. Not only are they easy to make and "wing" with random ingredients in your fridge/pantry but they freeze well. Try making an extra batch to freeze for a quick meal on a hectic week.

Butternut Squash Soup

-1 1/2 T. garlic
-3/4 of a medium yellow onion diced
-2 1 lb. bags of frozen butternut squash
-1 tsp ground ginger
-salt to taste
-2 c. low sodium chicken broth

-Saute garlic and onion with olive oil. Add spices to the mixture. Once translucent and browning add butternut squash. Saute for 1-2 minutes.
-Add 2 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil.
-Once fork tender use immersion blender to make a creamy soup.
-Top with diced turkey bacon. You can also add diced chicken sausage to the mixture or a sprinkle of cheese. I'd recommend grueyer or parmesan.

Step 2

Step 1

Green Chili Turkey Burgers with Cabbage Avocado Slaw

This recipe came together in no time! It'd be a great weeknight meal. I prepped all the burgers over the weekend and cooked them on Sunday. I made a half batch of slaw at a time and ate the leftovers the next day. The slaw kept well for a day or two but I recommend you try not to prep that more than 2 days ahead.

Hope you enjoy!
Cabbage Slaw

-1 bag of shredded cabbage or slaw mix
-1 1/2 avocado (mashed in)
-juice of 1 lime
-juice of 1 lemon
-1 tsp cumin
-1/8 tsp cayenne
-sea salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix up. Mash the avocado with a fork into the slaw.

Turkey Burgers

-1 tsp minced garlic
-1/4 medium yellow onion (diced)
-1 lb. ground turkey breast
-1 tsp cumin
-dash cayenne
-salt/pepper
-squeeze of lemon

-Mix all ingredients into a bowl until well combined.
-Evenly distribute mixture for 4 patties
-Heat non stick skillet to medium high heat
-Add all burgers
-Brown for 4-5 minutes on each side
-Continue to cook until meat is well done (10-15 minutes total cook time)

Chicken, Sweet Potato & Kale Stew

If only there were more hours in the day...

Time and time and time again, my clients tell me that the biggest challenge to eating well is busy schedules and lack of extra time.  Meal planning, grocery shopping and food prep often fall by the wayside in lieu of getting ahead at work, soccer practice, homework and squeezing in some "me time." 

And time and time and time again, I encourage my clients to plan a few meals using easy ingredients at the beginning of the week.  Prep your ingredients on Sunday if needed.  You may even double a recipe to make in bulk, and freeze half for another busy night down the road. 

This is one such recipe.  There are many time saving adjustments you can take to make this easier than it already is.  Now, there is no excuse for enjoying a healthy meal on any night of the week!

For this slow cooker recipe, I recommend prepping some of the ingredients ahead of time- cube your sweet potatoes, trim your kale, chop your onions and mince your garlic the night before. 

Time saving tip- you may substitute the following to get this delicious dish on the table even faster!

* pre-washed and trimmed kale
* pre-cubed sweet potatoes
* frozen chopped onions
* jarred minced garlic

With all your ingredients prepped the night before, all you will need to do is wake up in the morning and throw your ingredients into the crockpot!  Start by placing the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker.  Pour your sweet potatoes on top of the chicken, then layer on your kale, onions, garlic and diced tomatoes.  Whisk your tomato paste with 1 cup water and the sage, parsley,  cayenne and black pepper.  Pour mixture over your vegetables along with remaining water and chicken broth.

Place your lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 8 hours.  Pull the chicken breast out of the crockpot and shred with a fork.  Stir chicken back into stew.  And there you have it- easy, full of disease preventing nutrients, chock full of protein, and super comforting for a chilly day!  This recipe freezes well and makes for good leftovers to bring to work for a healthy lunch.  Enjoy :)

Chicken, Sweet Potato & Kale Stew

4 chicken breasts
4 medium sweet potatoes, cubed
1 bunch fresh kale, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves minced garlic
1 can low sodium diced tomatoes
2 Tb tomato paste
2 cups water
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tsp dried sage
2 tsp dried parsley
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1. Place the chicken breasts in the bottom of the slow cooker
2. Pour your sweet potatoes on top of the chicken, then layer on your kale, onions, garlic and diced tomatoes. 
3. Whisk your tomato paste with 1 cup water and the sage, parsley,  cayenne and black pepper.  Pour mixture over your vegetables along with remaining water and chicken broth.
4. Place your lid on the slow cooker, and cook on low for about 8 hours.
5. Pull the chicken breast out of the crockpot and shred with a fork.  Stir chicken back into stew.  Serve hot!

 

Nutrition Analysis per serving (makes 6 servings)



327 calories
5gm fat, 1gm saturated fat
101mg cholesterol
330mg sodium
31gm carbohydrate
6gm fiber
8gm sugar
39gm protein