Fall is HERE!
There is something so special about chili in the fall. While you may just see it as a comfort food, it is so much more. It is your lunch powerhouse. It is full of protein and veggies and Vitamin C. What else could you ask for?
Back in the day . . . I used to always add beans to my chili. I don’t do that anymore! Why? Well, the husband picked around them, they make the whole family a little gassy, and if you are following a 21 Day Fix Meal Plan, you find out that beans count as a coveted yellow. If I am choosing how to eat my yellows, beans are low on the totem pole.
Without beans . . . I needed to figure out a way to add more flavor and texture and ingredients to my chili and VOILA!
I was stoked when I found these guys in my local Wegmans freezer section. For some reason they are not always easily found, so when you see them there, STOCK UP! These are such an easy and cheap way to add flavor and veggies to your chili!
This right here is the healthiest version of this chili I make (made it on the fly yesterday when making lunches for the week). I was surprised to find it tastes just as good as my version with bacon, beer, etc.
If you are following Fixate, 21 Day Fix, or Ultimate Portion Fix, these count as 1 red and 1 green.
To serve: eat plain, or top with a dollop of greek yogurt and a sprinkle of grated extra sharp cheddar cheese.
Easy Chili
Description
I rely heavily on soups and chilis in the fall and winter to fuel my lunches!
Ingredients
- glug of EVOO
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 2 14.5 oz cans of petite diced tomatoes (I like the fire roasted ones)
- 2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 12 oz package of frozen Fire Roasted Poblano Peppers
- 1 12 oz package of frozen Fire Roasted Diced Red Bell Peppers
- I eyeball the following spices — but these are the ones I use. I spice things as I go and add more at the end:
- 2 TBS chili powder
- 2 TBS cumin
- 1 TBS smoked paprika
- dash of apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Set a dutch oven or large heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. When warm, add a glug of EVOO and your diced onion. Sauté until the onion is just cooked and then add in your ground turkey. Sauté turkey and break up chunks until no longer pink. Sprinkle turkey with some of the spices from above.
- Dump in your 4 cans of tomatoes and your 2 bags of diced peppers (if these are still frozen when you add in, that is AOK, you may need to crank the heat a little more to get to simmering). Stir everything together. Once simmering, cover and continue to let simmer for about 20-30 minutes or so.
- Check at the 20-30 minute mark (and give it a stir when you like so you can make sure you are not burning the bottom of your chili), you can continue to let simmering on LOW heat. Taste, add a splash of apple cider vinegar (I find this brightens my food). Also, add the rest of your spices TO TASTE. Let this chili speak to YOUR tastebuds.
- Serve!
- If you are making this for lunch, you can section it out into 8 of my favorite Ziploc containers. Let cool, screw on the lid. Store in fridge or freezer. When I am taking a frozen chili to work, I let it sit on my counter to defrost until lunch when I am ready to pop it in the microwave.
Notes
For your 4 cans of diced tomatoes, you can really choose any 4 cans that appeal to you at the store. I love the fire-roasted ones or the ones with green chili added. I just make sure that at least 2 cans are petite diced.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups
