Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Yesterday friend Lina says to me, and I quote "Ok. So for me to start following it (my blog) I need yummys with the following ingredients: milk. steak. pineapples. lentils. MMMmmm lentils."  Lol!  Challenge accepted Lina!  But, in celebration of Halloween yesterday, I wanted to cook up a healthy meal using pumpkin.  So here I am thinking hmm... what can I make that one, involves Lina's lentils, two, incorporates my pumpkin, three, is a healthy and hearty meal, and finally, of course it has to taste great!

Turkey Pumpkin Chili is the answer!!!

 
I have actually made Jamie Eason's 3 Bean Turkey Chili before and it was delicious (I'll post the recipe if anyone wants it).  But pumpkin... I had my doubts.  I set out to find a starter recipe and found one from Whole Foods Market which I tweaked to make it healthier, have plenty of left overs, and lower the calories per serving.

My Turkey Pumpkin Chili came out to UNDER 250 CALORIES per serving and it's packed with 22.8g of protein!!! Amazeballz!

Ingredients:
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup chopped Yellow Onion
- 1/2 cup chopped Peppers (I used red, yellow, and green)
- 1 seeded and chopped Jalapeno
- 2 tsp minced Garlic
- 2 lbs Lean Ground Turkey
- 1.5 can Low Sodium Diced Tomatoes, with their liquid
- 1.5 can Organic Pumpkin Puree
- 1.5 can Reduced Sodium Kidney Beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 Tbsp Chili Powder
- 1 Tbsp Cumin
- 1 Tbsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1/2 tsp Chipotle Pepper

Instructions:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions, peppers, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, chili powder, cumin, black pepper and chipotle pepper, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add kidney beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

I added a tablespoon of light sour cream (20 cal) and some leftover diced green peppers when serving.  It would also be yummy with some low fat shredded mozzarella but I didn't have any!

I made this for two guys and they both gave me their stamp of approval.  Boom! ;)

Makes approximately 10 servings.

DID I MENTION IT'S UNDER 250 CALORIES PER SERVING?!

Nutrition:
246.6 calories, 10.1g fat, 64mg cholesterol, 174mg sodium, 373.5mg potassium, 21.4g carbs (8.4g fiber, 6.4g sugar) 22.8g protein

Vitamin A - 122.6%
Vitamin C - 17.5 %
Calcium - 9.2%
Iron - 22.2 %

Enjoy!

Spaghetti Squash

I'm always looking for different low-carb foods, cause let's face it, who wants to eat the same thing over and over again.  I sure don't!  So, my mom suggested spaghetti squash as an alternative to pasta.  The squash can be baked, boiled or microwaved. Once it's cooked, you can pull a fork lengthwise across the flesh and it will fall into strands that resemble spaghetti.  Pretty awesome!

Nutrition wise, a 1 cup serving of cooked spaghetti squash has 42 calories and 10 g of carbohydrates.  It is very low in fat and is a great source of dietary fiber.  Spaghetti squash also contains many nutrients, including folic acid, potassium, vitamin A, and beta carotene.

When it comes to taste, spaghetti squash can be quite bland. To spice up my squash, I lathered both halves with extra virgin olive oil and chopped garlic.  I tend to use garlic a lot when I'm cooking and not just because of the amazing aroma and fabulous flavor!  It’s the best overall plant for stimulating the immune system, the best anti-clotting herb, one of the best anti-fungals, and potentially useful for preventing heart disease and cancer.

“People have known garlic was important and has health benefits for centuries,” said Dr. David W. Kraus, associate professor of environmental science and biology at the University of Alabama. “Even the Greeks would feed garlic to their athletes before they competed in the Olympic games.”

So... why not eat like a Greek Olympian? :)

Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut spaghetti squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides.
*Tip* The seeds can be saved and roasted just like pumpkin seeds!
- Spread 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil on halves.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic on halves.
- Place squash on baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes (mine took about 45).
- When squash is done (tender) run a fork through the flesh lengthwise.

And there you go!  You can save 180 calories and 33 g of carbohydrates by eating a cup of spaghetti squash instead of a cup of pasta ;)

Enjoy!

Grilled chopped chicken, spaghetti squash and mixed vegetables, for the win!

 

References:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/81490-spaghetti-squash-nutrition-information/
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/15/unlocking-the-benefits-of-garlic/
http://www.motherearthnews.com/ask-our-experts/health-benefits-of-garlic-zb0z11zphe.aspx

Spicy Caribbean Chicken Breast Tenderloins & Broiled Garlic Asparagus

You can't go wrong with this healthy quick and tasty meal!

Ingredients: Spicy Caribbean Chicken Breast
1 package of free range chicken breast tenderloins
Mrs Dash seasonings
- Extra Spicy
- Caribbean Citrus

Ingredients: Garlic Asparagus
1 bunch of organic asparagus
1 garlic clove
Extra virgin olive oil


Instructions: Spicy Caribbean Chicken Breast
1) Season chicken with Mrs Dash seasonings (about a tablespoon each)
2) Spray pan with non stick cooking spray and lay chicken breast evenly in pan
3) Cook (covered) on Medium heat for 5 minutes on each side

Instructions: Garlic Asparagus
1) Mince garlic clove
2) Wash asparagus and cut off ends
3) Place asparagus in large plastic zip lock bag with garlic and drizzle with olive oil
4) Shake bag!
5) Line baking sheet with foil and arrange asparagus so each one cooks evenly
6) Broil in oven on High for 5 minutes

Enjoy!

Egg White Muffins & Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal

I saw several egg white muffin recipes on Pintrest and decided to try them this morning!  

I also spiced up my oatmeal with some diced peaches! Yum!

Ingredients: Egg White Muffins
Egg whites (I use Crystal Farms - All Whites 100% liquid egg whites)
Organic vegetables of choice (below are some great examples)
- Spinach
- Peppers
- Onions
- Garlic cloves
Seasoning
- Mrs. Dash (it contains zero sodium but lots of flavor!)
- Ground pepper

Ingredients: Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal
- Quick cooking oatmeal (I use Publix brand!)
- All natural cinnamon
- 1 ripe organic peach
- Almond milk


Instructions: Egg White Muffins
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2) Spray muffin pan with non stick cooking spray
3) Chop up vegetables and fill about halfway
4) Pour egg whites over vegetables to the top
5) Season to taste by sprinkling Mrs. Dash and pepper on top
6) Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes (mine took closer to 30)
*Make sure you remove them from the muffin pan and place them on a rack to cool*

Instructions: Cinnamon Peach Oatmeal
1) Place 1/3 cup of quick cooking oats in microwave safe bowl
2) Sprinkle cinnamon over oats
3) Pour water to cover oats and mix cinnamon in
4) Microwave on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds
5) Take bowl out of microwave and mix in diced peaches
6) Pour almond milk over oatmeal

Enjoy!

Tip: You will have left over egg white muffins, my muffin pan allots for 6 muffins, so I saved 2 muffins each in plastic bags for a quick and healthy breakfast tomorrow! Hooray for planning ahead and saving time! :)