Baby It’s Cold Outside, But Chili In Here!

No, that’s not a typo! Chili cooking is what you smell in my house today.

I love when the cooler weather comes; it’s perfect for making those one-pot meals, like chili.

Since my family doesn’t eat red meat, I make chili with ground turkey. We also don’t like kidney beans, so I use small, white navy beans instead.

Whenever I make chili, I’m reminded of my days growing up in the housing projects in Washington, DC.  My late mother was a young widow raising five children on a limited income. But, whenever she made chili, we went to bed with full stomachs, which immediately took our minds away from being poor.

Chili is one of those meals that anyone, regardless to income, can make and feed a family for a couple of days.

Health benefits:

Navy beans are a good source of protein, like most legumes, but they’re also rich in dietary fiber, vitamin B1, minerals and iron. Read more…

Since turkey is lower in fat than red meat, it’s considered heart-healthy, by lowering the risk of heart disease. And, it’s a good source of protein. Read more…

From Bean to Chili
Prior to cooking my navy beans, I thoroughly washed and soaked them in cold water overnight. I placed the beans, fresh garlic and bay leaves in the crock pot and cooked until creamy.

In a stockpot, I browned the ground turkey in a little olive oil, with green peppers and onions.

After the turkey was done, and the peppers and onions were tender, I added chili seasoning, and 2 small cans of tomato paste, along with the beans. And, voila! A creamy soup mug of turkey chili and a garden salad. I also garnished my chili with tri-color tortilla chips. Eating healthy is simple!