Archive for month: January, 2014

 

When it is cold outside there are a few items that i MUST have.

These things include:

Tea

Protein Pumpkin Bars

and CHILI!!

When you lead a healthy lifestyle you are always trying to find ways to make some of your favorite recipes healthy and full of nutrients that will satisfy your nutritional needs.

Here is a great recipe that was created by me and my friends that is healthy yet filling and  YUMMY!

What you will need:

• 1 regular sized can of garbanzo Beans (optional)
• 1 regular sized can of dark red kidney beans
• 1 regular sized can of black beans
• 1 can of petite cut tomatoes
• 1/2 diced onion
•  1 can of chili ready tomatoes
• 1 can of salt free tomato sauce
• 2 lbs of lean meat (turkey, beef, ground chicken) (in my recipe i used venison)
• 2 tablespoons of chili powder
• 2 tablespoons of pepper
• 2 tablespoons of ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of garlic powder

Note: You can use any variation of beans for this dish!  I used the above beans because those are the beans I personally enjoy.  Also remember you can add any spices or other veggies to this dish! I know some people add diced bell peppers or chopped celery. Get creative and add your own touch! 

Here is how to cook it:

1. Cook the meat first so it is ready to go!
2. Drain the oils/waters out of the meat pan
3. In a crock pot or big round cooking pot place all of the ingredients together.
4. Turn the heat on low or medium and let it cook stirring occasionally (it will cook for about 2 hours or longer depending on your own personal preference!)
5. Once things are warm and mixed let the chili cook and serve!

For this recipe i used a crock pot. I cooked the lean meat and placed everything in my crock pot.  I let it sit on medium heat and stirred it occasionally.  

Here is the nutrient breakdown of this meal:

For each meal i will measure out 230 grams of the chili into my bowl.  I have an electronic food scale that i use to help make my measurements as accurate as possible.

• 1.5 grams of fats
• 23 grams of carbs
• 24 grams of protein
• 325 calories

You can garnish your chili however you like!

You can add crackers, cornbread, regular bread, or whatever you would like!
With my meal (the picture above) I added 1 tablespoon of fat-free sour cream and 2 tablespoons of mild salsa.

This is a great meal to make a big batch of and have throughout the week for dinner or lunch.  I will make a big post of this and measure out my serving sizes into Tupperware containers.  I will freeze half of the containers and put the other half in my fridge.  This will allow me to choose when i want to eat it but also not letting any of the chili go to waste.  And when i am ready for some of the chili that is in the freezer i will take it and place it in the fridge the night before OR just pop it in the microwave when i am ready!

Try this recipe out and let me know what you think!
You can post it on Instagram and use the Hashtag ” #ILFRecipes

Who knows…maybe those who share their creations will win a prize 😉