Frugal Healthy Recipe: Turkey Chili & Vegetarian Option


Contributed By Helen Chin Lui, Owner of The Healing Place in Medfield, MA

Prep Time:15 minutes
Cooking Time:40 minutes
Notes:Serves 6

In the Lui household we triple this recipe. The pot lasts approximately 2 days for 3 people. We serve the Chili with boiled hot dogs, steamed rice and a dollop of low fat sour cream. For a large crowd or for bigger eaters, the triple version of the recipe is noted below.
This recipe is heart healthy (except for the hot dog and lite sour cream.) There is no added fat to the recipe other than whatever meat you choose. If using hamburger, we use 85-90% lean. You may omit the meat to make this a vegetarian dish, see note below.
Be careful if you choose to use jalapeno pepper. The oil from the seeds can burn your eyes if accidentally rubbed (you may want to wear gloves.)

Ingredients

½ -1 lb ground turkey meat (you can substitute with either beef, pork or chicken)
2 cans  29 oz beans, rinsed and drained (either pinto, chickpeas, black, pigeon, dark or light red bean)
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium sweet green pepper, chopped
½ of 3 oz can of tomato paste (you can freeze the remaining)
1.5 C water
1 28 oz can of either whole or diced tomato
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
2 T chili powder
1 t cumin powder
¼-½ whole jalapeno pepper, cut pepper in 4 quarters with or without seeds (optional – adds lots of heat)
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Heat a large pot over medium heat.  Add meat to the pan and sauteed until browned and crumbled (it is not necessary to add oil to the pan.)  Add  beans, onion, green pepper, tomato paste, canned tomato, garlic, bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, water and optionally jalapeno pepper. Stir to incorporate ingredients. Turn the heat up to high, cover, and bring to boil.  As soon as the pot comes to a boil, turn down heat to low. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, stirring from time to time so that the beans do not stick to the bottom of the pot. Taste the chili after half an hour. If you prefer a stronger tasting chili, add additional chili  and cumin powder and continue to cook. Once cooked, remove jalapeno pepper.
Vegetarian Option
For vegetarian dish, heat a large pot over medium heat with enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan until hot. Add garlic brown, onion and green pepper and sauteed for about 3 minutes, then add the remaining ingredients and follow the directions above.
Triple Your Recipe
1 lb ground turkey meat (you can substitute with either beef, pork or chicken)
6 cans  29 oz beans, rinsed and drained (either pinto, chickpeas, black, pigeon, dark or light red bean)
1 large onion, chopped
1 large sweet green pepper, chopped
1 3 oz can of tomato paste
3 C water
1 28 oz can of either whole or diced tomato
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bay leaf
4-5 T chili powder
1-2 T cumin powder
½  of whole  jalapeno pepper, cut in half, leave seeds in or not (optional – adds lots of heat)
Salt and pepper to taste
Follow cooking directions above.
Enjoy

Frugal Fitness Fun For Everyone! Subscribe Today


For More Great Tips, Get My Best-Seller On Amazon:

I hope you enjoyed this article about how to live healthier on a frugal budget and maximize your performance!

Interested in more articles about frugal fitness? 

Read My Posts:

10 Reasons Why You Aren't Seeing Muscle Gains

Just How Natural Is Natural Bodybuilding?

Stay Frugal & Fit My Friends!

Frugal Fitness World Wide Wellness
Free Workouts & Nutrition On A Budget
"Crushing Fitness Costs Worldwide"
#FrugalFitness

Also visit the Frugal Marketing

New Frugal Finance Blog Posts & Articles