trainer-approved recipes

It’s football season!  If you’re entertaining for Superbowl Sunday or just looking for a simple winter supper that’s healthy and hearty, this chili is for you.  Canned baked beans and beef broth add richness to this turkey dish with fewer calories.  It’s my own concoction, tested on lots of chili fans and it’s always a winner.  My family prefers lentils to the traditional kidney beans but you may substitute whatever legumes you like.  For an extra boost, I eat mine with a scoop of plain yoghurt for that sour cream flavour without the fat.  It’s a one-bowl meal that tastes like a treat!

Yields 6 servings.

• 1 lb ground turkey
  

  I can't believe it's not beef!

• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 medium onion
• 1 bell pepper
• 1-2 carrots
• 2-3 stalks celery
• 1/2 zucchini
• 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 can low-sodium beef broth
• 1 can lentils, rinsed
• 1 can baked beans in tomato sauce
• 1 can whole tomatoes
• 1 can tomato paste
• 3 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp cayenne or more to taste
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
• salt & pepper to taste
• yoghurt to garnish (optional)

1. Heat oil and brown turkey in large pot over medium-high heat.  2. Add garlic, onion and spices and saute 2-3 minutes.  3. Roughly chop and add remaining vegetables (except parsley), legumes and liquids and mix well.  4. Simmer on low 1-2 hours until desired consistency is reached.  5. Add parsely before serving and garnish with a dollop of yoghurt.

Nutrition Information: (per serving – no yoghurt)  385 calories; 8.6 g fat; 28.8 g protein; 48.1 g carbohydrate; 9.8 g fiber.

• turkey (thigh with skin) – 493 calories, 27 g fat
• prepared stuffing (1/2 cup, dry) – 107 calories; 1 g fat
• mashed potatoes (1 cup, plain) - 186 calories; 3 g fat
• mashed sweet potatoes (1 cup, plain) – 249 calories; 0.5 g fat
• winter squash (1 cup, baked, plain) – 80 calories; 1 g fat
• whipped cream (1 cup) – 414 calories; 44 g fat
• pumpkin pie (1/8 pie, homemade) – 316 calories; 14 g fat
  
• turkey gravy (1/2 cup, canned) – 60 calories; 2.5 g fat
• butter (1 tablespoon) – 102 calories, 11.5 g fat
  
• white wine (5 oz glass) – 119 calories; 0 g fat
• red wine (5 oz glass) – 125 calories; 0 g fat
• beer (1 can) – 153 calories; 0 g fat

So, what to do… what to do?  Well, you could just resign yourself to the fact that you are about to consume several thousand calories in one day and vow to work a little harder to make up for it (try December’s Move of the Month for a great full-body exercise with no equipment).  Or you can make a few quick substitutions:

• make a wine spritzer by adding equal parts white wine and soda water, garnished with lemon or lime
• stick with white meat from the bird and choose gravy instead of skin – not both!  Who needs soggy, gravy-covered skin anyway?
• get some green vegetables into that spread and add fill-you-up fibre with peas, green beans, broccoli or spinach salad
• replace 1/3 to 1/2 of the mashed potatoes in your usual batch with steamed, mashed cauliflower to slash calories dramatically
• try plain yoghurt, chicken broth, low-fat milk or olive oil instead of the traditional butter and cream in your mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes
• choose a scoop of ice cream if you must have a garnish with your pumpkin pie.  It goes down more slowly than whipped cream and has tons fewer calories per 1/2 cup (plain vanilla ice cream usually contains about 150 calories per 1/2 cup, compared to 200 or more calories for whipped cream).

Happy Holidays!