I will never forget it. It was my first time entering in a chili cook-off and also my first time to make chili. Luckily, it was a friendly competition among a small group of medical residents that we hung out with at the time. My family didn’t eat chili often growing up so I didn’t have a signature recipe that was passed on to me. I had to just try something completely new.
I was inspired by Emeril Lagasse’s vegetarian chili because I had never seen a chili made with so many vegetables. I didn’t need it to be vegetarian though, so I replaced the mushrooms with ground turkey. Perfect, I thought. Healthy and delicious. It was Emeril’s recipe after all, what can go wrong? So, I brought my very veggie chili to the cook-off and crossed my fingers, hoping it had a chance.
The judges were harsh, but funny and gave everyone’s chili a name. My chili earned the title: Milli Vanilli Chili. They said it looked pretty, but it turned out to be a “fake.” And for three reasons. One that was their mistake and two that were mine.
First of all, they thought the ground turkey was couscous, perhaps because it was finely crumbled or that I used 99% lean – which I don’t do anymore. Either way, it definitely wasn’t couscous.
Secondly, I left out the oh-so-important garnishes and spices that I didn’t realize were so key at the time. Now, I NEVER leave out the cilantro, green onions, and Greek yogurt. Those just make it complete!
Lastly, because of my preference, it lacked the heat that those serrano peppers would have added and that most of the other chilis had at the cook-off. If you like spicy chili – you will still love this one – just add some peppers with more heat or kick up the cayenne pepper a notch.
It may not have been a winner for the judges that day, but my family loved it. So much so that it’s now a family favorite. I’ve been perfecting it for six years, and we still call it Milli Vanilli Chili. =) It’s warming, delicious and nutritious! It looks pretty, AND it tastes good. No fake stuff here! If you are in the market for a healthy weeknight dinner that makes perfect lunch leftovers, you’ve got to try this!
Author Kristen Norton, RD, LDN | Well Balanced Nutrition
Ingredients
1lblean ground turkey85-93% lean
1 1/2cupschopped yellow onions
2tablespoonsminced garlic
2 to 3bell peppersstemmed, seeded, and chopped
1medium zucchinistem ends trimmed and cut into small dice
2cupsfresh corn kernels or 1 can of cornno added sugar or salt
1 1/2poundsportobello mushroomsabout 5 large, stemmed, wiped clean and cubed
2tablespoonschili powder
1tablespoonground cumin
1 1/4teaspoonssalt
1/4teaspooncayenne
4large tomatoespeeled, seeded and chopped
3cupscooked black beansor canned beans (low sodium, no added sugar), rinsed and drained
115-ounce can tomato sauce
1cuplower sodium vegetable stockno added sugar, or water
1/4cupchopped fresh cilantro leaves
Garnish for each bowl
1ozPlain Greek yogurtgarnish
? medium avocadodiced, garnish
2tablespoonschopped green onionsgarnish
1ozMild cheddar cheeseoptional garnish
Instructions
In a large, heavy pot, brown turkey, onions, garlic, and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, until meat is browned completely. Add the zucchini, corn, and mushrooms, and cook, stirring, until soft and the vegetables give off their liquid and start to brown around the edges, about 6 minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and stir well. Add the beans, tomato sauce, and vegetable stock, stir well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Adjust the seasoning, to taste.
To serve, ladle the chili into the bowls. Top each serving with a dollop (~1oz) of yogurt and spoonful of avocado. Sprinkle with green onions (and optional 1 oz cheddar cheese) and dig in!
Notes
For lower sodium, calories and fat content, do not add the cheddar cheese. This saves you 111 calories and reduces the sodium by 182mg. Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
calories 403
Total Fat 19g
Saturated Fat 7 g
Monounsaturated Fat 3 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 2 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 78 mg
Sodium 903 mg
Potassium 926 mg
Total Carbohydrate 34 g
Dietary Fiber 10 g
Sugars 17 g
Protein 33 g
Vitamin A 92 % Vitamin C 145 % Calcium 32 % Iron 20 %
Want a fun way to fill half your plate with vegetables? Look no further! Spaghetti squash appears boring on the outside, but on the inside resembles thin spaghetti noodles once cooked. It’s slightly crunchy and very mild in flavor making it perfect for sauces, seasonings, and add-ins. This recipe brought to you by our lovely intern, Wendy, is an excellent example of how it can be jazzed up with your favorite flavors.
Spaghetti squash is in season now. It contains 40 calories and 7 grams of carbohydrate in each cup. So go ahead, enjoy nature’s noodle! If you have never cooked spaghetti squash before you might find these tips for preparing it helpful.
A yummy fall treat starring nature's noodle: spaghetti squash.
Servings 12
Author Wendy Sharer
Ingredients
3chicken breastscooked and shredded
1cuplow-fat buttermilk
1cupbuffalo wing sauce
½cupfinely diced carrot
¼cupfinely diced celery
¼cupfinely diced red onion
2clovesminced garlic
1cupshredded low-fat mozzarella
½cupblue cheese crumbles
1large spaghetti squash
2tablespoonsolive oil
Instructions
TO PREPARE SPAGHETTI SQUASH:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
With a sharp knife carefully poke a few small slits in the squash skin; poke in a dotted line along where you plan to slice the squash in half. Then microwave squash 4 minutes and let cool slightly.
Cut the spaghetti squash in half, scrape out the seeds, and place on a baking sheet cut side down. Roast for 45 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Increase oven temperature to 425 degrees
When cool enough to hold, scrape the squash out of the skin into a large bowl.
TO PREPARE THE BUFFALO SAUCE
Mince the garlic
Finely dice the carrot, celery, and onion
Heat olive oil in a pan and sauté the vegetables and garlic for about 5 minutes, until they become soft.
Stir in the cooked chicken, buttermilk, and buffalo sauce. Stir to combine. Turn the heat down to low.
Stir in ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese and mix to combine.
FINISH UP BY MIXING THE TWO:
Combine chicken and vegetable mixture with cooked spaghetti squash in a 9x13 baking dish. Top with the remaining mozzarella and blue cheese
Bake, covered with foil, for about 25 minutes.
Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes, until the entire dish is slightly bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown.
Need an easy weeknight meal? Look no further. Shrimp can be cooked on a skillet in just minutes and when you add steamed veggies and some simple brown rice you’ve got a complete and balanced meal. Did we mention it’s delicious?
Why Shrimp?
It’s a low calorie, protein- and nutrient-rich option. Four ounces of baked or broiled shrimp provides about 25 grams of protein, 135 calories and only 2 grams of fat. Not to mention it contains selenium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, choline, zinc, omega 3 fats and more.
Try this for an easy weeknight meal. You can adjust a few ingredients to make this work with your Paleo or Vegetarian eating plan
Worried about cholesterol?
The 220 milligrams of cholesterol contained in a 4-ounce serving of shrimp may be a concern if you have high cholesterol, but it doesn’t mean you should avoid shrimp. Dietary cholesterol doesn’t affect our cholesterol levels like we once thought. Go ahead and enjoy shrimp in moderation with reasonable portions.
What about mercury?
The Environmental Working Group has a nice guide for safe seafood consumption and classifies shrimp as a low mercury choice. So again, moderation is key.
Ingredients
1 pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 cup honey (or coconut nectar)
¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
Optional: 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
Optional garnish: chopped green onions
Instructions
Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (optional) together in a medium-sized bowl
Place shrimp in a large zip-lock bag. Pour ½ of the marinade on top, seal and shake, and allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in skillet, cook on one side until no longer pink, about 45 seconds, then flip over. Pour in the remaining marinade and cook until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more.
Top shrimp with the optional green onions for garnish.
We recommend enjoying this with a 1/3 – 1/2 cup serving of brown rice and 1 cup steamed vegetables for a Well Balanced Meal!
ALTERNATIVES:
For a Paleo dish use coconut aminos in place of soy sauce.
For vegetarian use the honey ginger marinade with tofu instead of shrimp!
If you don’t like fish use the honey ginger marinade with chicken breasts cut into small bite-size pieces and sautee in the pan.
Whisk the honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger (optional) together in a medium-sized bowl
Place shrimp in a large zip-lock bag. Pour ½ of the marinade on top, seal and shake, and allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place shrimp in skillet, cook on one side until no longer pink, about 45 seconds, then flip over. Pour in the remaining marinade and cook until shrimp is cooked through, about 1 minute more.
Top shrimp with the optional green onions for garnish.
Are you in need of a healthy and refreshing treat this summer? Look no further! These 3-ingredient FroYo Fruit Bites make a great snack for kids, taste delicious by the pool, and can be the perfect after dinner treat that will hit the spot. They are super simple to whip up – even kids can make them! Wendy Sharer, a local dietetic student, shows us how.
Ingredients
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup raspberries
The only ingredients you need to make these refreshing FroYo bites is yogurt (I used Oikos Greek yogurt, plain) and 1 cup of berries or diced fruit. I used blackberries and raspberries because that’s what I had in the fridge at the time, but you could use almost any fruit such as strawberries, kiwi, peaches, pears or mango.
After chopping up your fruit, just mix together the fruit and yogurt in a medium bowl. Finally, spoon bite-sized scoops of yogurt-fruit mixture onto a flat surface such as a plate covered with aluminum foil and place in the freezer for a 2 to 3 hours. (You can also toss them in a blender for a smoother consistency and freeze them in an ice cube tray.)
Storing: Relocate FroYo Bites to a freezer ziplock bag or other container and enjoy within 1-2 weeks
Until recently, I have been eating upside down. No, not eating while standing on my head – that would be an interesting site. Ha.
I was starting my day off with too little calories and eating most of my calories toward the end of the day. That’s a bit upside down considering we need good fuel during the day when we are moving, thinking, working, walking, and doing all the things and at night we tend to slow down, relax and unwind – things that don’t require as much fuel.
When you are busy, it can feel hard to give breakfast the attention it deserves. For a while, it was the last thing on my mind in the morning (even though I was fixing my kids a good breakfast). I was just grabbing something small that would satisfy me for the moment. As Lucy explained a few weeks ago, eating too little early in the day can easily lead to overcompensating in the evening. This was definitely true in my case. I was feeling hungry and deprived by the afternoon. Then, my belly would start hurting. I’d eat too quickly at dinner time and then my belly would hurt even more. Ugh. It was not a good cycle. Can you relate?
Is breakfast that important?
In general, eating breakfast has been associated with lower body weight. Seventy-eight percent of those who have lost weight and kept it off for a year or longer are regular breakfast eaters. Breakfast has also been shown to increase fullness while reducing appetite, food cravings, and brain signals that regulate reward-driven eating behavior. Furthermore, studies show that eating a high-quality, high-protein breakfast decreases late-night snacking of foods high in sugar and fat.
So, if food cravings and late night snacking are things you struggle with, I highly recommend focusing on your breakfast. Perhaps you are eating upside down, too? Try a high-quality, high-protein breakfast.
What is a high-quality, high-protein breakfast?
Well, first, your breakfast should be made of real food. I know it’s super tempting to just grab a protein bar or granola bar on your way out the door, but those protein and granola bars often include a lot of artificial ingredients and added sugars and is far from what nature intended. This is not to say it’s never okay to have them. They should just be a backup breakfast instead of a go-to breakfast.
Secondly, you want to aim for a breakfast that contains between 20 and 30 grams of protein. Here are some examples of what that might look like:
Two Egg Omelet with leftover veggies, 1 oz of beef and cheese = 29 grams protein
Egg and Canadian Bacon Breakfast Sandwich on English Muffin = 26 grams protein
8 oz Greek Yogurt with 1 oz Nuts = 26 grams protein
Peanut Butter Quinoa = 31 grams protein
Easy Morning, Egg, Potato and Zucchini Cups with fruit and yogurt = 30 grams protein
If you are like me and have busy mornings that can feel rushed, you may like this make-ahead option that works for me.
These can make your morning easy-peasy and delicious! Make them on the weekend and reheat them each day. They go great with yogurt and fruit or avocado and fruit.
Course Breakfast
Servings 6
Author Kristen Norton, RD, LDN
Ingredients
1medium zucchinigrated
1cupfrozen hashbrowns
1/4cupsharp cheddar cheeseshredded
12large eggs
1teaspoonturmeric
1-2teaspoonSavory All-Purpose Seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Grease an extra large muffin tin with oil.
Evenly distribute the hash-browns in each cup. Then the shredded zucchini and cheese.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs and add in salt, pepper, turmeric and a savory all purpose blend (or use your favorite blend).
Pour egg mixture into each cup Give each cup a little stir and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Notes
To reheat: Place on microwave safe plate and heat for 1 minute 15 seconds on 50% power. Add 10-15 more seconds as needed. Nutrition Facts: Calories 312, Protein 16g, Carbohydrate 14 g, Dietary Fiber 1 g,
Total Sugars 2g, Total Fat 21g, Saturated Fat 7g, Monounsaturated Fat 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
Food for thought: Let me know if you try these and what you think! Or share with us your favorite make-ahead high-quality protein-packed breakfast.
