After busting my buns all weekend bartending and tending to other bars’ drink specials, I usually find I have little time and energy left over to prepare my own meals. Quite frankly I have better things to do than slave over a hot George Foreman cooking up chicken breast and tilapia. Things like:
- Build a time traveling machine and go back in time to invent the snuggie before the guy who invented the snuggie invents the snuggie
- Ponder the purpose of silent letters, like the “k” in knife.
- Invite all my Facebook friends to a pirate/tea party (eye patches required)
I’ve discovered that cooking in bulk saves me the hassle of hustling up ingredients to prepare a healthy breakfast, lunch and dinner while running around from class, to my internship, to the gym, to the library, back to class and finally home each and every day. When I finally get home around 8 p.m. I’m just like “cooking? …
I’m pretty sure memes accurately express 100% of life situations.
Anyway, here’s one of my favorite easy-to-make and highly healthy chili recipes modified from my fitness role model Jamie Eason’s 3-bean turkey chili recipe.
Ingredients:
Tomato paste, chili seasoning, kidney beans and diced tomatoes
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- 1 can of diced tomatoes, flavored or original
- 1 bag of chili seasoning
- 1 lb of lean ground turkey
- 1 can of red kidney beans
- 1/2 an onion white or yellow, finely diced
- whole wheat rotini noodles (optional)
Directions: If using noodles, put the water on to boil first. Add noodles and cook according to the box for your selected serving size.
Brown the turkey in a large skillet on the stove with the diced onions.
Drain noodles and return to large pot over medium heat on the stove.
Add in all of the remaining ingredients (diced tomatoes, tomato paste, browned turkey and onions, kidney beans, chili seasoning). Stir together thoroughly. If your chili is too thick, add half a cup of water. This typically makes about 5-6 servings of 1 huge heaping cup of super sassy chili.
Eat is as it is or add some cheeses because this is Wisconsin and food without cheese around here is hard to find. Parmesan, colby, pepperjack or bleu, one cheese, three cheeses, four cheeses or twenty-two. I’m like the Dr. Suess (Happy Birthday Dr. Suess!) of cheesy cheese rhymes tonight, but I’m sure you’ll find the cheese that suits your chili just right. Bon apetit!
What are your favorite go-to healthy recipes?
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