Winter Comfort

It's no secret that the wintertime is the prime time for comfort food. Rather than reach for those pre-made dishes from the store, dive into this delicious, hearty dish! It's a Turkey Chili full of protein and veggies to keep you full for hours. TIP: This recipe freezes easily so you can make a big batch and freeze individual portions for an easy dinner when you're in a rush. This is a good idea to do with many of your favorites and you will build up a variety of dishes rather than buying microwave dinners!

Hearty Turkey Chili

Serves 4


Ingredients:

16oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey (Ralphs, Jennie-O Turkey Store brand -5.99 for 20oz, $4.80 here)
1 15oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes (Ralphs store brand - $.79)
7.5oz (half can) Low sodium Kidney Beans (Ralphs, Bush's brand - $.89 for a can, about $.45 here)
7.5 (half can) Low sodium Black Beans (Ralphs, Bush's brand - $.89 for a can, about $.45 here)
1 small russet potato [170g raw], chopped (Trader Joe's - $.49)
1/2 yellow or white onion, chopped (Ralphs - $.40)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 cup chopped zucchini [about 1 medium sized zucchini] (Trader Joes - $3.99 for a package, $.50 here)
1 cup chopped mushroom (Trader Joes - $2.29 for a bag, $.76 here)
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (Trader Joes - $.50 for a whole pepper, using about $.25 here)
7.5oz (half can) Tomato Sauce (Ralphs - $.79 for a can, about $.40 here)
1 tbsp olive oil
1.5 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add in garlic and onions and saute until garlic is lightly browned and onions are shiny and soft.
• Add potato and saute until cooked about halfway through. Add in mushroom, zucchini, bell pepper, and ground turkey. Break up the turkey so it will be in bite size pieces. Continue to cook until turkey is cooked through and veggies are lightly browned.
• Add in beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, and pepper. Mix everything together and reduce the heat to medium or medium low and let the chili simmer for a few minutes until the flavors are combined and it is heated through.

Total Cost:  $9.29, or about $2.32 per serving.
Nutrition Facts per serving: 494g, 324 calories, 19g fat (2.1g saturated, .25g trans), 56g cholesterol, 600g sodium, 33.8g carbs, 8.3g fiber, 8.1g sugar, 35g protein, [Vit A 25%, Vit C 59%, Calcium 12%, Iron 16%]

Until next time, may your stomachs be full and your grocery bill be small!