Nutritionist Melissa Jacks has provided us with a delicious Turkey Chili With Sundried Tomatoes Recipe that is healthy and feeds the whole family and on a low budget. I have personally eaten this one and it is really good. Chili lovers will definitely enjoy it. I personally find it filling, but for those whole like variety on the table, you can always add a little salad.
We are all aware of how challenging meal time can be when we are pressed for time. This recipe can be made in advance and frozen for a great meal when you don’t have time to prepare, or simply want a night off!
The trick with making meals that use expensive ingredients such as chili (ground lean meat, peppers, broth, etc.), is to do the following:
1. Ground Meat:
Buy your ground chicken/turkey when it goes on sale and freeze it until you are ready to make it. There are some butchers that will even take chicken breasts for you and grind them at the meat counter. This is also a great idea to make sure you get the leanest chicken breasts. Alternatively, you can just look at the weekly flyers (or flipp app) and get it on sale. For those of you who shop at nortown, they actually have great ground chicken and turkey and it is even less expensive than Costco. Last time I bought from them it was only $3.99/lb . Then double or even triple the recipe.
2. Broth:
For those of you who love to cook and make your own broth, obviously this is the least expensive way. I do not make my own broth, so I am always stocking up on organic chicken broth or vegetable broth when they go on sale. At Walmart you can get broth for $1.67/tetra box. Sometimes they are on sale for 2 for $3. Once again, stock up on boxes when they go on sale.
3. Vegetables:
Fresh or frozen? I LOVE buying frozen diced vegetables for my chili, especially onions. Peppers are expensive most of the time when buying fresh, so you can buy your favorite diced vegetable blends at the grocery store and use those. You do not need to stick to the exact vegetables in the recipe. Simply add up how many cups of vegetables are used all together and substitute for those. For example, if mushrooms are expensive and you want to use zucchini instead, just replace the same amount for zucchini. Be creative!
4. Tomato sauce:
Similar to broth, you can make your own, or stock up when on sale. Classico sauces are delicious and clean ingredients. Costco also has my favorite marinara for this chili and it is affordable for 2 large bottles. It is called white linen marinara sauce. I believe it is $5/jar (or it was last time I saw it) and it much larger than classico. Be sure to use a sauce that isn’t full of sugar!
The average cost of one Chili recipe is about $15 or less. The recipe makes 4-6 servings. The best part is that it tastes great!
Turkey Chili With Sun-Dried Tomatoes
o Prep Time: 10 Minutes
o Cook Time: 30 Minutes
o Difficulty Level: Beginner
Ingredients
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium onions, chopped
2 red peppers, diced
2 green peppers, diced
1 lb. ground turkey breast
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 ½ c tomato sauce
8 oz (1 cup) diced tomatoes, canned or fresh
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
½ tsp each salt and pepper
1 tbsp. red chili flakes
1 tbsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
1 ½ cups black beans, canned, rinsed and drained
Instructions
1. In a large saucepan, heat oil and garlic over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Add peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.
2. Add ground turkey and brown, stirring to crumble. Add broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add beans. Simmer for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Servings : 4
Nutrition Info
protein 23g
fat 11g
carbohydrate 32g
Healthy Kids – Get Cooking!
I hope you are all enjoying the recipes that have been posted so far. After receiving many messages from members of the group, I wanted to let you know where the recipes are coming from, and how you can get more of them.
To access over 500 healthy recipes for the entire family, go to www.melissajacks.com. The ONLINE cookbook membership is only $39.99 right now and has new recipes added regularly. Not only is there an entire category devoted to kid friendly meals, there is also a quick and easy meals section that are ready in 20 minutes or less.
The 10 week online weight loss program is available as well, with complete meal plans and an eating out guide to refer to when on the go.
Whether you are looking for nut free, gluten free, dairy free or just nutritious balanced meals, there are options for everyone,
Entertain kids on a dime and I are working on a project that will provide families with resources to help save you money and keep you healthy all at the same time.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at melissajacks@rogers.com or www.melissajacks.com.
Enjoy!
Melissa Jacks