Healthier Chili

It is that time of year where everyone is trying to eat healthier, exercising more, etc....

So I wanted to come up with a recipe that was healthier but you wouldnt know it was healthier by flavor.  So I tackled one of my favorite winter-time dishes..... Chili.

What you will need:

1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 cans chickpeas
2 Roma tomatoes
1 small red onion chopped
1t chili powder
1t cumin
1/2t Cinnamon
1/2t cayenne
1 cup chicken stock
S&P to taste

First, rinse off your chickpeas.  In a blender add one of your tomatoes and about 1/3 cup of the chickpeas.  blend until smooth (you may need to add a few tablespoons of chicken stock to make it blend easier) reserve this liquid.

In a large stew pot add the ground beef and chopped onion and cook until the meat is thoroughly browned.  Add the other tomato but make sure to chop it first.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients including the reserved tomato/chickpea smoothie you made first.   Let stew for about 15 minutes to make sure all of the flavors are melding well. 

Serve with either fresh cornbread or crackers.  You can garnish with avocado, sr cream, etc....

Easy AND Healthy Hummus

I was tired of spendig $5 for a pint of hummus at my local grocery, plus it had preservatives in it.  So I was on a mission to make my own.  For just pennies I was able to make a boatload of hummus that tasted BETTER than the grocery stores!  Learn how I did it by watching the video below!  Thanks



Do you make it differently?  Let me know how!

The Pantry in a Pinch

I wanted to make a great and people pleasing appetizer but without using ANY fresh ingredients! I made a variation on Hummus and I like, and my 2 little brothers even like it, (3 and 4 years)

Normal Hummus requires tahini, lemon juice, and fresh garlic. Below is my version and I used only items that were in the pantry. (Buy these items for your pantry and have them in the case of unexpected company.)

1 can of low sodium chickpeas (drained 15 ounces)

1/4 jar of roasted red peppers in water (drained, about 3 ounces)

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 tsp dried lemon zest

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Whole Wheat Crackers to eat it with.

This was so easy to make and tasted pretty good! Just put everything (except the crackers) in a food processer and blend until smooth. That's it! Spoon into a bowl and serve with the crackers. For added flair put a small drizzle of olive oil on top and sprinkle with chopped parsley and fresh cracked black pepper! Enjoy!