Click here to skip navigation
This website uses features which update page content based on user actions. If you are using assistive technology to view web content, please ensure your settings allow for the page content to update after initial load (this is sometimes called "forms mode"). Alert box notification is currently enabled, please follow this link to disable alert boxes for your session profile.

FedsGetFit Virtual Cookbook

 

Turkey Bean Chili

Servings: 4
Barbara Teran-Jairala
Federal Bureau of Investigation
New York City
Ingredients
  • 1 Turkey Sausage sliced or 1/2 lb. of ground Turkey (Vegetarian substitute (no meat))
  • 4 TBSP of olive oil
  • 4 cups of low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1 can of low sodium Black Beans-rinsed and drained
  • 1 can of low sodium Red Kidney Beans-rinsed and drained
  • 1 can of chick peas rinsed and drained.
  • 1 small can of corn drained
  • 4 cups of water on hand
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped spinach
  • 1 chopped yellow onion
  • 1 medium chopped red bell pepper
  • 1 medium chopped green bell pepper
  • 1 medium celery stalk chopped
  • 2 chopped plum tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup of tomato paste
  • 2 garlic cloves chopped
  • 1 TBSP of Cayenne Pepper
  • 1 TBSP of salt or less depending on taste
  • Pinch of Black Pepper ground
  • Pinch of Cumin ground to taste
  • Chopped cilantro
  • Handful of Monterey Jack Cheese
  • Handful of croutons
Directions:
In a large deep pot heat up olive oil. When sizzling, toss in the ground turkey, or sliced turkey sausage and cover at medium heat on stove. Once browned toss in the chopped onions and all the peppers and garlic and celery for about another minute. Then finally add the chopped tomatoes. Once all is browned for about 2 to 3 minutes. Cover at low heat and add 1 cup of the broth. Once the broth starts to boil add the can of black beans, red beans and the chick peas, and boil for 15 minutes. After, add the rest of the broth, and 1/2 cup of the tomato paste, and stir. Boil for one hour at low heat. After the 60 minutes, add spinach and corn and stir. Then loosely add water depending on the thickness of the chili. Allow it to boil for another 15 minutes and add water to achieve the right consistency without drying the food. After an additional 15 minutes, turn off the heat and add the seasonings to taste. When you place the chili into the bowl, top with a pinch of the cilantro topped with the M Jack Cheese and croutons! Enjoy! If you have leftovers, you can use it the next day as a filler for a 'burrito' option. All you have to do is buy the low carb Burrito size tortilla and scoop about 5 TBSP of the chili left over and toss in the cilantro and cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. Fold and roll over the burrito and heat up for 4 minutes in a microwave and voila, you have a turkey bean burrito. If you still have leftovers and want to get rid of it, you can invite people to come over and buy some nachos and pour the left over chili onto the chips and heat up in an oven or microwave it with some cheese on top and it becomes an appetizer.
Healthy:
This recipe incorporates protein, low sodium and low fat ingredients that are digestible carbohydrates.
Story:
I came up with this recipe because there were several things going on in my life. First, my husband was suffering from weight loss problems and insomnia. Second, I was a vegetarian for the past 10 years and I was tired of cooking different meals for both of us and I am anemic. Third, I had just given birth to our first baby girl and I didn't know what to feed her when she turned 6 months, because all she ate was bananas and eggs and some chicken. I had been a vegetarian, but not a strict one. I didn't like eating any meats so I resorted to fish and turkey. So a lot of my meals were based on those two options. My husband was suffering terribly from the insomnia and I did not want him to take sleeping pills, so I came up with this delicious recipe. He loves 'manwich', but it never looked healthy with all that fatty ground beef. So I remembered that Turkey is a lean meat and it also had Tryptophan, which makes you sleepy. I started making everything with Turkey and disguised the meat well with Cumin, Cayenne Pepper. To start helping my low iron deficiency, I tossed in a handful of chopped spinach in everything. I stopped eating bad carbohydrates and incorporated beans into everything. For our daughter, she loved eating the chili by picking out the beans in her food. To make it easier for my daughter, I scooped out the chili prior to seasoning it so that it wouldn't be so spicy. You can still make this recipe without using meat entirely, or using other meats.