Low-Fat Turkey Chili with Beans #SFSmarties {Dinner Recipe}

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One thing that has become very apparent these past two weeks is that it is, in fact, football season again. My tv is once again taken over and Sunday afternoons and Monday nights are filled with the sound of yelling and cheering.

I have to be honest though, I'm not really that into football. But I am into football food! The excuse to invite people over to sit around and eat appetizers and yummy bbq is just too enticing. And one of my favorite go to recipes to make is a delicious turkey chili with beans.

Not only is it quick and easy, it can simmer in the slow cooker all day and be used as needed for munching. Plus it's versatile. We put chili on just about everything. Hot dogs, nachos, fries, etc. It makes just about anything better. And it's low fat! That's right. This recipe is filled with low fat turkey chili, tons of veggies, and spices and seasonings to create a flavor you will love.

Yesterday I headed out to Smart and Final to get the key ingredients for my turkey chili. I picked up some First Street ground turkey, First Street kidney beans, and lots and lots of veggies! Plus a few sides for the family to enjoy (including some yummy Blue Moon seasonal ale).

All of the fixings and sides for $30! Can't beat that.

Turkey Chili with Bean

• 1 1/4 lb First Street Ground Turkey
• 1 can 48oz First Street kidney beans, drained
• 2 cans diced tomatoes
• 1-2 yellow squash, diced
• 1-2 zucchini, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, diced
• 1-2 jalepenos, ribbed and seeded (unless you like your chili hot!)
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons chili
• 2 teaspoons cayenne red pepper
• 1 teaspoon chipotle chili pepper
• 1/2-1 bottle of beer of your choices
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat large skillet on medium. Divide ground turkey in half. Season with garlic powder and salt & pepper.

 2. Brown turkey. Drain if it gets too watery as you are cooking so the meat doesn't boil.

3. While waiting for the meat to finish cooking, chop up the veggies. Don't worry about dicing finely. It'll all meld together in the slow cooker.

4. Once the meat is cooked, add to the slow cooker. Add some olive oil to the pan and saute veggies in olive oil until tender. Drain kidney beans. Then add veggies and beans over meat in the slow cooker.

5. Pour 1/2 a beer over the mixture and enjoy the other half as you let the chili cook on low for 8-10 hours.

 6. Once chili is cooked it will be thick and well combined.

7. Now that your chili is done, enjoy it by spooning some into a bowl and topping with some cheese, sour cream and diced onions.

Or enjoy a great heap on some hot dogs topped with cheese! Pair with your favorite drink and enjoy the big game. Cheers!

Disclaimer: I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community. This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and Smart & Final. All opinions are my own. #CBias #SocialFabric 

Salmon Stir Fry with California Wild Caught King Salmon {Dinner Recipe}

I absolutely love fish. And one of my favorite fish to make is salmon. Eating fish at least once a week not only reduces the chances of cardiac arrest but also increases cognitive function and reduces depression.

In order to maximize the amount of Omega 3s my family is getting, I choose to purchase ocean-caught California King salmon. California King Salmon has 29% more Omega 3s then previously reported!

The fishermen who catch the California King salmon not only love what they do, they care about the fish they are catching as well. The salmon population is carefully monitored and the future supply of California King salmon is always something they think about.

If you are looking for an amazingly delicious salmon, consider checking out California King Salmon and see what you've been missing! You can definitely taste the difference in wild-caught fish versus farm raised.

Salmon Stir Fry

• 1 pound salmon, cut into strips with skin removed
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups rice, cooked
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salmon seasoning
• salt and pepper

Preheat wok on medium high heat. Add coconut oil.

Season salmon and make sure all bones are removed. When pan is hot lay salmon skin side down and let cook for 2 minutes. Turn and let cook for another minute.

Add vegetables and saute for 3 minutes. Add rice and soy sauce. Cook until everything is warm and salmon is flaky. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

How do you prepare salmon?

Disclaimer: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Crockpot Salsa Chicken {Dinner Recipe}

I absolutely LOVE easy crock pot recipes that can be turn into multiple meals throughout the week. And this crock pot salsa chicken is just that.

Simple ingredients, simple instructions, simple meals... but you don't have to keep the meals simple. Shred this chicken and use it in multiple dishes: enchilada casserole, chicken (tortilla) soup, quesadillas, rolled tacos, chicken ropa vieja (my favorite) and more!

And with a fridge full of yumy salsa from Wholly salsa how could I not make this? I used their mild salsa for this dish but am excited to try changing up the flavors with the pineapple or red pepper mango flavors too. 

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

• 4 chicken breast
• 1 tub Wholly salsa
• 1 can black beans, drained
• 1 can corn

Place chicken in the bottom of the crock pot. Dump all of the other ingredients on top.

Cook for 4-5 hours or until fork tender.

Serve whole or shred to use in multiple dishes!

I enjoyed mine the first night on my Precise Portions dinnerware!

Disclaimer: I received product for review purposes only. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. All opinions are my own and are not influenced by monetary compensation.

Chicken with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce {Dinner Recipe}

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When I can prepare a meal that is both delicious and quick to make then not only have I found a winner but I've found a winner that deserves a spot on our monthly line up!

This dish not only creates an all in one meal (where each component is layered together... grains, veggies, meat, etc) it's a meal that you can drink wine while cooking. And any meal that includes wine both before and during dinner is a good one.

If you enjoy goat cheese you can totally sub it for the cream cheese we used. We just don't like it in our home.

Inspiration: Annie's Eats

Chicken with Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce

• 2 chicken breasts, pounded thin & cut in half
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (and drained, if packed in oil)
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup frozen peas
• noodles

Boil some water and add pasta.

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Heat skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. When oil is hot, add chicken breasts. Cook through, about 6-8 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. Set aside and keep warm.

Add frozen peas to pasta for last 1-2 minutes of cooking. 

In the same skillet the chicken was browned in, add the wine. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by half, being sure to scrape up the browned bits from the chicken. Add the chicken broth and reduce that by about half too. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and heat through.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in the cream cheese. Drain the pasta and peas. Put a piece of chicken breast over pasta and peas and top with sauce. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Citrus Beef with Broccoli {Dinner Recipe}

My husband's known to pick up random cuts of beef from the store because he sees them in the clearance bin. He's great at spotting the great deals as soon as we walk into the store and sometimes I have to get a bit creative when it comes to cooking up what he brings home. Especially when it's something that is going to expire tomorrow.

So when he grabbed some chuck steak the other night at Target I decided to get creative with what I made out of it and combined two of my favorite asian flavors, orange chicken and beef with broccoli. I mixed the citrus glaze of the orange chicken with beef and broccoli and was pleasantly surprised with the results.

If you want more of an orange flavor, use orange marmalade in place of the lemon curd. I had lemon curd in the cupboard for some reason so I just used that. I didn't use a lot so it wasn't overly sweet in the dish.

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Citrus Beef with Broccoli

• 2 cups brown rice
• 1 1/4 pounds beef chuck steak
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup lemon curd (or orange marmalade)
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon peeled and chopped ginger
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed  orange juice
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets, stems sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

Cook the brown rice according to package directions.

 Thinly slice the chuck steak, about 1/4-inch thick, across the grain. Cut the slices into 3-inch long strips.

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat. Toss the beef in the cornstarch and shake off excess. Fry the beef in 2 batches in the hot oil, turning once, until crispy and golden, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove the beef from the pan and set aside on paper towel lined plate. Carefully drain the oil from the wok or skillet.

In a medium bowl add the lemon curd, garlic, vinegar, ginger, soy sauce and orange juice and whisk until well combined. Add to the wok, over high heat, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the broccoli. Cook the broccoli until slightly tender and the sauce is thick, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the beef, then transfer to a serving platter.

Serve immediately with the rice.

Serves 4

Italian Sausages and Rice {Dinner Recipe}

Last weekend we hit Costco for our weekly run. We go at least once a week to pick up the staples; milk, eggs, meat, veggies, fruit, juice, and snacks for the kids and my husband. But we also like to peruse their samples of the day in case anything catches our eye.

There has been many an item I've sampled at Costco and than later have become hooked to the product. First time I tried Fage? I was given a sample of a whole yogurt cup! I never looked back at the other greek yogurt brands I used to love.

Well that day we were able to sample two awesome products. The Spaghetti Factory Italian sausage and Seeds of Change Quinoa and Rice blend. These two were no where near each other when we sampled them but as soon as I tasted both I knew they belonged together.

Pair that with the fact that I am buried over my head with fresh swiss chard in the garden and you have this delicious dish. Seriously... one of the best dishes I've made in a long time. You definitely don't have to use the exact brands I used but if you don't have access to the Seeds of Change rice I recommend adding a clove of garlic in with the mix. You can never go wrong with garlic!

 

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Italian Sausages & Rice

• 3 Italian sausage links
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cups swiss chard, stems removed and chopped
• 1 cup carrots, cut into coins
• 1 pouch Seeds of Change Uyuni Quinoa and Whole Grain Brown Rice
• Salt and pepper

Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Add italian sausage and sear on all sides.

While sausage is searing, cook rice in microwave (you can also use 2 cups of leftover rice). Set sausage aside to rest and add onion and carrots to the pan. Cook for 3 minutes.

Cut sausages diagonally and add back to the pan to cook fully. Add swiss chard and chicken broth. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes. Add rice to the vegetables and cook another minute or two until everything is incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve with a great glass of red wine and enjoy! (try not to finish the bottle or else you might start blogging about feelings you never thought you'd share publicly)

Serves 4 | 10 WW+ Points

Tuna Noodle Casserole {Dinner Recipe}

I've been pretty bad about keeping the cupboards stocked lately. I started to get lazy when it came to dinner planning and have been making sandwiches or eating what's in the freezer to make up for it. So when Lent came around I was not prepared for a non-meat dish for dinner. But I didn't have to worry... we always have the ingredients on hand for tuna noodle casserole. It's a family favorite.

Only we were out of cream of mushroom AND cream of celery condensed soup.

So I went in search for an alternative. It was about time. I mean... really... I, er, we don't need all of that extra sodium and additives. Plus I'm sure I read somewhere about canned stuff being bad. Or was that just for veggies?

Anyway... I only had 30 minutes until everyone under the roof starved and was already starting to get complaints about hunger pains so I searched the web until I found a recipe that sounded tasty and didn't include canned soup.

This recipe is a winner! And I love how versatile I can be with the veggies. Next time I'm going to try some spinach. Delicious, nutritious, and the kids liked it. Added bonus.

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Tuna Noodle Casserole 

• 1/2 box fusilli pasta
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 can of tuna
• parmesan cheese

Boil water for pasta and cook the pasta according to package directions. Add the peas to the pasta for the last two minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375.

Melt butter over medium heat and then add garlic. Saute for a minute, then add flour, cooking and stirring for about one minute. Slowly add milk and stir often until sauce becomes thicker.

Add tuna to sauce and remove from heat. Drain the pasta and mix the pasta, peas, and sauce together, sprinkle parmesan on top.

Bake, covered, at 375 for 20 minutes. Let sit for 5 minutes and serve.

Meatballs and Polenta {Dinner Recipe}

When I'm in need of a comfort meal the first dish that comes to mind is my Meatballs & Polenta. I've been making this dish for almost a year now after seeing it on my friend CB's blog, Two Pink Hippos, and trying it out with a few changes. Now I make it at least once a month and love how versatile it is.

Plus I can never get over how easy it is to make polenta!

When I'm rushing to put dinner together 4 times out of 5 I always forget to start the grain or starch. So I've been saved quite a few times by quick cooking dried polenta. And the frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's.

This is one of those meals that you can make ahead, freeze, and pull out when you want them too. So it's the perfect dish to make for expecting mamas, friends in need, and any other meal in between. Plus you can turn left over meatballs into a meatball sandwich for the next day's lunch. Mmmm...

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Meatballs and Polenta

• 1 pound 99% fat-free raw ground turkey breast
• 1 pound 85% lean/15% fat raw ground beef
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, diced
• 1 teaspoon fennel seed
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
 

 
• 15 oz canned tomatoes
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon basil, minced
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

• 1/2 cup pre-cooked polenta, dry
• 2 cups fat-free chicken broth
• 1/2 oz mozzarella, shredded, fat free
• 1/2 oz part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 teaspoon regular butter

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine the beef, turkey, egg, bread crumbs, worcestershire sauce, and herbs & spices in a bowl.

Use your hands to mix the ingredients together. Form meatballs about 2" diameter and place them on a baking pan. (I weighed each meatball at 2 oz and got 19 meatballs.) Bake for 25 minutes.

While the meatballs are baking, dice your onion and mice the garlic and basil. Saute the onion & garlic until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the tomatoes and basil. Let simmer.

After meatballs are done bake, transfer from the oven to the sauce. Cook for another 10-20 minutes, turning the meatballs occasionally so all meatballs are coated with sauce.

Place chicken broth in a medium pot. Set to medium high and bring to a boil. Once boiling whisk in the polenta. Continue to wisk for 3 minutes or until thick. Add cheese and salt, to taste, and continue to whisk until the cheese has melted and is combined with the polenta. Remove from heat and divide in half on two plates.

Serve meatballs over polenta. Top with a little chopped parsley and grated Parmesan if desired.

1 2oz meatball = 1 serving
1/2 polenta (roughly 1 cup) = 1 serving

2 Servings | 10 WW+ Points

Guest Post on Acting Balance {MMMmonday}

If you love quick, easy meals that are super tasty check out my guest post on Acting Balance today. These smokey joes are delicious and can be made in 30 minutes! And make sure to link up your tasty recipes on her linky.