Day 18: Turkey and Vegetable Chili

This recipe is from Dianna, and one that I have had several times at her house. I really enjoy it when she makes it, so I was hoping that I wouldn't screw it up. It's amazing that I eat it though because I do not like zucchini at all. I think that squash and zucchini are pointless vegetables. They are just mushy when cooked and really have no flavor by themselves so why bother? I think I tolerate it in the chili because it takes on the flavor of the spices and sauce. The mush is hidden by the snap of the kidney beans. Truthfully, the kidney beans are not part of the original recipe. Dianna uses them instead of eggplant(which belongs in the above category), and I followed her lead especially since Austin would eat kidney beans straight from the can if given the chance.

Calories: 231 WW: 4 points

Turkey and Vegetable Chili(serves 6)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground turkey breast
1 large onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 small eggplant, diced
2 zucchini, diced
1-2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar1/2 teaspoon oregano
1 can dark red kidney beans(optional)

Step 1: Heat oil in large nonstick Sauce pan and add turkey until browned.

Step 2: Add garlic, onion and jalapeno pepper. Cook stirring frequently until softened and fragrant(about 4 minutes)

Step 3: Add all remaining ingredients(veggies and seasonings). Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover stirring occasionally until veggies are well softened(about 45 minutes).

Kitchen Play by Play: I was able to make this in 15 minutes with both kids playing in the kitchen. That statement alone explains how easy and brainless this recipe is. The recipe says 2 cloves of garlic, but really it means 5 cloves :). Once I saw how much one diced zucchini produced I decided to stop there. I need to slowly integrate it into my palate. Plus, Paul shares my theory on zucchini and squash so I wasn't sure how he'd take the news about the secret ingredient. As I stated above, no eggplant for us...kidney beans all the way. I rinsed them before dumping them into the pot. I went with 2 teaspoons of chili powder, but actually measured out all the other spices perfectly. I let it simmer for 45 minutes and sit on the stove for another 10 while I put Peyton to sleep. I topped our bowls with reduced fat Mexican cheese and served the chili with saltine crackers.

The finished product
The Verdict:
Nicole- I really enjoy it, zuchani and all. It is VERY different from my chili recipe, and I like it that way. I called this "Summer Chili." It's very light and has a great fresh taste to it. The hint of chili powder is there, but it is not the star of the show like it is in my recipe. Still not ready to include the eggplant, but may be able to add the second zuchani next time. I give it a 4.5.

Paul-As he was bringing his bowl to the table, he asked," what's that?" while pointing at a piece of zucchini. I replied, "a vegetable." He countered, "Is that zucchini?" I said, "Maybe." So what did he say about it? He gives it a 4. "Light chili, good flavor, but could use a little more spice." He was surprised to hear that there was a jalapeno pepper in it. He couldn't taste it at all.

Austin- ate the entire bowl once he crushed about 5 crackers on top of it.