Date Night

We didn't really go out on a date, but my husband and I had a date with our Wii. We have a new game and decided to stay in this evening. The weather outside is still cold and frightful, we don't have a fire that would be so delightful, so I made chili. After all, chili is a stick-to-your-ribs type meal. To keep in theme with my healthy resolution, this is turkey chili from Weight Watchers.

Don't fear, the ingredients look like a lot, but a lot of them are spices that you would already have in your spice rack. You don't expect to see ingredients like carrots in chili (at least not in the chili I have ever made), but that's okay. It adds bulk and extra texture to the dish. Oh, and by the way, don't omit the green onions at the end. They really add to the flavor and crunch of the overall dish.

I like making chili for some reason. I am not sure if it's because one-pot dishes appeal to me for easy clean up, or if I just like the heartiness, or the flavor. Maybe it's because you don't need to add anything to eat with chili other than some cornbread and a salad. That's exactly what I did with this recipe. Honey cornbread (from a box, sorry!) and a green salad. I was sufficiently stuffed after this meal.

At this point, I have posted so many Cooking Light and Weight Watchers recipes, I should just change the name of my blog. But, alas, I won't. Here's where I stand with the weight loss: As of today, I have lost 13.4 pounds. I am hoping for another pound lost at weigh-in on Tuesday.

As long as I continue to eat healthy using recipes such as the ones below, I will be in good shape for our vacation on a white sand beach in 2009.

Hearty Turkey Chili

from: Weight Watchers

1 spray cooking spray
1 tsp canola oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium garlic clove, minced
2 medium carrot, thinly sliced into rounds
1 pound lean ground turkey
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp ground cumin
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1 cup canned chicken broth
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup scallion, chopped

Coat a large pot with cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add oil and onion; sauté onion until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and carrots; cook until garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Add turkey; brown meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Stir to break up lumps.

Add chili powder, paprika, red pepper flakes, cumin, tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, vinegar, beans and green pepper; bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until meat and vegetables are tender, about 30 to 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper; garnish with scallions. Yields about 1 cup per serving.