Fall Time - Chicken Chili

I refused to let the warm weather get me out of my fall craze today. It was 80+ degrees, yet I still wore a sweater to work and made chili in the Crock Pot! On top of that, I also made a special trip during my lunch break to the grocery store just to load up on pumpkin! Needless to say, I am ready to officially welcome fall.

For those of you who are also ready for fall, get out your crock pot and make my Chicken Chili. This chili is loaded with beans and chicken for an extra protein boost, and plenty of vegetables. The best thing about making chili is you can throw a hodge podge of ingredients in the slow cooker and walk way for 8 to 9 hours. It's not every day that you can go for a run, yet still have dinner cooking at the same time. I promise you this recipe is extremely easy, and it's even husband proof aka Kyle has made this before.

I'll be the first to admit that I am a big wimp when it comes to spice, so if you like your chili spicy, add in some hot sauce or keep the seeds in the jalapeno. Heck, get crazy with it and do both, but keep a glass of milk on hand to cool your mouth down.

Tomorrow is Thursday, one day closer to the weekend! Keep working hard and pushing yourself to the limit.

                                                                      Chicken Chili
                                                                        Serves 4-5

Ingredients

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Yellow Onion, chopped
1 Green Pepper, chopped
1 Jalapeno,  diced (if you want it spicy, keep the seeds)
1 28 oz Can Peeled Tomatoes OR 5 plum tomatoes, chopped (If you use plum tomatoes, add 8oz of tomato sauce)
1 C Frozen Corn
1 Can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed 
3 T Chili Powder
2 T Cumin
3 Chicken Breasts (Keep these whole)
1 T Oregeno
Salt and Pepper

Start Slow Cookin'

1. Place all of the items above in the slow cooker except the chicken.
2. Stir all of the ingredients. Once well mixed, place the chicken breasts on top.
3. Cook on low for 8-9 hours.
4. Once the chili is cooked, use a fork to shred the chicken. The chicken will literally fall apart.

 

Falafel

No "case of the Mondays" for me today! Like most people, Mondays aren't usually my day, but today was a little different. I got a phone call from my dad around 9:45 this morning because he was going to be in town for a couple of hours and wanted to take me to lunch! It was a pleasant surprise, and I always welcome lunch guests! To say the least, his visit immediately turned an average day into a great one.
 
You know what else makes my Mondays great? Meatless Mondays!! I enjoy eating vegetarian 4-5 times a week, but on Mondays even Kyle participates. Yes, I'm sure it's hard to believe, but he really does! This week I made one of my favorites, Falafel. For those of you who have never tried this wonderful Middle Eastern food, give it a try!

Falafel is made with chickpeas and usually deep fried. Don't even think about touching the deep fryer with my recipe though! Instead, I spray my skillet with a little cooking spray and Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This allows for a nice crust and half of the calories and fat. Not only is this meal delicious, it is packed with protein and fiber! Enjoy these patties in a pita or whole grain tortilla with some hummus and feta cheese. No matter how you eat it, you can rest assured knowing that you are fueling strong.

                                                                         Falafel
                                                                        Serves 4
Ingredients

1 Can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 Garlic Clove
1/2 Yellow Onion
1 1/2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp Cumin
1/4 C Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Salt and Pepper

Start Cooking

1. Add the garlic clove and onion to a food processor. Chop the ingredients until they are finely chopped.
2. Place the onion mixture in a large bowl.
3. In the same food processor, finely chop the chickpeas. You can leave some of the chickpeas coursely chopped for more texture.
4. Add the chickpeas to the onion mixture. Add the remaing ingredients and mix well.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and create 4 large patties.
6. Spray a medium skillet and add 1/2 T of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to the pan. Heat over medium heat.
7. Cook the patties for 4-5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown.
8. Once golden brown, remove from heat and serve on a pita or whole grain tortilla with hummus. 
 

Turkey Meatballs

One year ago I had the best seats in Soldier Field, and on a beautiful day like today, I must say I am missing it so much! I miss being able to just walk down to the field during the game and cheer my heart out while still "working." Now, I am sitting on my couch cheering on my favorite team, and I'm becoming content with my new seat. I'll always miss game day with the Bears, but I'm proud to say I had an experience that most would die for.

Best view- from the sidelines.

I hope you are all having a great weekend. I took advantage of the change in temperatures yesterday and enjoyed a nice "fall" run on the lake. I love a good run on the lake, but one thing I miss is running on the canal in Indy during the fall. The view isn't as scenic as my Chicago runs, but there is something about running with the leaves crunching beneath your feet that I don't get here in the city. 

Speaking of running, my friend Jeff dominated his second half marathon today! Nice work Jeff! I'll take a little credit for his success because he came over last night for a pre-race meal sponsored by Fueling Strong. Finding the right foods to eat before a race are key. I wanted to be sure he ate a meal with mild flavors, complex carbohydrates, and lean protein. Another important aspect to pre-race fuel is to eat something that you have run on before. It is never good to introduce new foods into your diet the day before a race because you never know how your body will respond.

For dinner we had turkey meatballs and whole wheat penne pasta.  If you have a race coming up, I suggest eating this the night before. The flavors are bold, but they will not upset your stomach for the race. Also, you get a good balance of carbs and protein, that slowly digest and keep your blood sugars stable over time. Jeff, thanks for letting me get your race off to the right start with a healthy meal!

                                                               Turkey Meatballs
                                                                       Serves 4

Ingredients

1 Pound Ground Turkey
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 C Plain Bread Crumbs
1/2 C Grated Parmsean Cheese
3 T Ketchup
1 Egg, beaten
1/2 tsp Dried basil
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Pepper

Get Cooking

1. Preheat Oven to 375 degrees
2. Mix together all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. I prefer to mix with my hands to make sure every thing gets mixed together.
3. Make 2 inch meatballs. You will make 13-16 balls.
4. Line a baking sheet with foil. Spray the foil with non-stick cooking spray.
5. Place the meatballs on the foil, and bake for 30-35 minutes.


                                                                 Tomato Sauce
Ingrendients

2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
1 Medium Onion, Finely Chopped
1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 (28 oz) Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 (6 oz) Can Tomato Paste
1 1/2 T Fresh Basil, Chopped
1 tsp Fresh Oregeno, Chopped
1 tsp Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt

Get Cooking

1. In a large sauce pan, saute the garlic and onions in 1 T of olive oil.
2. Once the onions are translucent (about 5 minutes) add the basil, oregano, and thyme.   Cook for 3 minutes.
3. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
4. Add the meatballs to the sauce, and start fueling strong.

Green Chile Turkey Burgers

Can you believe the Olympics are over? The last two weeks of my life have been consumed in the lives and successes of the athletes. As some of you may know, I had the chance to live part of the “Olympic Dream” in the spring of 2010 while interning for USA Triathlon. I lived at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO, and I cannot even begin to tell you what kind of experience I had. I ate with the Olympians,  I trained at their facilities, and I stared at the mountains everyday. It was a dream come true, and a place that will forever hold a special place in my heart.

Because of this experience, I found myself crying a lot during the Olympics. Not out of sadness, but out of pure passion. Yes, you can call me crazy, but the Olympic Movement is the most powerful thing. It brings  people together from all around the world who don’t share the same language, culture, or beliefs, yet they can communicate through sport. That right there is inspirational. Although the Olympics are over, I encourage you to watch some of the Paralympics, starting August 29^th and truly see what the human body is capable of.

You too can make your body do extraordinary things by fueling it properly. In order to keep you fueling strong this week, I have created a new turkey burger inspired by one of the ingredients I grew to love in Colorado – green chiles. For those of you who are wary of turkey burgers, don’t be afraid, these are extremely flavorful and not dry at all! Also, don’t be afraid of the heat of the green chiles. I have a very sensitive palate when it comes to spicy foods, and I can assure you that these are mild. You can of course make them spicy by purchasing “hot green chiles" or adding 1 jalapeno.

This turkey burger is a great source of fuel because it provides the perfect amount of protein to build and repair muscle. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.

Green Chile Turkey Burger

Makes 4-6 Burgers

Ingredients

1 lb. ground turkey
2 cans (4 oz) mild green chiles (one for in the burger and another for topping)
1 Garlic Clove
2 T Chopped Cilantro
1 tsp Cumin
1 T Chili Powder
¼ tsp Garlic Powder
¼ tsp Black Pepper
¼ tsp Salt
1 Package of thin sandwich buns

Get Cooking

1. Chop 1 can of green chiles and 1 garlic clove in food processor. (Be careful not to puree this mix) If you do not have a food processor, you can mince the garlic on your own and keep the chiles as they are because they are chopped rather thin already.

2.  In a large bowl mix the turkey, chile mix, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 
3. Divide your meat into equal portions. I prefer to make 6 smaller burgers out of the mixture, but if you prefer larger ones you can make four. 

4. Grill the burgers about 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on how hot your grill or grill pan is.

5. Top your completed burgers with 1 T of green chilies and extra cilantro if you desire, and start fueling strong.