Jennifer's Skinny Chili

Jennifer’s Skinny Chili

It’s that time again...when women’s magazines inundate us with those “Repent the Holidays!” messages.  Even if you never buy one these mags, and simply spy them at the grocery checkout, you can’t help but be affected.  Headlines like, “Slim Down in 30 Days!” “Detox Your Diet!” and “Lose the Holiday Fat!” can make you feel guilty about that stick of butter you put in your Xmas mashed potatoes.  The problem is, this call for asceticism comes at a time when (for most of us, anyway) it’s darned cold outside.  It’s hard to imagine cozying up to the fireplace, watching the snowstorm, sipping on...lemon water?  Snacking on....a carrot with a dollop of hummus?  Get real!  The weather requires us to eat something that sticks to our ribs, that provides some insulation from the bitter chill.  Something warm, something hearty, something like....chili! But is it possible to eat a chili that provides satisfaction AND makes you feel virtuous?

I’m happy to tell you I’ve found the holy grail of chilis. I got the recipe out of last January’s issue of Clean Eating magazine, and I’ve made it dozens of times.  It’ll make you feel really healthy—I promise!  I often take it for a work lunch—and I always have an extremely productive afternoon when I do.   It’s like my Popeye’s spinach.  It’s technically vegan and low-fat, but it’s so good you can probably enter a chili cook-off and be a serious contender.   Yet I admit it has some surprising ingredients:  Thai Red Curry paste, sweet potatoes, coconut milk, and bulgur.  But sometimes surprising things reap surprising results.   Hope this one becomes your new favorite healthy recipe!

New Year, New Chili,

Jennifer

This is adapted from Clean Eating magazine, January 2011 issue:

1.       In a big pot, throw in 1 ½ teaspoons of red curry paste, a teaspoon of cumin, and a splash of veggie broth (use the pre-packaged carton kind).  Mash it up so the paste doesn’t have any lumps.  Then add 4 cups of veggie broth, ½ cup of bulgur, a couple sweet potatoes (cut up in bite-sized cubes); and some green pepper (cut up in chunks).  Turn heat to high and bring to boil.  Cover pot with a lid, turn heat down to medium-low, and cook for about 10 minutes.

2.       Add a couple cans of kidney beans (drained and rinsed) ½ cup of light coconut milk, and 2 cups of tomato puree. Cook uncovered for another 10 minutes until bulgur is tender.

Note: This is a recipe that is best served the next day—put in fridge overnight to have the flavors meld.  Reheat the next day and feel good that you found a “skinny chili.”