Chili~ Better for you than regular Chili~

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1 chopped green bell pepper
• 1 large peeled & cut 1/2 sweet potato
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 15oz can(s) rinsed/drained black beans
• 2 can(s) chopped whole tomatoes, canned *
• 1 4.5 oz. can drained diced green chiles
• 1 ripe avocado **

Notes

* no salt added w/juice 14 1/2 oz each
** halved,seeded,peeled,& chopped

 

Heres How:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and potato and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, chili powder, and cumin and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, and chile peppers. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, or until the potato is tender. Spoon the chili into bowls and top each serving with some of the avocado

The Truth is in the Can!

I just conducted a quick search on the nutritional benefits of canned and frozen vegetables. There are dozens of blogs, published files, and wiki articles that all redundantly examine vitamin C and B loss when you heat any vegetable or soak it/submerse it in water; vitamins C and B are water soluble. Frozen vegetables are blanched then flash frozen; canned are brined or boiled for five or so minutes and there they stay. The water then holds the C and B vitamins and we tend to pour them down the sink.

Fresh produce from your local super market, organic or not, are also not as nutritious as you think. Many veggies are picked before they are ripe (bananas, strawberries, melons, tomatoes, avocados, I only have five paragraphs) meaning they have not yet developed to their full nutritional potential. Then they are exposed to artificial light, a myriad of different temperatures, different gases from being packed together and shipped in a container, and then, finally, to your local super market. Carbohydrates are mostly stable and intact, but fat soluble nutrients, including vitamin A, E, and carotenoids (including lycopene) are sensitive to heat, light, and oxygen.

Then we cook the vegetables. Our bodies, readily equipped with enzymes, are able to access nutrients within the food we eat through the processes of digestion and absorption. I know. This is terribly elementary. Stay with me just a moment... When we cook a vegetable we reduce the nutrients within it, or dissolve the nutrients in water, or we microwave the little gems and they become of little or no value at all. In addition, the process of cooking a vegetable changes its chemical make up! All of this results in a consequent chemical reaction within our body and our enzymes do not recognize the food as the actual food it is. If our veggies are not properly broken down, they are not properly absorbed!

Learning all of this about vegetables has made my think twice about what I eat and how I fortify the goods. I am asking questions about my broccoli, am reading labels on my canned tomatoes (and rolling my eyes at the added salt), I am in the process of seeking out my local growers, and I am looking forward to planting some containers to eat. I encourage you all to dig deeper into your diets and be honest about your nutrition.

 We can't make something out of nothing... if we don't put the right ingredients in, we can't make the right enzymes, proportional hormones, healthy tissues, and we can't eliminate toxins. We have ten systems to take care of with vitamins, minerals, fats, oils, and carbohydrates found within the food we eat. Canned, in the end, may not deserve as much credit as we give it~ Now, go, eat real, fresh food, wash it in with water, boost your mood with vitamins, and remember to wash your hands.

Tomorrow: collagen!

Anna

Now, Let's Eat!

Chicken is on the menu for dinner.  The only reason I know this is because I have six breasts resting in the fridge and if I do not use them today they will be useless.  I often purchase something that looks great in the super market, find a spot for it in the fridge and there it stays.  We have one of the older models; freezer on the top, fridge below, no ice maker.  So, this morning, while I was on my haunches fondling leftovers looking for grape jelly, breasts is what I found.

I am a pretty simple cook.  Steak, mashed potatoes and green beans.  Chicken breast, rice and broccoli. Pasta, sauce and italian sausage.  When I am feeling really crazy I make corn chowder or breakfast for dinner.  Rarely do I seek out a recipe that requires more than 30 minutes or more than 5 ingredients...  Today, I sought out a recipe that asks for about 30 minutes and a few more ingredients, breasts included, but it's a recipe that I have never tried before~

Charred Tomato & Chicken Tacos

Prep Time:	35 minutes
Ready in:	35 minutes
Yield:	6 servings, 2 tacos each
Ease of Prep:	Easy

Recipe Ingredients
	1 pound ripe plum tomatoes cored (about 4-5)
	2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil divided
	1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts trimmed and cut into 1-inch chunks
	Salt & freshly ground pepper
	1 large white onion finely chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
	2 cloves cloves garlic very finely chopped
	2 jalapeño peppers seeded and very finely chopped
	2 tablespoons lime juice
	2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
	4 scallions chopped
	12 corn tortillas warmed
	1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream for garnish
	2 limes cut into quarters

Recipe Directions

1. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until very hot. Place tomatoes in the skillet and turn occasionally with tongs until charred on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly. Cut in half crosswise; squeeze to discard seeds. Chop the remaining pulp and skins; set aside.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of the oil to the pan and heat over high heat until the oil is very hot. Add chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is browned on all sides and no longer pink in the center, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeños and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Add lime juice and the reserved chicken and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and stir in cilantro and scallions. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.
4. Spoon filling into warm tortillas, roll up and serve with sour cream and lime wedges.

Wrap tortillas in barely damp paper towels and microwave on High for 30 to 45 seconds.

Health Advantages: low calorie, high fiber, low sat fat, low sodium, high potassium, heart healthy, healthy weight, gluten free diet.  (Love the health advantages!!!)

Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 6
	Amount Per serving
	Calories:	310 cal					Carbohydrate Servings:	2
	Carbohydrates:	35 g		Dietary Fiber:	6 g		Cholesterol:	68 mg
	Fat:	7 g		Sodium:	140 mg		Saturated Fat:	2 g
	Protein:	28 g		Potassium:	613 mg		Monounsaturated Fat:	3 g
	Nutrition Bonus:	Vitamin C (42% daily value), Selenium (35% dv), Magnesium (19% dv), Potassium (18% dv), Vitamin A (17% dv).

To the right you will see information about Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Selenium; this recipe has two of the three.  This trio of nutrients rely on each other in your body.  Take a gander, you might be surprised on how many uses our bodies have for C, E, and Selenium.

Now, go...  eat this real good food, take your vitamins, drink liters of water, and don't forget to wash your hands (and your breasts) ~

Anna ~