Brrrrrrr, it sure is cold outside! The holidays are over and mother nature seems to have turned on the cold switch. This week, I share with you a delicious Turkey Chili, that happens to be bean free! As wonderful as beans are, they can be extremely hard to digest. That is why I thought it would be great to share this bean-free version of a Turkey Chili recipe I came across in Clean Gut. Clean Gut is a book written by Dr. Alejandro Junger. He is a cardiologist that came up with a healthy, not extreme, way of detoxing the body to reduce inflammation and improve digestion, among a host of other things. Unlike other cleanses and detoxes, Dr. Junger believes that you should never be starving while cleansing. Being excessively hungry adds stress to your organs, especially the liver, having the opposite effect of detoxing, on the body. Check out the recipe, and let me know what you think! With the addition of warming spices, such as cinnamon, paprika and chili powder, this dish is sure to warm you up on a cold winter night, and the super food all star raw cacao powder packs an anti-oxidant punch
Ingredients:
2 tbls coconut oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 yellow or red onion, diced
1 small winter squash, peeled and cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 zucchini, diced
2 tbls chili powder (or more if you like a little kick)
1 1/2 tbls ground cumin
1 tbls paprika
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbls raw cacao powder
1 − 24-ounce glass jar of tomatoes (Bionaturae makes BPA-free canned tomatoes as well as glass jarred, but any kind of canned is ok if this brand is unavailable)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a stockpot set over medium-high heat, warm the coconut oil.
2. Add the turkey and saute it until browned. Then add the onion and squash, sautéing until the squash is soft, about 5-15 minutes. I used butternut squash, so it took a little longer. Stir frequently to avoid burning.
3. Add the garlic, red pepper, and zucchini.
4. Saute an additional 3 minutes.
5. Add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and cacao powder, and continue cooking until the spices are fragrant, about 2 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and simmer for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Serve warm.
Yours in health,
Renee Koczkodan
Certified Holistic Health Coach
http://www.reneekhealthcoaching.com/