Less Moo
Posted on 11. May, 2009 by Deb in A Little More Focused, As the Web Turns
For years, my parents filled the freezer by splitting a cow with my aunt and uncle. Yes, you read that right: half a side of beef. I’m Texan and beef was the staple of my childhood meals. As an adult responsible for cooking, I tended to mimic my upbringing, until recently when I began eating more consciously. I now substitute more chicken, turkey and more beans. There were many reasons, some health related, some spiritual. In the past, Chili would have been made with lots of ground beef (or worse, out of a can). Tonight, I altered a recipe from Cook Yourself Thin; alterations were made to match what was in the pantry and the spices were increased for taste.
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- Salt
- Pepper
- 4 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- dash ground cinnamon
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 14-ounce can chopped whole tomatoes, with juice
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 2 14-ounce–15-ounce cans dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
Instructions: Put olive oil, salt, pepper and turkey in pan. Brown turkey. Add onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, paprika, and garlic. Simmer for 5 minutes, covered. Add carrots, tomatoes, cocoa powder and kidney beans. simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. I topped the chili with grated cheese (2% Cheddar) and served with Blue Corn & Flax Seed Tortilla Chips (Archer Farms brand from Target).
I was unsure of the cocoa, but then I thought about Mole and was thrilled with the results. When cooking with turkey, I’m finding I need a little bit more spice. Otherwise, it’s been a very easy switch from beef.
I’m curious: have you cut back on beef? Are you substituting ground turkey or chicken in a favorite recipe?