The Best Turkey Chilli

This was originally posted on my wellness blog "eat. burpee. sleep. repeat".  I like it so much I thought it would be valuable to post here as well for any mamas out there looking for great meal ideas!  There is also a great soup on the other blog that can help with cravings, etc. if you are currently on a weight loss journey.  It is not a meal per say ~ it is more of a snack and side option.  You can check it out here.  Bon appetite!

Ok both of my kids are napping so I am going to bang out this post!  Yesterday I shared an awesome soup recipe from one of my favourite nutritionist author's Dr. Joey Shulman.  Well today my 3 year old and I whipped up some yummy turkey chilli.  I find chilli recipes somewhat all the same but really enjoyed this one because it has cinnamon in it!  So not only is it super nutritious, filled with fibre and protein but has undertones off cinnamon which really make this chilli pop!  This recipe comes from Phase 2: Boost of Dr. Shulman's Metabolism Boosting Diet.  You can find it on page 237 ~ it is delicious and again a great meal you can freeze in a portion size container and heat up for a home cooked meal without all the prep!

THE RECIPE:

1lb ground turkey
1 can (28oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (28oz) tomato sauce
½ medium onion, diced
2 celery sticks, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp EACH dried basil, parsley, oregano, cinnamon
1 tbsp chilli powder
1 bay leaf
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

In a large pot, cook turkey over medium heat until browned ~ drain off fat.  Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce, vegetables and spices.  Simmer, uncovered for 40 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add beans and simmer for another 5 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and serve.

SIDE NOTE: I have never had to drain off fat since the turkey I have used is super lean.  I prefer to add my beans when I add everything else and let it simmer for 40 minutes instead of adding the beans at the end.  I think it just depends on your personal preference.  

Here are the goodies I used today ~ as you can tell I veered from the original recipe a tiny bit due to what was in my cabinets:)  I used a can of mixed beans and a can of small red beans instead of 1 can kidney beans.  Now that I have made this recipe half a dozen times or so I feel pretty comfortable with switching it up a little here or there:)

I use pretty much all organic canned goods, spices, etc.  Everything would have been purchased at Nature's Fare (my favourite place for everything grocery).

Two Rivers ground turkey is from North Vancouver, BC ~ again try to do as much organic and local as we can.  Also look for SPCA approved eggs and meat.  Purchased from Nature's Fare as well.

This is my best sous chef Marley:)  She re-washes all my veggies and preps them (puts them on the cutting board)for me to chop up.  Then she puts them in the bowl! She rocks ~ you can't purchase her from Nature's Fare though you will find her there often!  She loves it there!

Mix all these goodies together and simmer!  It smells so good ~ especially with a little cinnamon pop!

Here are the nutrition details per serving:

371 calories

11 g fat

36 g carbohydrates

32 g protein

11 g fibre

12 g sugars

I am telling you this recipe is one to try and it will become a staple in your home!  My husband adds a little hot sauce because he loves hot ~ and nothing is hot enough for him.  This recipe has a bit of spice but nothing drastic.  Thank you Dr. Shulman for another winner!  Enjoy everyone!

Make Mama Well

Sometimes having babies can make us forget about taking care of ourselves.  Sometimes I look at the clock and it is three in the afternoon and I realize I have not changed and cleaned myself up yet.  It is quite something when showers become a treat and going to the bathroom by yourself is rare.  Life is simply…different.  Focus is on the babies ~ who needs a clean bum, who needs a snack, who needs a story, who needs a snuggle, who needs a timeout (MARLEY;), who needs a drink (or a boob depending on the stage).  Moms go day after day waiting on the babies, making sure everyone is taken care of.  It is a honour to take care of my family but sometimes I just want to pee by myself.  So what am I getting at?  Mama wellness, my friends.  Wellness…think about that word for a second and think about what it means for you.  I think for my family to be happy I need to be healthy.  Well what is health to me?  It is nutrition and exercise.  Those are my two priorities after my children and husband (oh and dog).  Over the last year I have really focused on my health (along with my families health).  I also write a blog called "eat. burpee. sleep. repeat." which you can find here.  In this blog I share what I have learned about nutrition, fitness and achieving a healthy weight.  I also do some book review stuff and share profiles of amazing members of my training centre Excel Fitness.  It is amazing how much dietary changes and some good exercise can really change your view, perception, attitude, mood, and the list goes on.  I find that when I am not taking care of myself (eating crap, or not much at all cause I am go-go-go all day; not exercising ~ just doing the running the kids around thing) I feel like garbage.  My confidence is weaker, I tend to have a shorter fuse with my kids, just feel grumpy/sad/tired.  I just really like who I am ~ I deal with it but I know things should change.

Now that I am wiser about nutrition and a day-to-day diet's effect on you inside and out I feel so much better.  I have more energy, a longer fuse for those tough times, and way more confidence.  I feel way more comfortable in my skin and don't mind going out and about with little makeup and my hair pulled back.  A few years ago when I was less healthy I would always do my makeup and hair but look put together but the food and lack of exercise was what I really should have been focusing on.  I mean if you enjoy that good on ya girl!  I enjoy that too but time and priorities are different.  Somedays it works and somedays it doesn't.  The point I am trying to make is that I was trying to hide the fact that I didn't feel to great about myself ~ mainly because I knew I should be eating food that was better for me and exercising more.  I have never been crazy unhealthy but just enough where I couldn't just go out and run a 10km (or a 5km:).  By the way I did just that this past weekend ~ I woke up on Sunday morning and simply felt like doing the 10km race in my area so luckily I got in and did it:)  Here are my stats ~ not too bad for a newbie:
Name: BRITTANY MCMILLAN
Age Cat: F30-34
Place: 149
Time: 1:01:16
DivPlace: 9 / 11
SexPlace: 63 / 94
Mile Pace: 9:52
Km pace: 6:08
Points: 15

Thank heavens that is done!

Running running running!

Post race happy! Sore but happy!

 I love learning about nutrition and how I can FUEL my body to operate at it's best.  And I love training ~ I wish everyone could find a place like Excel.  I look forward to class so much and love leaving there sweating and pumped.  I am so much stronger now than I have ever been.  I feel so much better in clothes that I felt uncomfortable in before ( you know that pants to tight on the tummy thing, etc.).  I am in the best shape of my life (and so wish I would have treated my body like this years ago)!  By no means am I saying that all moms need to make time to become super fit body builders but I do think everyone (mom or not, male and female) need to be cognizant of the nutrients they ingest and the exercise they partake in.  What do you have to lose?  Who wouldn't want to feel better inside and out (when I say inside I am talking about digestion mainly, possibly healing an injury, etc.).  A perk could be you can fit into that pair of pants sitting in your closet but that comes second to the fact that you are healthier INSIDE.

I think wellness can take form in other ways too like doing something you enjoy, crafting, sports, social gatherings, etc. but I really do think you need to make sure nutrition and fitness are somewhere in your top priorities.  Even if you don't think you have time ~ really try to make time.  At some point during the day/night maybe you watch TV or go on the computer.  You can squeeze a little workout in somewhere.  Also prepping food for the week has recently become a life saver for my family.  Instead of reaching for chips you can reach for those carrot sticks or hardboiled egg, etc.  If mama feels good, the kids feel good.  If everyone is eating a healthy, balanced diet then you have more regulated moods plus you just simply FEEL better.  Exercising as I am sure you know improves happiness!  I am not seeing any cons here:)  I wish all mamas a healthy and vitalized life.  You are worth it.

Click over to my wellness blog for tips and how-to.  One author that you must check out is named Dr. Joey Shulman.  She is phenomenal.  You can find her and her books here (and also at your library).  Natural Makeover Diet and The Metabolism Boosting Diet are awesome books!  She is by no means a "fad diet" writer ~ it is all about making changes for LIFE and how to nourish your body for LIFE.  The word diet has a pretty negative connotation but here I am talking about your day-to-day eating.  Organic, local, balanced ~ this is the way to go.

If you are making your insides super healthy and taking care of that part of it I think it is also a great idea to take care of the outside.  I have mentioned this book before in an earlier post but everyone should read Gorgeously Green.  Products that you put on your skin should not be unhealthy for you.  This is a great little wake-up call and can really take mama wellness to another level!  Ok nap just ended so I am going to cut here.  Stay tuned for more:)  Thanks for reading!