Turkey Black Bean Chili

I've never thought of myself as much of a soup gal. It's just that, every time I'd crack open a can of soup, I was left wanting something else. Cans of soup with their loads of broth and little of anything else just leave something to be desired, am I right? I was just never satisfied!

Yet, being the naturally cold person I am (I shiver when it's 50 degrees...), I needed soup to warm me up this winter! Thus, I ushered in a homemade soups, stews and chili phase! And it welcomed me with a warm and satisfying embrace. Me and homemade soups, we have a mutual attraction.

This Turkey Black Bean Chili is a family favorite! I can't quite say where the recipe is from because all I have is a magazine clipping taped to an index card, but my mom tweaked the recipe a bit and it's just perfect!

What I like about this soup is its heartiness - no excess broth, but lots of protein! The diced tomatoes with jalapenos or chilies add a bit of heat which ties the whole dish together!

This chili is healthy, spicy and satisfying, and is sure to keep you full and warm in these cold winter months! As an added bonus, this would make a great addition to your Super Bowl tailgate menu because as you know, the most important part of the Super Bowl is the food (oh, and the commercials). So bundle up and enjoy!

Turkey Black Bean Chili

• 4 (15 oz.) cans black beans
• 1/2 - 1 large sweet onion, chopped
• 2 lbs. ground turkey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6-8 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 (14 oz.) cans low-sodium, fat-free chicken broth
• 3 (14.5 oz.) cans petite dice tomatoes with jalapenos or chilies
• Sour cream, cilantro, grated cheese (for garnish, if desired)

Directions

1. Drain and rinse 3 cans of black beans. Don't drain and rinse the 4th can!
2. Sautee chopped onion and ground turkey in hot oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, about 8-10 minutes or until turkey crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in chili powder, ground cumin, salt and pepper; sautee about one minute. Stir in drained and undrained beans, chicken broth and diced tomatoes.
3. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer (at least) 10 minutes. Simmer longer for added flavor! Garnish as desired and enjoy!

I linked this post over at: Hungry Little Girl, Pocket Change Gourmet, Salt Tree, Buns in My Oven, Semi Homemade Mom, Recipes for My Boys, Chocolate, Chocolate and More Chocolate, Food Done Light, Six Sisters Stuff

Spinach & Smoked Gouda Penne Bake

This past weekend, I visited my wonderful friends who are up in Chapel Hill for the summer. It was a great weekend that included a shopping trip with some lovely girlfriends (holler atcha Hannah and Bushman), Sweet Frog Frozen Yogurt (THE BEST), and a trip to the driving range with my boyfriend. I packed a lot into a couple of days and it made me all the more excited to get back to school for a new semester!

Over the weekend, I went to three classic restaurants in Chapel Hill and ate my heart out. I dined on my favorite veggie wrap at Spanky's Friday night, ate a drool-worthy sandwich at Sutton's on Saturday for lunch, and  enjoyed Sunday morning brunch at Breadman's. Like someone pinch me...total food heaven.

God Bless Sutton's Drug Store.

In order to not feel TOTALLY guilty about my food consumption AND to save money (I'm a broke college student 4 realz), I brought up a pasta bake so that one of my weekend meals would be taken care of.

This colorful dish is filled with tons of fresh spinach, bell pepper, garlic, and tomatoes, and it's all topped with lots of smoked gouda...YUM. It's healthy and delicious all in one. And more importantly for many, it's super easy to make and is a great meal to throw together in a pinch and serve alongside a simple salad.

When my mom found this recipe in our local newspaper, it quickly became a family favorite. Try it out yourself and I am sure you won't be disappointed!

Spinach & Smoked Gouda Penne Bake

Recipe from The Charlotte Observer

• 2 tbsp. (approx.) extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small/medium yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/4 onion, finely chopped
• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with basil and oregano
• 1 (6 oz.) bag washed baby spinach
• 1 (12-16 oz.) box penne pasta
• 8 oz. smoked gouda cheese, shredded

Directions

1. Boil the pasta in salted water according to package directions, drain, and keep warm.
2. Prepare 13x9 lightly greased glass casserole dish and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
3. In a deep skillet pour in the olive oil (approximately 2 tablespoons or 2 turns of the skillet) and turn on medium-high heat.
4. Add the onion to the skillet and allow to cook for about two minutes, constantly stirring. Next, add the minced garlic and again, allow to cook for about two more minutes, stirring. Add in the yellow pepper, repeating the same steps to cook until the vegetables are softened.
5. Next, add the diced tomatoes.  Reduce the heat to low-medium and cook vegetable mixture together for about 5 minutes.  
6. Turn the heat off and add spinach, a little bit at a time, allowing to wilt.  Add vegetable mixture to the cooked pasta, and toss with 1/2 of the shredded gouda cheese.
7. Pour pasta concoction into greased casserole dish and sprinkle remaining shredded gouda over the top.
8. Cook in prepared oven for about 15 minutes, or until cheese is melted - ENJOY!

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil

Colorful and wonderful!

Last Friday, my best friend, Nick, and I cooked a delicious and fresh summer dinner for my parents. My dad just had surgery and my mom has been extremely busy, so we thought we would try out some recipes and help them out all in one.

Our menu consisted of marinated grilled chicken (using Newman's Lite Caesar Dressing for marinade), oven-roasted asparagus (olive oil, salt, pepper), and warm, buttery rolls, but the star of the show was this Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil.

The recipe for the salad attracted my eye on Pinterest (thanks for pinning it, Alexandra!). I'm seriously obsessed with the site and feel so accomplished when I create something off of it...my life is very sad. That being said, it tasted every bit as good as the picture online looked.

All four of us diners couldn't help but dive in for seconds and much to my pleasure (and slight dismay), there were no leftovers! This side dish is super simple, extremely health, and so fresh. It is absolutely the perfect, light summer side dish.

Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil
Recipe from Green Lite Bites

• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 25 large basil leaves, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tbsp. honey
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Toss all ingredients together in a medium serving bowl.
2. Chill for at least 20 minutes, allowing all the flavors to merge.
3. Eat and Enjoy!

The complete meal.

Thanks for manning the grill, Nick!

Roasted to perfection.