I like to know
why. I love Google so I can do research. I love Siri so I can quickly get
answers. My poor doctor is always bombarded with questions when I visit.
When it comes
to my health, I'm constantly asking why? Why is this working for me? Something
isn't working - what is it? I eliminate things and add them back in to see what
happens. I constantly experiment on myself.
Recently I had
a food allergy/sensitivity test done. I was very anxious to get the results
back because I knew something I was eating was making me feel bloated,
sluggish, blah. Even being gluten and dairy-free since spring, something was still off.
The results
came back and I was surprised by some of the things I need to avoid. Among many
things, corn and tomatoes are on the list. That explains why Qdoba wasn't
working for me: pico de gallo and corn salsa with corn chips. Bah! (I've
discovered fajita peppers are a great substitute for the crunch and substance.
Thankfully I can still eat peppers. And guacamole!)
But chili.
Chili is a fall staple at my house. Double batches are made and eaten all week
long for healthy lunches and dinners.
But now - no
tomatoes.
I did a Google
search for tomato-free chili and found a fabulous recipe from Lina at Strictly Delicious. (Check her Paleo Pumpkin Chili out here.)
I combined it
with my chili recipe and came up with this awesome, healthy alternative.
Tomato-free.
I promise - you won't even miss the tomatoes! Fabulous!
Pumpkin Chili (Tomato-Free)
20
oz ground turkey (or ground round)
Onion,
chopped (large palm full)
5
- 8 cloves garlic
Sauté
onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes in olive oil; add turkey and brown.
While
browning, add (measurements don’t need to be exact):
1
½ t salt
½
t pepper
1
t cinnamon
1/4
t cloves
1
t basil
2
t cumin
½
t marjoram
2
t oregano
2
t chili powder
1
t Chipotle powder (optional)
Tabasco
Chipotle sauce if desired
When
turkey is browned, add:
1/2
can pureed pumpkin*
2
1/2 cups chicken broth
2
– 15 oz cans pinto/kidney/black beans, drained and rinsed
1
sweet potato, peeled and cubed
Simmer
20 – 45 minutes
Add
juice of one lime.
If
you're not diary-free, top with shredded cheese, Greek yogurt and green onion
as desired. If you're not corn-free, tortilla chips would be great with this!
*Oh, that 1/2 can of leftover pumpkin? Tastes great with a tiny bit of maple syrup and some hazelnuts. (You can get 2 servings out of that.) Or mix one teaspoon into some scrambled eggs. Add it to oatmeal.
If you try Pumpkin Chili, I'd love to know what you think. Just comment below. Also, what would you do with the leftover pumpkin?
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