Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili (skinny version)

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I love soups and chili on a cold winter day like today!  The ones I truly love are not the most healthy, but to my delight I found this recipe;  No Bean Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili by SkinnyTaste. 

My photo does not do this justice, but this Turkey Chili hits the spot.  I added cauliflower rice to the bottom of the bowl instead of white rice and it was not only delicious but very filling and not a lot of calories!

I am adding the recipe here below, but you can click on the link above and get her full version recipe with pics!

INGREDIENTS:
20  oz lean ground turkey
kosher salt to taste
1/2 cup onion chopped
3 garlic cloves chopped
10 oz Rotel with green chilies
8 oz tomato sauce
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1 medium sweet potato, diced
cilantro for garnish if you like

DIRECTIONS:
In large skillet, brown the turkey and season with salt and cumin
After meat is browned, add onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes over med heat
Add Rotel, tomato sauce, water, cumin, chili powder, paprika and bay leaf
Cover and simmer about 20 to 25 minutes for potatoes to soften
Remove bay leaf and serve
Add sour cream and cilantro if you desire (or rice)

I hope you enjoy this recipe.  Be sure to go to SkinnyTaste  for full recipe!

One Lovely Blog Award

Thanks to Taylor at Peas Romaine Calm  for nominating me for this award!  I appreciate her sending this to me as I love her blog!   It is so easy to read, love all her creative graphics and her food always looks so tasty!   Her blog is fun just to look at! Check her out and these others as well! Thanks again Taylor!

I think these sweet awards are a great way for me to nominate blogs I love and are inspired by.   Hopefully this will encourage others to check them out as well.  I would nominate Taylor, of course, but I will need to find something she is not nominated for already!  So glad others are finding her blog so interesting.  Way to go, Taylor!

The Rules :

  • Thank the person that nominated you and give a link to their blog.
  • List the rules.
  • Display the award on your post of the award.
  • List seven random facts about yourself.
  • Nominate (up to) 15 bloggers for this award and comment on one of their posts to let them know you have nominated them.

    Random Facts:

    1. I enjoy reading.
    2. I love Mexican food.
    3. I was raised by the two sweetest parents on the earth.
    4. I freak out at blood, cuts or breaks of any kind.  You don’t want me to be the only one around if something tragic happens!
    5. I wish I could dance, I mean really dance!
    6. I have a fear of flying, but make myself do it.
    7. I would love to own my own business.

     

Nominees:

~Jane’s Patisserie  One of my favorite blogs!  Love all her recipes and photos and she is only 23!  Way to go!
~Analiza Gonzales I love her website.  She has recipes and other ideas on fashion and all her recipes look delicious!
~Hungry Girl Por Vida This blog has so many homemade recipes and also some fabulous looking cocktails!
~With All My Affection Love this blog..it is a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog from an adorable 20 something!  So cute!
~Feasting with Friends Nancy lives in Detroit and  loves to cook and create her own recipes.  She has been nominated for multiple awards, but I wanted to include her because I love her blog!
~Smiling Notes This 20 something year old shares her adventures in travel and cooking.  It is so interesting and I love to look at her travel photos, especially from New York!
~Life with Becky I love this inspirational blog.  Cheryl writes about her daughter Becky and the struggles and triumphs they have.  Cheryl seems like an amazing person to me!
~Why 10 More bites? This is so cute…a mom and husband who love good food and love to share with others.

These are just a few of my faves as I have so many blogs I love to go to for inspiration.

Thanks again Taylor and I encourage you to check out some of these blogs.

Skinny Stuffed Bell Peppers or Cake batter?

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It is not easy for me to find the perfect balance in my life.  I am naturally an “all or nothing” kind of girl, especially where food is concerned. If I am eating “bad”, then I am eating bad; if I am eating “good”, then I am eating good!  Sometimes I struggle with having that favorite cupcake or candy and popcorn at the movies.  Usually when I say yes to those types of sweets,  I tend to eat bad all day, which leads to all week, which leads to waiting until Monday to eat healthy again!  Yes, balance is hard for me.IMG_2687[1]

 

 

 

I find this to be true in so many areas of my life, not just with food.  I am trying to learn that there is a good balance out there somewhere that will work for me.

The last two weeks have proven to be better.  I have enjoyed a healthier kitchen while still baking and tasting some of my favorite sweets as well as having a drink, in moderation, of course!  I found the scale did not go up!

Today I made one of my favorite things from the SKINNYTASTE website, Stuffed Bell Peppers.  I love how these taste, they fill me up and don’t add a ton of calories.

 

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I made some with cheese and some without. If I pour salsa on them, I find I can do without the extra calories or flavor from the cheese.  I am not saying it is not better with cheese, because what is not better with cheese?  But I can still enjoy without!

I have used her recipes and cookbook many times and loved everything I have tried.  If you don’t already have her book, it is a great one to have on your kitchen counter!

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Find the recipe here Turkey Stuffed Peppers.  If you are interested in her cookbook, take a peek here and see what you think!  The Skinnytaste Cookbook: Light on Calories, Big on Flavor.  I hope you enjoy!

 

 

Homemade Beef Stew…Yum

I have a tried and true Beef Stew recipe from a wonderful friend from Louisiana. She gave it to me about 25 years ago and I have used it many times since.

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1st Recipe box 1989

I went to my lovely blue and mauve recipe box (from my wedding in 1989) and could not find it in there!  I will find it one day, many years from now, when I clean out all my cabinets.  But I wanted to make the stew for dinner,  so off to Pinterest and other blogs I went in search of an amazing Beef Stew recipe.

I found this one on Pinterest and put it on my board.  You can also find the recipe here.  I still love my friend’s stew, but this one certainly is one I will make again and it was perfect on this cold winter evening.

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tasty vegetables

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searing the meat

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cry, cry, cry

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making the cornbread

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delicious

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Beef Stew