Winner, winner, CHILI Dinner

Now that the weather is getting cooler (55 degrees here today-- was beautiful!), we want cozy comfort food.  Bodybuilders are starting to enter their post summer bulking phase-- which is I think a nice way of saying they want to eat all the wonderful stuff they kept out of their diets to show of their six pack during the summer.  But cozy doesn't have to mean full of fat!

A friend sent me a message asking about the healthiness of chili.   Good question!  We're all thinking about it!

So here's the lowdown.  Chili has lots of nutrient dense ingredients like beans (unless you're like me--who is a little weirded out by the texture) and lean beef and tomatoes. For the record, tomatoes are a rockstar food that is high in lycopene, which is a powerful antioxidant compound that boasts many benefits, including promoting eye health and lowering the incidences of heart disease and cancer.  Chili is a great source of protein, and since spicy foods are thought to raise metabolism so Chili is a winner there too.

As you settle in to a fall feast, just beware that you don't you don't undo all your healthy hard work by piling on the cheese and sour cream (or Fritos!).  Also, Chili tends to be high in salt, so moderate your intake the rest of the day.

Really? Why does chili need to look so ugh?

Here's one of my favorite recipes that I adapted to make waist-line friendly.   Sorry not to be able to give credit where it's due, but this has been lurking in my recipe book for a while!

American Diets are often very high in sodium.  Dietary Guidelines recommend no more than 2300 milligrams of sodium per day. 1500 milligrams per day if you are over the age of 51, have kidney disease, diabetes, or high blood pressure. This recipe, unlike most, boasts a moderate 358 mg per serving, which is reasonable!

1 lbs. 93% lean ground beef, browned and drained
4 oz can green chilis
10.5 oz can french onion soup
1 T. chili powder
2 cups cooked kidney beans (yes, the kind you have to soak-- saves crazy amounts of sodium versus using canned beans)
2 t. ground cumin
6 oz. can tomato paste
3/4 c. water
1/2 t. pepper
1/8 t (or 1/4 if you're really rowdy) hot pepper sauce

Serving Size 1/8 recipe
Nutrition: Calories: 289, Carbs: 38g, Protein: 24 g, Fat: 5 g, Sodium: 358 mg

Pop those rockstar ingredients into the crockpot for 6-8 hours on low.  Serves 8.  Nutritional info as pictured. FYI: Myfitnesspal has a great tool that allows you to put your recipe in and it will figure everything out for you.  Also handy to be able to add it right to your food diary, which of course you are using consistently.  Right?  Thought so!

Happy Feasting

Fall in a Glass!

I've kept it at bay as long as I could, but now that the weather is (finally!) starting to cool down, I have a bad case of pumpkin-itis.  Normally by now I would've made pumpkin soup and pumpkin bread and maybe even pumpkin-sage ravioli.  You know.  Pumpkin: All. the. things  And it's a good thing that there is no St. Arbucks nearby or it would be a pumpkin spice latte way too often.

But as I've made changes to the way I eat, getting my fall fix has been a challenge. So I did what any pumpkin-craving, sorta techy person would do.  I turned to the wisdom of Pinterest. I was pretty delighed that one of the first recipes was for a pumpkin protein smoothie made with whey protein.  Whey protein is a great way to sneak in some extra protein without tons of calories, carbs, or sodium.  It also has a pretty complete amino acid profile, which is why bodybuilders swear by it.  (Amino acids are necessary for building muscle.)  But don't worry-- even if you aren't a body builder, whey protein can make a great addition to your diet.  Fact: most people eat too little protein for their body's requirements, but that's a post for another day. That being said, protein powder day in and day out is about as exciting as it sounds.

So this is perfect! Makes good use of whey, tastes like fall, and bonus: ice cream! Yes, ice cream!  Contrary to belief, ice cream is great when eaten at the right time of day-- either first thing in the morning or right before a workout. (Um... seriously on the 1/2 cup though--ALWAYS MEASURE!) That way your body can make good use of the carbs.  And because ice cream also has fat and protein, the absorbtion of the carbs is slowed, so it's a good source of longer lasting energy.  (Eat nothing but carbs at a meal and see how quickly you get hungry!)

But wait! As if all that wasn't enough-- there is so much more.  Pumpkin is a powerhouse of great nutrients, including magnesium and potassium (which can be a challenge to consume in correct amounts). Magnesium plays a role in carbohydrate and fat metabolism, supports protein synthesis, and aids in wound healing, as well as playing a vital role in muscle contractions.  Potassium in canned pumpkin maintains healthy heart function and plays an important role in nerve transmission.  But the benefits don't stop there, because canned pumpkin is also high in both vitamins A and K.  Vitamin A plays a major role in eye health (a deficiency can contribute to "night blindness"), immune function and wound healing, and the production of red blood cells.  Vitamin K assists in blood clotting and amino acid metabolism.

Here's my adapted version of Fall in a Glass (aka "Heaven").  Please note, right now I am drinking whole milk, but that may not be appropriate for you. This was made in a way that meets my pre-workout needs.  Definitely make this work for you, and calculate the calories based on your preferences.   Nutrition info is given based on this recipe:

1/2 c Eddy's Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream
8 oz Vitamin D Milk
1/4 c canned pumpkin
1 Scoop Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Whey, Vanilla
1/8 t ground cloves
1/8 t ground cinnamon
1/8 t pumpkin pie spice

Nutrition:
Calories: 409,  Carbs: 37g, Fat: 13g, Protein 34g, Sodium: 264 mg

Throw it in a blender, and throw it back! Happy Fall, y'all!