Paleo Beef & Mushroom Chili

Paleo Beef & Mushroom Chili
From my friend Monica who adapted it from Food Blogger Jenna Weber's recipe

1 tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1.5 pounds ground beef, 85%
1 tsp minced garlic
10 oz. portabella mushrooms
1 15-oz. tomato sauce
1 10-oz. can rotel
½ cup brewed coffee
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 ½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne pepper

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. When hot, add oil and onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add ground beef and garlic and cook until browned. Once meat has browned, add mushrooms and stir well, cooking for 5 more minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, rotel and coffee. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add bay leaf, chili powder, cumin, salt and cayenne. Simmer on low for 45 minutes (or longer!), stirring often.

Review: This is definitely the chili for mushroom lovers. It's excellent and so filling. I like that it's thicker too - very hearty and you just don't miss the beans. The coffee gives it a nice flavor, but really, to me, the mushrooms are the star of this recipe. This is a staple at our house; I alternate each week making this chili and this one.

Oven Chili Dogs

Oven Chili Dogs
Makes 4 Servings (8 hotdogs total)
Adapted from Real Mom Kitchen and Blog Chef

8 hot dog buns (120 calories or less for each)
8 light hot dogs (100 calories or less for each)
4 tsp mustard
½ cup 98% fat free Hormel Turkey Chili with Beans, divided
2 tbsp white onion, diced
2 tbsp green onion, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Squirt ½ tsp mustard into each hot dog bum. Fill buns with hot dogs in a rectangular baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray (6 across and 2 on side). Top each with 1 tbsp chili (save remaining chili in container for another recipe) and white onion. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven and top with green onion. Serve.

Nutritional Information: 446 calories, 53 carbs, 16 fat grams and 22 protein grams.

Review: LOVED. I crave food like this, but don't give in. Now I can! If only I can figure out a way to get these into football games.... that's when I really crave them. LOL But really, great taste, not soggy at all, I loved how it cooked the hot dog in the bun - very tasty.

1 serving - 2 dogs!

Skillet Chili Mac with Corn

Skillet Chili Mac with Corn

Recipe adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Café

Makes 6 Servings

1 tbsp canola oil
1 pound 96/4 ground beef
1 onion, minced
3/4 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 14-oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups water
8 ounces elbow macaroni
1 11-oz. can corn, drained
1 4.5-oz can chopped green chiles
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
3 oz. Cabot 75% cheddar cheese, grated

Heat oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add beef, onion, chili powder, coriander and salt. Cook beef until it is no longer pink. Drain any excess fat or grease. Stir in garlic and brown sugar and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato sauce, water and macaroni. Cover and cook, stirring often and keeping the heat at a steady simmer until macaroni is tender, about 10-12 minutes. Stir in corn, green chiles and cilantro and sprinkle cheese over the top. Cover and let it sit off the heat until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Nutritional Information: 357 calories, 43 carbs, 8 fat grams and 27 protein grams.

Review: Wonderful! I liked that it's lower calorie but still filling, and the macaroni came out great. I love recipes that cook the macaroni for me - nice! I will say that I had to add a bit of salt to mine, and next time I might add some hot sauce to the mix to give it a little more heat. It had flavor, but I like mine a bit more spicy. Regardless, this one was a winner, and I love that it makes 6 servings and only takes 25 minutes tops, including prep!

In the skillet!

Classic Red Chili

Classic Red Chili
Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Café
Makes 10 servings

2 medium onions, diced
2 tsp salt
2 pounds 96/4 ground beef
3 large cans (29 ounces each) pinto beans, drained
2 46 oz. can tomato juice
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 cup ketchup
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
3/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar

Brown the hamburger and onion in a large skillet with salt. Drain grease. In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup water with the garlic salt, pepper, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cumin and brown sugar. In a large pot, combine tomato juice, beans, tomato sauce, and ketchup. Stir in hamburger and onions and seasoning/water mixture. Mix well. Stir in bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat and simmer over medium-low heat for an hour, stirring occasionally (this can simmer for as long as 4-5 hours).

Nutritional Information: 423 calories, 55 carbs, 7 fat grams and 34 protein grams.

Review: I actually didn’t follow the directions above – I slowcooked the whole thing raw beef and all. However, I wish I had because this BARELY fit in the slowcooker and took forever to cook! Haha So I’d follow the directions above. :) And don’t forget to drain those beans! I forgot to drain the first can so it was a little soupier than I wanted. SO all in all, regardless of my errors, it was STILL good! Hehe I really liked it, less smokey and more sweet. It has a lot of flavor and is definitely filling. I’m going to make this again – but by following the recipe above!

Creamy White Chili

Creamy White Chili
Recipe adapted from My Kitchen Café
Makes 6 Servings

20 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup onion, diced
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 tbsp olive oil
2 15.5-oz. cansGreat Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
1 14.5-oz. can chicken broth
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies 1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Optional: fresh cilantro for garnish

In a large saucepan, saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil until chicken is no longer pink. Add beans, broth, chilies and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and cream. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information: 384 calories, 27 carbs, 15 fat grams and 29 protein grams.

Review: Wow. The sour cream + whipping cream base really make this soup taste sinful. The can of green chiles adds a nice kick, but it's mild (add a second can for even more!). There is nothing I would do different. The serving may not look huge but it packs a lot of protein with the chicken and beans and kept me full for hours. Austin, Teresa and Forrest agree that this soup is a winner! Austin likes his with a piece of toast.

Traditional Beef Chili

Traditional Chili
Makes 4 Servings

1 McCormick Mild Chli Packet
16 oz. 96/4 ground beef
2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce
1 14.5-oz can kidney beans
2 habaneros, finely diced
1 cup onions, finely diced

Toppings: 40 grams cabot 75% reduced fat cheddar, 4 tbsp sour cream and 40 grams of organic corn chippers (corn chips), divided

Spray slowcooker with nonstick spray. Add in all ingredients and cook on high for four hours. Remove from cooker, divide into four servings and serve each with fat free sour cream, fat free cheese and corn chips.

Nutritional Information: 340 calories, 28 carbs, 9 fat grams and 32 protein grams.

Review: We love it – but note that we like our chili a little spicy and a little thick… it’s both. It’s also kind of smoky if that makes sense. I’m a fan! You could easily pour the chili over low-fat hot dogs, over burgers for chili burgers or over pasta or rice for a change of pace.

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Recipe from My Bizzy Kitchen

Makes 4 servings

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 stalks celery, diced
½ large red pepper, diced
2 tsp minced garlic
2 ½ tbsp of chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
½ tbsp paprika
¼ cup Frank’s Hot Sauce
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz) diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz) black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) chili beans in sauce (do not drain)
salt and pepper to taste
4 tbsp fat-free sour cream
Jalapeno, sliced thinly

Add all ingredients to slow cooker and cook on high for 3 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Divide into four servings and serve with fat-free sour cream and jalapeno slices.

Nutritional Information (including sour cream): 417 calories, 55 carbs, 3 fat grams and 40 protein grams.

Review: It DID NOT disappoint – OMG. So good. Spicy but cool, flavorful, filling and I really felt like I was eating something really bad for me – but it’s not! I used all of Biz’s stuff – just cut it in half and decided to use the slow cooker...and was lazy and didn't puree the celery, garlic and red pepper!

spoonful

Chili Noodle Bake

Chili Noodle Bake
Adapted by Recipes For Moms
Makes 6 Servings

1 pound 96/4 Ground beef
1 can (15 oz.) Hormel 98% fat-free turkey chili with beans
¼ cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
1 oz. Cabot 75% light cheddar cheese
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 11 oz. can corn
8 oz. egg noodles

Preheat oven to 350. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, brown beef until no longer pink. Drain noodles. Drain meat. Combine Meat, chili, tomatoes, corn and noodles. Transfer to greased 13x9 baking dish. Cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 5 – 10 minutes or until heated through.

Nutritional Information: 388 calories, 48 carbs, 7 fat grams and 31 protein grams.

Review: Love it! I'm not a huge corn fan but liked it in this recipe, and loved the egg noodles- super creamy! Next time i'll add a little spice to the meat - maybe cook it with some chili powder or cumin to add a little kick.