The Miracle Food Prep Meal: Turkey Chili

Turkey chili is perhaps the most versatile single-pot meal prep dish. The yield for a single cooking is enough to provide leftovers for weeks, but not everyone wants to eat chili everyday for two weeks. Since variety is the spice of life, why not use those leftovers in new ways? Leftover chili can be used as an ingredient in many healthy dishes! One idea: use your chili as a protein and dressing for a taco salad!

Read on for my chili recipe, as well recipes to use those leftovers!

Easy Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion, minced

3 bell peppers (any color), seeded and diced

2 jalapenos, seeded and minced

1 large sweet potato, cut in chunks

2 different cans of beans (kidney, pinto, and black beans are all good choices)

2 cans of diced tomatoes

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 can of tomato sauce (the small cans, not like Ragu)

1 pound ground turkey

1-2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp BBQ sauce

1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

3 bay leaves

(The following spices are all to taste)

Salt

Pepper

Adobo

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Powdered ginger

Italian seasoning

Paprika

Chili powder

Crushed red pepper

Cumin

Recipe:

1. In a large dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.

2. Add minced onion and salt and pepper the onion. Coat the onion in the oil. Cook the onion until it begins to become translucent.

3. Add the bell and jalapeno peppers. Salt and pepper the peppers and mix with the onion. Cover and cook until the peppers are tender.

4. Add the garlic and ground turkey. Season the turkey with adobo and break up the meat into small pieces, mixing in with the onions and peppers. Brown the turkey.

5. Add the sweet potato and all five cans. Add all of the remaining dry spices (including the bay leaves), as well as the BBQ sauce and balsamic vinegar. Be generous with the cumin, as this is one of the primary flavors of the chili. Stir.

6. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

7. Uncover and continue simmering for 15 minutes.

8. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Chili will thicken as it cools.

9. Serve in a bowl. Top with avocado, shredded carrots, tortilla strips, etc. as desired.
   

Now you should be left with tons of tasty leftovers! Let’s do something with them!

Chili Breakfast Scramble

Ingredients:

1 minced shallot

1 sweet potato, diced

1 jalapeno, minced

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 eggs

Fresh spinach

Vegan cheese

1 handful shredded carrots

3 tbsp leftover chili

Valentina hot sauce

Recipe:

1. Heat olive oil in a pan. Add the diced sweet potato, salt and pepper, and cook until they begin to brown.

2. Add the shredded carrots, minced shallot, garlic and jalapeno. Cook until they begin to brown.

3. Push the ingredients in the pan to one side. In the remaining space, scramble the eggs, adding salt and pepper to the egg.

4. When the eggs are scrambled, add the chili to the pan. Then add spinach, covering the entire pan. It will cook down considerably. Mix together all the ingredients in the pan and stir until the spinach begins to wilt. Add a splash of water and cover until the spinach is cooked.

5. Add hot sauce and vegan cheese to taste. Stir until the cheese is melted and serve!
   
   

Chili Empanadas with Jalapeno Avocado Lime dipping sauce

Ingredients:

Leftover chili

10 regular-sized Goya empanada discos

Shredded pepperjack Daiya cheese

2 eggs

½ avocado

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Olive oil

Parsley

¼ tsp lime juice

Adobo seasoning

Cumin

¾ cup mayo

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Spread the empanada shell dough a little with your fingers, being careful to maintain the circular shape and not to rip the dough. In the center of the circle, add a pinch of the cheese and about 1-2 tbsp of the leftover chili.

3. Fold the circle in half and press the outside edges together. Crimp the seam with a fork. Place the empanada on the cookie sheet.

4. Repeat for the rest of the shells.

5. Separate the yolks from the 2 eggs and whisk the yolks with 1 tbsp of water. Brush the egg wash onto the empanadas.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Then set the oven to broil and cook for 2 ½ minutes.

7. Once the empanadas are in the oven, make the dipping sauce. In a blender, blend together the mayo, jalapeno, lime juice and avocado with a dash of olive oil, sprinkling of adobo, liberal amount of parsley and cumin. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a tupperware and place in the freezer to chill until the empanadas are ready. Store the remaining dipping sauce in the fridge. It will keep for a few weeks.

8. Allow the empanadas to cool for 10 minutes and serve with the dipping sauce.