Kitchen InFerno: Chilli Nights

Healthy eating and college don’t necessarily go hand-in-hand, but knowing the right tricks can help turn eating right into a daily routine. Let Kiersten Ferno be your guide for navigating the health-food scene without taking a chunk out of your schedule. Welcome to the inFerno.

Throughout my life, as soon as the weather started to cool down, I knew I could look forward to the delicious aroma of soup cooking every Sunday. My mom would whip up a huge pot of soup each week, which came in handy for a quick lunch or dinner for a couple of days. She made everything from Italian wedding, to chicken and wild rice, to my absolute favorite – chili.

I’ve decided to spread a little homemade love with my own chili recipe. It is my favorite comfort meal on a cold night – goodness knows we have quite a few of those here in Happy Valley. (Plus, it’s super easy to freeze and defrost for a super-fast, anytime meal.)

What you’ll need:

2 large cans crushed tomatoes
1 ½ cartons beef broth
2 cans kidney beans
1 can cannellini beans
1 white onion
2 cloves garlic
2 red peppers
1 green pepper
1 lb. ground turkey
½ Tablespoon chili powder
1 ½ teaspoons cumin
5 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

What to do:
(Makes a large pot… cut ingredients in half for a medium-sized pot!)

1. Add 2 Tablespoons olive oil to medium-size pan. Add ground turkey, a pinch of salt and pepper, and break up the turkey with a spatula as it browns. Turn off heat as soon as meat starts to brown so it doesn’t overcook! (It’ll cook more when it’s in the pot with your other ingredients. Also, turkey or chicken are great low-fat alternatives to ground beef!)

2. Mince garlic, dice onion, and add those to a large pot with 3 Tablespoons olive oil. Cook on low heat so the flavors start to release.

3. Roughly dice peppers and rinse beans in a colander. (The liquid in the cans is often full of extra sodium. Always rinse and drain!)

4. Once onion has softened and is golden in color, add peppers, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin. Cook on medium heat for about 10 minutes.

5. Finally, add the ground turkey to pot and let simmer on low heat – stirring occasionally – for as long as possible.

Serve with a sprinkle of cheese or small dollop of sour cream!

Tip from inside the InFerno: The best time to cook chili is when you’re at home doing homework or laundry for a few hours – the longer it cooks, the better it tastes! Leftovers are even better because the flavors have a chance to really mesh together overnight.