No. 1 : Quick Recipe
Fall Veggie Chili
- 2 TB Avocado or Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Chopped Red Onion
- 1 Yellow or Orange Bell Pepper Seeds and Chopped
- 3 Grated Garlic Cloves
- 2 (15 OZ) Cans Black Beans
- 4 Cups Chopped (about ½”) Sweet Potatoes, tossed or sprayed in olive oil, roasted at 400F for about 30 minutes with a sprinkle of turmeric, sea salt, and ground pepper
- 2 (15 OZ) Cans Fire Roasted Chopped Tomatoes
- ½ Cup Orange* Lentils
- 4 Cups Veggie Broth
- 1 TB Chili Powder
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
- ¼ Cup Chopped Cilantro
- ¼ Cup Chopped Green Onions, plus more for garnish
- 1 TB Lime Juice
- Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- 1 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar
- ½ Cup Nonfat Greek Yogurt
Sauté the onion and pepper in the oil. When soft, about 5 – 7 minutes, add the garlic and cook and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the next 8 ingredients to the pot and simmer for 20 – 30 minutes. When warmed through, stir in the cilantro and green onions. Season with salt and pepper.Top with additional green onions, shredded cheddar and nonfat greek yogurt.
*Use Orange (red) Lentils whenever you are making a creamy dish, as they are much softer when cooked than green, black or brown lentils.
No. 2 : Kitchen Scoop
I love lentils for the healthy kitchen, they are tiny powerhouses of flavor AND nutrition. They are a super source of fiber lowering cholesterol – the same fiber helps regulate blood sugar. Studies show that lentils also provide significant amounts of folate and magnesium – perfect nutrition for a healthy heart!
No. 3 : Get Creative
My favorite brand of fire roasted tomatoes are from Muir Glen, a company found in 1991 by a group of entrepreneurs interested in making the best tomatoes available for everyone. They are organic and packaged without any synthetic chemical additives of any kind.
No. 4 : Cheers!
Viettti Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne
Piedmont Italy
Around $20.00
Did you know that there are over 350 grape varieties growing in Italy? One you shouldn’t miss is Barbera (bar-BEH-ra). Barbera is a black (red) grape with cherry flavors, soft tannins, and medium to high acidity that comes from the Northwest corner of Italy in the Piedmont Region. There are three places that use the Barbera grape to make delicious fruit-forward red wine, Asti, Alba and Monferrato. The “d” in front of the name means “of” and indicates which area the wine is from.