99 Cent Store Turkey Chili

My upcoming nuptials have really brought out some new and healthy habits that some might call unconventional. For instance, the need to save up tens of thousands of dollars to blow on one day of my life has forced me to cut my food budget. Less eating out, less gourmet ingredients and more of the discount chains. But cheaper doesn't have to be less healthy.

I have started frequenting the local Farmer's Market more often, where I can buy a week's worth of fruits and veggies for under $20. I have been to the Hispanic markets which have some of the lowest prices on meat and produce, though there isn't a whole lot of selection. Lastly, and the one I've gotten the most quizzical stares about is the 99 cent store.

Well I showed those naysayers, it turns out that the 99 cent store actually carries a good amount of organic foods like blackberries, mixed greens, celery, etc. In their frozen foods section you'll find a good amount of turkey based meat products including ground turkey, turkey hot dogs and turkey bacon. Their canned and jarred foods are also pretty extensive, having a large variety of the staples like tomatoes and beans. But yowza, check out jars of herbs for $0.99! That's a steal!

Anyway, perusing the shelves I came across all the ingredients to make a healthy and delicious chili. Here it goes:

Ingredients

24	oz. chili beans
12	oz. white beans
1	lb ground turkey
24	oz diced tomatoes
1	onion
7	cloves of garlic
1	yellow bell pepper
4	tablespoons chili powder
1	teaspoon cumin
1	teaspoon bay leaves
1	teaspoon olive oil
2	cups beef broth
1	package chili seasoning

Directions

1. Dice the onions, garlic and bell peppers.
   
   
2. Add olive oil to a hot skillet and sauté the onions, garlic and bell peppers.
   
   
3. When the onions garlic and bell peppers start to slightly brown, add the ground turkey and the chili seasoning. Break apart the ground turkey and allow to brown to develop a depth of flavor.
   
   
4. Add the 2 cans of diced tomatoes, 2 cans of chili beans and 1 can of white beans to the crockpot.
   
   
5. Add the ground turkey mixture to the crockpot.
   
   
6. Deglaze the skillet with the 2 cups of beef broth and then add the broth to the crockpot.
   
   
7. Season the chili with chili powder, cumin, and 1 teaspoon of bay leaves.
   
   
8. Cook on low for anywhere between 3-8 hours. I leave mine on all night or all day, it just gets better with time.
   

Enjoy!

Mocktails - Bay of Pigs

I mentioned over at lanadefemme.blogspot.com that I had given up alcohol. That's right folks, no more vodka club sodas for me for a few months. Goodbye delicious dirty martinis, how I occasionally miss thee. Bay of Pigs, you are definitely missed. One of my biggest challenges was dealing with what I was going to do while everyone around me got their party on with alcoholic beverages. Enter my current favorite mocktail!

Bay of Pigs
Traditionally this drink is made from a Mexican beer (I prefer Sol) and Clamato. Salt rims the glass and the drink is kicked up a notch with some Tabasco. It's a lighter, more freshing and nighttime appropriate version of a Bloody Mary.

1 pint glass
1 bottle of Clamato
1 bottle of Sparkling Water/Club Soda/Non-alcoholic Beer
1 bottle of Tabasco
Margarita Salt
Limes

Take a pint glass, rim with salt, fill 1/3 to 1/2 with Clamato depending on your preference, fill the rest of the way with Sparkling Water/Club Soda/Non-alcoholic Beer. Dash Tabasco to your liking, I have usually 5+ dashes because I like it spicy. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Personally, I skip the salt (sodium just causes bloat) and I use sparkling water because it's also low in sodium. My friend prefers Non-alcoholic Beer, but it just seems like wasteful calories to me for none of the fun of regular beer!

Iceberg Lettuce Wedge Salad

Something about having to use a knife and fork to cut into a salad makes it seem more substantial doesn't it? My absolute favorite happens to include a blue cheese dressing, little diced tomatoes, black olives and bacon crumbles.

That being said, let's face it, I'm watching my waistline like everyone else in California. The amount of saturated fat in a dish that includes blue cheese dressing and bacon crumbles is astronomical. Here is my rendition.

Low Fat Blue Cheese Dressing (18 servings - 2 tablespoons per serving)
Ingredients

1	cup fat-free cottage cheese
1	cup nonfat plain yogurt
2	tablespoons chopped onion
1	garlic clove, minced
1	tablespoon crumbled blue cheese
1	tablespoon lemon juice

Directions

1. In a blender or food processor, combine cottage cheese, yogurt, onion and garlic; process until smooth.
   
   
2. Stir in blue cheese. Store, covered, in the refrigerator.
   
   
3. Whisk in lemon juice before serving.

Iceberg Wedge Salad
Ingredients

1	head iceberg lettuce
1/2	cup of blue cheese
4	serving turkey bacon
1	cup of black olives
1	diced tomato
1/4	red onion

Directions

1. On each salad plate, place 1 wedge of lettuce turned on its side.
   
   
2. Pour blue cheese dressing on wedge.
   
   
3. Sprinkle with tomatoes, red onion, black olives, crumbled blue cheese, and crumbled bacon.