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!