Seafood Chili

Okay, I know what you are thinking… seafood chili?? What?! Yes – don’t hate it until you try it. When I was throwing this together, I was seriously thinking “What on earth are you doing?! This is going to be awful!” but I still kept throwing things in the stockpot. Here’s what happened.. It was a cold, snowy Monday. My husband wanted chili – but I don’t eat beef. My turkey and chicken were frozen and it was “meatless Monday”. I had some tilapia and shrimp.. and some other stuff. I threw it together and surprisingly it worked! The paprika and chili powder give it a smoky flavor but the corn and edamame give it a little sweetness. Honestly, it is best served with some tortilla chips crumbled on top. It’s like a weird, tasty cross between a fish taco and chili. You just have to try it!

Seafood Chili

Meal Plan Week of 10/27/13-11/2/13

Happy Saturday to you all!

This week's menu I decided to link up some of my previous recipes. I realized that it's nice to have a weekly menu sometimes but it would be even nicer if you knew how to make some of the recipes.

Have a great weekend!

27	28	29	30	31	1	2
SUNDAY	MONDAY	TUESDAY	WEDNESDAY	THURSDAY	FRIDAY	SATURDAY
Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
egg white	oatmeal	egg	scrambled	orange	scrm egg	french
sandwich	almond milk	toast	eggs	coffee cake	apple/milk	toast
fruit	banana	berries	banana	berries	smoothie	banana
tea	tea	tea	tea	tea	tea	tea
Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
turkey	avocado	cucumber	turkey	chicken	bean	veggie
chili	orange	radish	veggie	salad	salad	mac &
cornbread	chicken wrap	salad	wrap	cheese	veggies	cheese
water	water	water	water	water	water	water
Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
stuffed	spagetti	turkey	leftovers	chicken	shrimp	sante fe
acorn squash	squash	asparagus	squash	enchiladas	avocado	chicken
salad	salad	sw potato	salad	salad	salad	chowder
water	water	water	water	water	water	water
Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack
yogurt	trailmix	cheese	trailmix	quac dip	PB celery	veggies
almonds	carrots	grapes	peaches	veggies	trailmix	trailmix
bread pudding	ice cream	popcorn	PB celery	fruit pizza	ice cream	GF granola

Semi-Homemade Savory Cornbread

What goes better with chili than cornbread? I’m not real sure so I couldn’t really post a chili recipe without posting a cornbread recipe to go with it. This cornbread is so easy. It starts with a pre-made gluten free mix which takes away a lot of the work of making the bread base. Add in a few extra special touches and you’ve got a perfect cornbread recipe. The Swiss cheese and leeks really complement each other well. Of course, if you don’t have a diary or gluten allergy, you can always replace with regular cheese and regular cornbread mix.

1 package of GF cornbread mix (I used Bob’s Red Mill)

2 eggs
1 ½ cup milk (I used almond but soy or dairy would work)
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ cup grated Swiss cheese (I found a diary-free almond cheese!)
¼ cup leeks, finely chopped
1 tsp ground sage

• In a large mixing bowl, blend together cornbread mix, eggs, milk and olive oil – batter will be thick. Blend for about 45 seconds.
• Slowly fold in cheese, leeks and sage – stir with spoon until just combined.
• Pour batter into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes or until top is lightly browned and knife inserted comes out clean.
• NOTE: The cornbread mix said to use a 9x9 pan, which I did. However, the bread came out really thick and the serving sizes were very large. I prefer a thinner cornbread so I will use a larger pan next time. If you use a different pan size, just adjust your cooking time slightly.
• Spread a little butter on top for some extra flavor!

Turkey Veggie Chili

So today I was going to post a recipe for something grilled. However, it is rainy and cold here and we’ve been a bit under the weather. We opted for chili instead! This chili recipe is very mild. You can easily increase the spices to better fit your taste buds! I know exactly what is going into this chili which makes me feel even better about eating it. This is perfect for a cool day and goes great with this homemade cornbread (surprise – two posts in one day!).

1 lb of ground turkey (lean, organic is best – switch out for ground beef if you must)

2 cans of beans (I used organic, white cannellini beans)
2 medium bell peppers, diced (about 1 cup diced)
½ cup mushrooms, diced
½ cup eggplant, diced
½ cup onion, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
4 cups fresh tomatoes, diced (or 3-4 cans, just omit water)
1 cup water
1 tsp ground oregano
1 tsp ground sage
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
Shredded cheese (for topping if desired)

• In a large skillet, brown turkey. Season turkey with sea salt and pepper. Add in garlic, onions and 1 tablespoon olive oil while turkey is cooking.
• In a large stockpot, heat one tablespoon of olive oil. Saute bell peppers, mushrooms and eggplant in stockpot. Add in tomatoes to veggie mixture. Add in water to stockpot with tomatoes and veggies.
• Once the turkey is cooked through, add that mixture into stockpot. Next, add in your spices and simmer for about 20 minutes.
• Pour into bowls and top with shredded cheese if desired.
• NOTE: Add more or less water, depending on your desired thickness of chili.
•  If you add in some tomato paste (1 tbsp at a time), you can thicken up your chili.