196 Calorie Roasted Veggie Turkey Chili (Weight Loss Challenge Recipe)

We started a 7 day clean eating challenge this week and one of my favorite recipes for making ahead is this chili. It is lean, full of veggies and it keeps my beautiful belly full for a long time.  Beautiful belly is, by the way, what I call this middle-section of mine. Or "Middle-Girth" for all you "Lord of the Rings" fans... After a couple months of belly dancing with my mom {No chance I'm ever dancing in public this way but...}, I figured out that this body and belly is not something I want to ever talk badly about. I've embraced my belly.  I'm not saying not to improve...I am saying to love your shape and enjoy the journey. If you hate your body, there's not a diet in the world that will cure it.  That is something you can take to the bank.  You can always be striving for good health, but self-hate is a disease that is only cured in the heart. Cure how you feel about yourself, and you'll have the power to win.   That being said,  I eat this chili with a cup of chopped plum tomato and a cup of fine shredded cabbage and a drizzle of lime juice. Let me know what you think! Seriously. Veggies are amazing! So is your belly! Chef Tess Roasted Veggie Lean Turkey Chili Ingredients 2 cups black beans (canned okay, rinsed and drained without salt) 2 cup Celery, raw, diced 1/4 cup Onions, dehydrated flakes 6 oz Turkey Smoked Sausage, diced or crumbled 28 oz Tomato puree, without salt added 7 oz green chile peppers, diced, roasted  (canned okay) 1 cup Leeks, (bulb and lower leaf-portion), raw, sliced thin 3 oz Carrots, about 1 cup, shredded 3T chili powder, (hot or mild) Instructions for Preparation: Put all ingredients in a crock pot. Simmer 2-3 hours high. OR pressure cooker high 5 minutes. Natural release. Yield 11 cups prepared chili. 7 , 1 1/2 cup serving.
There you go! Always My Very Best, Your Friend Chef Tess

6 Quick and Easy Freezer Dinners from 1 Ground Beef Dinner Base

What if you could really consolidate the last few days of summer cooking into one quick and easy event, making 3 meals at a time using one simple make-ahead ground beef and veggie base and the meals were ones that everyone would agree on eating? Here are my fun and easy way to really make it happen along with 6 recipes you can make today using stuff you probably have in your cupboard! Come on...you can't lose here!

The first time I introduced this method of making freezer meals we made 6 casseroles out of one chicken divan recipe in This Post. It was one of the many Freezer Friday posts where we have had many a tutorial for freezer casserole, enjoyed giving friends a Freezer Meal Baby Shower, provided Auntie Em's best  freezer meal 5 week menu and shopping list, and shared my best tips for dove-tailing and making Freezer Meal Meat Main Courses. I love making smaller meal bases that are freezer meal pasta toppers. We've done many group classes and tutorials on Oven-Rise Homemade Freezer Pizza and given several ideas for: freezer meal potatoes,freezer Quiche, freezer rice toppers, and freezer meal stews.  There are also some gluten free freezer meal menus.  

With that, here's the beef base and 6 new dinners you can make using this base:

Make-A-Head Ground Beef Base

Ingredients:
3 medium onions, peeled and chopped or minced fine
3 lbs. 90% lean ground beef or 93% lean ground turkey (or chicken breast pieces)
3 garlic cloves, pressed
2 carrots, peeled and shredded finely
2 stalks of celery, chopped finely

Cooking Directions: Place all ingredients into skillet (12-in or larger). Cook over medium-high heat, breaking into crumbles, 15-18 minutes or until beef is no longer pink. Divide beef mixture into three equal portions (according to your recipe choices below). Label clearly with cooking directions. Chill promptly!



Home-Style Chili

In a gallon-sized freezer bag or container, add the following:
⅓ of the meat base
1 (15 oz.) can roasted tomatoes
2 (15 oz.) cans kidney beans
2 Tbsp. chili powder or Chef Tess Fajita Seasoning
1 small can diced green chile or jalapeno

Directions: Chill in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost and heat for 15 minutes over medium heat. Serve with shredded cheese and cornbread if desired.


Taco Rice Casserole

In an oven-safe non-aluminum 9x13 pan, layer in order:
3 cups cooked rice
⅓ of the meat base
1 cup tomatillo salsa or red salsa
1 packet taco seasoning of your choice (or homemade),
1 cup shredded cheese

Directions: Cover and store up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost and heat for 20-25 minutes uncovered at 350 or 10-12 minutes in the microwave on high.


Sloppy Joe Filling

In a quart-sized freezer bag or container:
⅓ of the meat base
¼ cup brown sugar
1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce
2 small red bell pepper, minced
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions: Chill in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost and heat 5-6 minutes in microwave. To serve, divide between 4 toasted burger buns. Serve with coleslaw or side of your choice.



Italian Hoagies

In a quart-sized freezer bag or container:
⅓ of the meat base (pictured with chicken version of meat base)
2 Tbsp. Chef Tess Italian Seasoning
1 bottle roasted red bell peppers, drained well
¼ cup diced pepperoni

Directions: Chill in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost and heat in a microwave safe container on high for 5-6 minutes. To serve, divide between 4 Italian hoagies, top with provolone or cheese of your choice.



Cheeseburger Salad

In a quart-sized freezer bag or container:
⅓ of the meat base
⅓ cup mustard
⅓ cup ketchup
4-5 chopped dill pickles or ½ cup sweet pickle relish

Directions: Chill in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze up to 3 months. Defrost and heat out of bag in a microwave-safe dish for 5-6 minutes. Serve over 1 lbs. of shredded lettuce with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, a drizzle of ranch dressing, and some fresh tomato wedges.



Home-Style Baked Ziti Casserole

In an oven-safe non-aluminum 9x13 pan, layer in order:
1 lb. of cooked ziti pasta
⅓ of the meat base
3 cups marinara sauce
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1-2 Tbsp. of Italian Seasoning

Directions: Cover and store up to 5 days in the fridge or freeze, up to 3 months. Defrost and heat 20-25 minutes uncovered at 350° or 10-12 minutes in the microwave on high.

As a bonus, please read the details below on freezer meal safety and some things to know about freezer meals in general. 

How to Freeze Food Safely and Effectively 101

By Chef Stephanie Petersen

      · Buy Quality Fresh Ingredients: Freezing will not cover up inferior cooking or ingredients. Check the flavors and seasoning before freezing to be sure it tastes good.

· Chill First: Make sure food is cold before you freeze it! This allows it to freeze faster and reduces the amount of drip loss (leakage of moisture that occurs during defrosting) the ice crystal will be smaller in chilled food, reducing the amount of water lost. The result is better texture and flavor. It will also reduce the amount of condensation (moisture that collects on the surface of food when frozen) when defrosted, the excess water will make the food soggy and tasteless.

· Chill Cooked Food Uncovered: If you can’t bag and chill in labeled bags, it is essential that the food is chilled uncovered so the heat isn’t kept in the container (even plastic wrap!) If it’s a large pot of chili or meat, I freeze bottles of water and put them inside the pot to further hasten the drop of internal temperature.

· Freeze Small: The smaller the item, the quicker it will freeze. Whenever possible, freeze in pint or quart-sized name brand freezer bags. Gallon size is perfect for pizza crusts and larger family sizes. I use quart-sized for my family of four. When you freeze it, do so with the bag laid out flat-- the increased surface area will not only freeze faster, but also be easier to store in stacks. I have a “freezer file” that I use. It’s an ice bin that I put the flat bags in just like files I can flip through!

· “Open” Freeze Smaller Items: Smaller items like berries and cooked potato wedges can be placed on a parchment lined sheet pan (metal is best because of its temperature conducting qualities). Using this method will keep these smaller items from freezing in a block. I use it for twice baked potatoes and blanched vegetables.

· Wrap Well: Squeeze out as much air as possible and label food clearly with a permanent marker. Include defrosting and cooking instructions so anyone can cook it later (my husband needs it clearly marked to remove the ingredients from the bag before microwaving!) Preventing freezer burn is the key! There is nothing wrong with using two bags. I always use the name brand bags. If the store brand is used it needs to be double bagged anyway, so it is worth the cost of the quality bags. If able to use the specially made vacuum sealers and the freezer bags with them, it is a good investment.

· Watch Freezer Temperature: On big freezing days, it is essential to check the temperature, as well as checking periodically to be sure the freezer stays cold on other days. Keep a freezer thermometer in the freezer. It should be between 0-30° Fahrenheit. If you are placing a large quantity of food in the freezer at once, turn the thermostat to the coldest setting until food is frozen.

·  Follow Defrosting Recommendations: It is best to defrost in the fridge or microwave. Do not defrost at room temperature because microorganisms like yeast, mold, and bacteria multiply quickly at temperatures above 40 degrees. It may still feel cool to you, but is a breeding ground for food-borne illness--don’t take chances!Cook defrosted food soon and chill leftovers as soon as possible.



Know Your Beef. 


      As a final note,  I love learning a little bit about different cuts of beef and where the parts come from.  So, I asked Jack from BroBBQ if I could share his The Ultimate Guide to Beef Cuts diagram. If you hover over his picture of each part of the cow, you see the information for each cut. Below the diagram is a great reference for beef cuts and how to use them in cooking. He really makes the complex topic of how to use the cow, much easier to digest.  

This Infographic is designed by Jack Thompson from BroBBQ

There you go! Make some great dinners and save some time in the kitchen! 

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

White Chicken Chili Verde...Meal in a Jar (52 Method Continues)

This is a new one! How can a jar, packed with dry ingredients (including beans and real chicken!) be shelf stable 7-10 years and...

 ...end up looking like this in 20-25 minutes?  I didn't even have to cook the meat or anything! Savory with a hint of lime juice, green chiles, and lean white meat chicken. It's a hearty satisfying meal that will stick with you for a while. Add to that the fact that it's also very low fat and freak! Freak! Freak! I'm a totally happy girl!

My 52 jar method Meals in a jar will be the theme all week! So, if you like what you  see, plan on visiting all week. I'll try to have at least 4 new posts up this week with new recipes and some that I've re-vised to be more natural and user-friendly. If you are new to the meals in a jar, go here and get some details on how the meals are done as well as the basic safety guidelines. If your scroll through the rest of the 52 jar method posts, there are a lot more recipes, ideas, and helpful tips when making the meals. I answer a lot of questions in the comment sections as well. If I had to re-cap each detail in each  new post, it would take a lot of time and space. So. That being said there are a few things I will always re-cap in each post.

1. You will be using a method some have called "dry pack canning" but it's actually called Vacuum packing. No liquid or pressure canning is necessary. If you opt to use the freeze dried meat in the recipes  NOTE: The repacking of Freeze Dried Meat must be done within 24-48 hours of opening the can and must be done in a dry environment. Once repacked you must use an oxygen absorber to make sure there is a vacuum oxygen-free environment. I recommend using a 300 cc oxygen absorber for each jar. This will make the vacuum packing effective. You can use a Food Saver with a jar attachment for this in place of the oxygen absorber but will need to make sure your machine is designed to be used with the jar attachment. Some of the food Savers are called "meal savers" and are actually not designed to use with the attachment. I called the FoodSaver company myself to be sure that the attachment I had was right for the machine I was using. 

2. You can also pack in mylar bags (the ones that are silver-colored), but again need to use the oxygen absorber. This size I use is designed to absorb a gallon size amount of air, but I'd rather err on the side of over-vacuum than not enough. No. You can't use the foodSaver clear plastic bags for long term storage. They are not designed for that purpose. When I say "long term" I'm talking 3-5 years. 

3. Enjoy. Share these recipes with your friend! Get the word out that they are here!  PLEASE...make sure my name stays with the recipes.  Try to think how it would feel if you had worked on the recipes yourself. You'd want not only the credit, but also a way for people to contact you if they had questions. I ask you to please be mindful of that. Plus, they are my copy-written work and that is just the law. Thanks. 

Today I'm sharing my newest recipe for White Chicken Chili Verde!
Troy at Preparing Wisely in Mesa, AZ had these quick cook Whole navy beans in the store. I was so excited to see them! I know I'm a food storage geek when I squeal in a store over beans. For the record, Troy still can't hear out of his left ear. I bought two cans of them a week ago and have enjoyed playing with them in my recipes. I'm totally impressed with how firm and perfect the little beans turn out when cooked. Yes, they also only take 20 minutes to cook so they're perfect for the meal-in-a-jar scenario. 

Here's what they look like in the can. 

 If you want to make your own quick cook beans from beans you have on-hand, see my tutorial here.  One thing Troy also had was Freeze Dried Green Chiles! Holy cow! That's awesome! My brain just started thinking of all the recipes I use every day that call for those little bad-boy green chiles of love. Oh so stinkin' excited! They are made by THRIVE and yes, no added chemicals or preservative.  
I've used Chicken bullion in a few of my recipes. The one I prefer is called HACO chicken base because it is vegetable based, lower in salt and has no MSG. It's also got a really good flavor. It costs more than the big brown jars...but the flavor is remarkably better. To me, it's worth the extra cost because of how much better it tastes. 

 The Green chiles are pretty fine chopped, but also don't have the seeds, so the heat is a lot lower than if they were packed with their seeds.  You may need to make the recipe once and see if you need to adjust your heat level.  

Chef Tess' White Chicken Chili Verde in a Jar
2 cups quick cook white navy beans
1 cup Freeze Dried Chicken
1/2 cup Freeze dried diced green chilies
1/2 cup dehydrated onion
1/4 Freeze Dried Celery (dehydrated will work, I just prefer the flavor of the freeze-dried here)
1tsp HACO chicken base
1T Lime Juice Powder 
1T Chef Tess Southwest Fajita Seasoning
Jar Directions: Layer ingredients in a wide mouth quart size mason jar, top with an oxygen absorber (note that oxygen absorbers need to be sealed within 20 minutes of opening the package so that they will still absorb air in your jar!). 
To prepare: Combine the contents of the jar with 6-7 cups of water, depending on how thick or thin you like your chili. Simmer in a 3 quart heavy pot, 20-25 minutes until beans are tender. Yield 6 cups hearty chili.

Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired. It's also amazing with avocado, cheese, and sour cream!

There you go. White Chicken Chili in a Jar! 

I'm a fan of the nutritional content as well. This one yields about 7 cups of hearty chili. That's 4 servings (1 3/4 cup each). Each serving gives you 240 lean calories, 28 grams of fiber, 2.5 grams of fat and 110mg of sodium. 

Always My Very Best,

Your Friend Chef Tess