Thank you to CT Academy member, Elizabeth Williams, RD of New England Nutrition for submitting this blog.
Who else is excited that slow cooker season is back!? It may still have felt like summer the past couple days, but I couldn’t resist pulling my Crock-Pot out this week and doing some large batch cooking. Life outside of work has slowed down a bit the past couple weeks, but things are about to get very busy again so preparing large meals with lots of leftovers is going to be lifesaving. We have friends visiting from across the country, a wedding, Halloween festivities, and finally Disney World for the Wine and Dine race is fast approaching. Training for a race this late in the year has been tough because I run in the morning before work, but it has become so dark out!

Chili is something that I make throughout the fall and winter. It is one of my favorite meals to make because it can be prepared so many different ways, saves well as leftovers, and is great for serving at parties. Chili is often thought of as a high sodium food, but you can reduce the content by using low sodium canned or even dried beans. I used fresh tomatoes and a low sodium tomato sauce. I topped my chili with a sprinkle of shredded cheese and used Greek yogurt as a high protein and healthier sour cream substitute. We have a very large variety of hot sauce at our house, which I used to give it an extra kick.

The chili contains lean proteins, both from meat and plant based sources from the ground turkey and beans. Choosing lean sources of protein more often is important for health. Saturated fat in the diet should be limited to protect heart health because it can contribute to raising “bad” LDL cholesterol. Consuming lean proteins, especially plant sources such as beans, lentils, and nuts may help to raise “good” HDL cholesterol. Plant sources of protein are also higher in fiber, which can have positive benefits for weight management and blood sugar control or prevention of diabetes. Consuming adequate protein is important for maintaining lean muscle mass, however the majority of Americans consume adequate and even excessive protein so protein supplements are often not needed in the diet. If you can get adequate nutrients through food, then this should be the first choice.
This was the first of many batches of chili that I will be cooking this fall/winter. I am always looking for other ideas, so please comment and share any of your favorite chili recipes or ideas.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 white onion
1 bell pepper, diced
2 cups fresh tomato, diced
1 can low sodium black beans
1 can low sodium cannelloni beans
1 can low sodium tomato sauce
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
Pepper to taste
Optional toppings: Shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, hot sauce
Instructions
1. Heat olive oil in skillet. Cook ground turkey and onion until turkey is cooked thoroughly with no pink and onion is golden brown.
2. Add cooked turkey and onion to slow cooker.
3. Rinse beans well using a strainer.
4. Add bell pepper, tomato, black beans, cannelloni beans, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, and pepper to slow cooker.
5. Cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 4 hours.
6. Serve hot with desired toppings.