Dinner/ Exercise/ Fitness

Rain Check and Chili Galore

So unfortunately my cupcake date had to be moved until next week!! Margaret forgot that Bella had ballet after school today so we are just going to reschedule in a few days. I had a chef coat laid out for her and everything!! 🙁 Oh well—cute pictures to come next week then!

With my afternoon suddenly free, I plunged right into my yoga. Today I did a 60 minute advanced power vinyasa flow. It was great—quite powerful though! The whole 60 minutes I was in constant flow motion. I wouldn’t recommend this class to someone new to the practice however though because there were more advanced postures and less instruction. Instead, I advise beginners to try out the Baptiste flow I did yesterday—-I’m telling ya—-my butt and lower legs are SO sore today from it!!!

After yoga, I snacked on a gorgeous and mouth watering starfruit and ran some errands.

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Later, I read my daily blogs and sipped on some cabernet….at 4:00—the new cocktail hour! 😉

And, as promised, the chili!!!!!!!

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ALL throughout my childhood, my mom would make this healthy delicious chili. She always served it over elbow macaroni because chili over spaghetti is a Midwestern tradition and the way she ate it growing up. I loved it not only because of the noodles, but because I could add tons of yummy cheddar cheese to my bowl, making the chili all gooey and delicious. This is a super old recipe that I’ve made dozens of times as a homesick college student but somehow it always tastes better when my mom makes it! And, it gets sooo much better when you give it time to sit. This is the perfect left-over/frozen food. Sometimes I would make it at school and eat it for lunch and dinner all the next week. I hope yall enjoy it as much as I do!

My Mom’s Midwestern Chili

Serves about 6…or as many meals as you can make from it!

1 lb ground turkey

1 onion, chopped

1 tbsp canola oil

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp sea salt

1 can (4 oz) diced green chilis

2 cans (28 oz each) whole tomatoes in juice, crushed

2 cans (10 oz each) black beans, rinsed and drained

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

cheddar cheese to top

cooked noodles to serve with

1. In a dutch oven, brown the crumbled turkey and onion in the oil over medium high heat.

2. Add the garlic to the turkey as well as the chili powder, salt, chilies, crushed tomatoes and juice and beans. Stir well.

2. Heat mixture to boiling, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve atop noodles or on its own garnished with cheddar cheese and scallions.

I served myself a rather heaping portion of chili atop wheat elbow macaroni and topped it with some cheddar cheese and organic blue corn chips!

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MMMMmmmmm a big steamy bite with the good stuff!

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After dinner there was more chamomile tea—

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And now its time for bath and bed! Look at how cute my mom is—she put my graduation chef uniform on a wicker mannequin in my room 🙂

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That’s all for now folks! See you tomorrow!

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  • linds
    January 22, 2009 at 5:06 pm

    Your bunny mug is adorable! Chili recipe sounds great too, and 4:00 is perfect cocktail time in my book 🙂

  • Sarah (lovINmytummy)
    January 22, 2009 at 5:17 pm

    Your mom is so proud of you, that’s so wonderful!

    Your new routine of yoga, wine sometimes, dins and tea sounds so relaxing. You’ll be sleeping like a baby!

  • Shelby
    January 22, 2009 at 5:33 pm

    I had chili today too, yummy!

    Starfruit is gorgeous! How does it taste? Does it taste like any other fruits?

  • VeggieGirl
    January 22, 2009 at 5:41 pm

    Fabulous!!

  • Adi
    January 22, 2009 at 6:01 pm

    I’ve never had chilli on noodles – that looks awesome. I’ll have to try that one.

  • K
    January 22, 2009 at 6:19 pm

    I’m a midwest gal but I think that specialty is from the south of me (in Cincy) because we don’t add noodles to our chili, sounds great though. Can’t wait to see the cupcake adventure!

  • Red Head, Yellow Dog
    January 22, 2009 at 6:34 pm

    What timing! I am making turkey chili for din tomorrow night! I will def be referencing this recipe 😉 thanks!

  • Lauren
    January 22, 2009 at 6:39 pm

    Great picture of the steam rising off of the chili in the spoon!

  • mh
    January 22, 2009 at 6:41 pm

    I’m a southern gal from Kentucky and your chili sounds divine!! Your just missin the cornbread! take care girl

  • Heather McD (Heather Eats Almond Butter)
    January 22, 2009 at 7:06 pm

    That chili looks delicious. I have friends from Ohio who put their chili over pasta and pile on the cheese sky-high. You can’t even see the chili in their bowls. I must admit, it was the best bowl of cheese…I mean chili I ever ate! 🙂

  • Beadie @ What I Ate Yesterday
    January 22, 2009 at 7:09 pm

    Aw, that is too bad about the cupcake party 🙁 but glad you were able to get in some yoga!

  • molls
    January 22, 2009 at 7:18 pm

    Hey, I am from Nebraska and have never heard of chili on noodles… only over rice, but it sure does sound good?!

  • brandi
    January 22, 2009 at 7:21 pm

    Mmmm… I love noodles with my chili – and I’m from Virginia!

    Glad you had a nice afternoon and fit in your yoga class! I can’t wait to see cupcake party pictures next week 🙂

  • sweet and fit
    January 22, 2009 at 7:26 pm

    your chili looks soooo good! I love the famous midwestern chili called “Cincinnati Chili” or something like that. So I have never ate a starfruit before…is the skin/peel edible too?

  • Sarah W.
    January 22, 2009 at 7:28 pm

    chili is ALWAYS good! the best 1 pot meal ever.

    and your mom is so cute for doing that with your uniform!! she must be very proud 🙂

  • Jenna
    January 22, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    that chili looks sooooooo good!! I can’t wait to make some!!

    your mom seems so sweet. 🙂

  • Nicole
    January 22, 2009 at 7:58 pm

    Your chef coat looks fabulous on display 😀

  • Meg
    January 22, 2009 at 8:41 pm

    That chili is amazing! I love that it has noodles!

  • Sharon
    January 22, 2009 at 10:03 pm

    Holly yum, that chili is out of this world!

  • emily
    January 22, 2009 at 10:15 pm

    I love starfruit – I used to harvest/sell it as a kid!

  • Sarah (Tales of Expansion)
    January 22, 2009 at 10:59 pm

    hahahah, that uniformed mannequin in priceless! your mom is so cute.

  • Deb
    January 23, 2009 at 5:30 am

    Oh, too bad on the cupcake date.
    That chili looks amazing !! Hubby’s mom always served her chili over pasta, yummy.
    With starfruit, Do you peel it & take out the seeds? I would love to try it but am a little intimidated by it, lol.
    What yoga would you suggest for a total beginner?

    • jenna
      January 23, 2009 at 1:32 pm

      deb,

      Nope–you just slice and eat. I loooove it but its so expensive usually so I save it for a treat. Don’t be intimated—they are awesome! As to the yoga, as a total beginner I highly recommend going to a yoga studio and taking a class (or at your gym) so you can get the proper alignment down! You don’t want to hurt yourself so you should be totally sure you are doing the postures correctly before practicing on your own.

  • fitforfree
    January 23, 2009 at 8:23 am

    that double-handled mug is adorable…

  • Janie
    January 23, 2009 at 11:26 am

    Hi Jenna!

    I read your blog every day without fail, but I don’t ever comment. I wanted to tell you that I made 101 Cookbooks Lemon Scented Quinoa last night, inspired by you b/c you’ve talked about how good it is. It was fabulous! This is only my second time eating quinoa, but it’s already become a staple in my pantry. Thanks for all you do! I love your blog:)

  • Katie
    January 23, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    I’m drooling over that chili, especially the thought of serving it over noodles. So making this recipe soon!

  • Ash
    January 23, 2009 at 1:37 pm

    My husband’s family always adds noodles to chili too!

  • kathleen
    January 23, 2009 at 1:40 pm

    A Cincinnati tradition…chili over noodles. The two big restaurants in Cincy that do it are Gold Star and Skyline, but they use cocoa or choc. in their chili, so it makes for an interesting flavor combination.

  • Elina
    January 23, 2009 at 5:20 pm

    Look like an easy and delicious recipe! I’m going to save it for future use 🙂