5 Ingredient Turkey Chilli: Perfect for a Weeknight Dinner

Stumped for weeknight dinner ideas. This was such a comfort food this weekend with the temperatures dropping. The cool weather and the warm chilli was a perfect end to this weekend. This never fails and puts a smile on everyone's face in our house. You can have this with corn bread, dinner rolls or even some baked tortilla chips and a salad on the side. Can't beat the quick 5 ingredients meal. You can thank me later :)

This is just an idea for a quick meal on days when you are running from one activity to the other or need to take a quick dish for a potluck. If you have the time please go for the fresh ingredients whenever possible. Season and steam the beans and chop/cook the tomatoes from scratch but then there are times that you have absolutely no time to do all the above and this has saved the day many a times.

5 Ingredient Turkey Chilli

RECIPE: 5 Ingredient Turkey Chilli: Perfect for a Weeknight Dinner

Ingredients

1 TBSP Sunflower Oil
1 Pkg Ground Turkey
3 (15 oz) Cans diced tomatoes or fresh (I like to use fresh on most nights but tomato cartons work in a pinch)
2 (15 oz) can Beans (again I like to soak and pressure cook mine. You can use Black beans, kidney beans or a combo of any beans you have)
1 small Onion, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Toppings: Shredded cheese, chopped green onions, sour cream, cilantro etc.

Method

1. Heat a TBSP of oil in a cast iron skillet and cook the onions on medium heat till soft and a little browned. Add turkey meat and cook till it is browned, stirring frequently. Add the remaining ingredients and stir it well. 
2. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the onion and tomatoes are soft and fully cooked.
3. Serve warm with toppings, dinner rolls (recipe here) or corn bread.

Hope you enjoy it! Please don't forget to like and comment.

Banana Sushi...What?

My 6 year old comes back from school and demands (few tears were shed) I make him some Banana Sushi. He is not a big fan of the regular Sushi so it was surprising. I asked him what he was asking me for and with his :Really Mom!" expression he politely asks me to "google it". To my surprise there are about a million versions out there.

Till date I get a different story of where he heard or saw Banana Sushi but I am so grateful he discovered it. Its our favorite snack these days and its super balanced and healthy. I have my own version of it with Hemp Seeds.

Hemp is a high protein seed containing all nine of the essential amino acids. Great thing about it is that he protein is a very digestible form and easily absorbed. It also has high amounts of fatty acids and fiber as well as containing vitamin E and trace minerals. It has a balanced ratio of omega 3 to 6 fats at around a three to one ratio.

Banana Sushi

RECIPE: Banana Sushi

Ingredients

1 Ripe Banana
1 Tbsp Peanut Butter (yes! I like JIF)
1 Tbsp Hemp Seeds (You can use anything you have)

Method

1. Peel the banana and slather it with peanut butter. Sprinkle hemp seeds on it and cut into slices. Is this easy or what. You can use any seeds you have, Chia, Flax even crushed nuts like Pistachios, Walnuts, Cashews. Get creative and send me pictures of your own version.

This is making me so hungry. Time to eat some Banana Sushi with a cup of coffee. Hope you all have a great day.

Savory Bruschetta

I have not known anyone who does not appreciate a well made Bruschetta. A traditional Bruschetta is made with chopped fresh tomatoes, garlic, basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, served on toasted slices of French or Italian bread. I was flipping through the Costco magazine and came across this savory version from Delano Farms and had to absolutely try it. It looked absolutely amazing and refreshing with grapes being in abundance right now.

Savory Bruschetta

RECIPE: Savory Bruschetta

Ingredients

11/2 Cups seedless Grapes (red, green or black)
1/4 Cup dried Cherries
dash of Cinnamon powder
dash of Nutmeg powder
dash of Clove powder
1 Cup part-skim Ricotta cheese
1 Tbsp finely chopped Candied Ginger
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts
French Baguette or Italian bread
Fresh mint leaves for garnish

Method

1. Chop the grapes and drain any liquid. Add the cherries and sprinkle with cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. set aside.
2. In another bowl blend together ricotta cheese, chopped candied ginger and chopped walnuts.
3. Toast the bread slices, spread the ricotta mixture, top with a spoonful of the grape mix. Garnish with some mint leaves.

Here you have a perfect and healthy snack that is quick and easy to make. Serve it for an after school snack or serve it as an appetizer. It will surely be a huge success. Hope you enjoy it with your family and friends. Post your own pictures and comments when you do try it. Hope you all have a great day.

What is a Ladoo?

So many of you might not know what a Ladoo is. It is an Indian confection typically made from flour, sugar and ghee (clarified butter) that is shaped into a ball. 

A dear friend of mine Muskaan got me hooked onto a delicious Date, Nut and Seed Roll as it might be popularly known in the western world. To me, it reminded me of home and Ladoos. 

It is one of the easiest and wholesome snacks that you can whip up in a few minutes. It has become a staple tea-time snack (for me coffee time, I don't drink tea unless it is Green Tea). Yes, yes I am from North India and I don't drink tea. This is a whole new discussion and needs its own air time :) So back to the exquisite ladoo. The wholesome ingredients in it provide such a richness and satisfying quality to it that makes for a perfect snack when you crave sweets. Who knows the 4:00pm sugar craving snack-time I am talking about? I know its not just me.

Date Nut and Seed Rolls

RECIPE: Date, Nut and Seed Roll
Ingredients
20-25 Dates
2 tsp milled Flaxseed
2 tsp Chia seeds
2 tsp Hemp seeds
1 cup shredded coconut, plus 3 Tbsp for garnish
1 1/2 cup Cashews, unsalted
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cardamom powder

Method

1. Using a food processor, blend it all together and shape them into balls. Roll each of them into the saved coconut powder and keep them in an airtight container.

I store them at room temperature and they get consumed really fast. I make them once a week at least. And here you have a healthy, delicious, all natural snack in under 30 minutes, as simple as that. This has eliminated the use of Granola bars in our house. No matter how healthy they may sound they still have fillers and preservatives that I want to eliminate as much as possible. I had most of the ingredients when I first heard about it and made them soon after. Hope you buy the ingredients on your next grocery trip, if you don't have them handy. Let me know how they turn out for you.