I kick-started my night last night by cooking up a big batch of hearty homemade chili. Packed with lean protein and loads of antioxidant rich veggies this recipe gets two thumbs up for a complete meal of healthy proteins, fats and carbs. This chili is clean, free of dirty fats and oils and chalked full of protein- vital for hormone health, ladies!
You can leave the meat out and go veggie-style replacing with tempeh or additional legumes like pinto and kidney beans. I personally need some meat in my diet. So long as you know it’s from a clean source, antibiotic & hormone free, I feel this is fine for certain individuals who require meat in their diet.
As a vegetarian for years I was actually very unhealthy and extremely fatigued due to the fact that I had absolutely zero iron in my body’s stores according to my blood work. No wonder I could barely walk up the stairs without feeling exhausted! Thankfully, I learned a valuable lesson, got my nutrition act together and put together a plan with the proper macronutrients according to my body’s needs.
As I always tell my clients, listen to your body closely and it will tell you what you need. On that note, my body is telling me I need a break! See you again soon, nutrition junkies!
Protein Packed Chili
Serves: 4-6 cups
Prep Time: 12 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-45 minutes
Ingredients:
2 cups lean ground beef (hormone & antibiotic free!)
1 ½ cups zucchini, chopped
½ cup carrots, chopped
1 cup bell peppers, chopped
2-3 small onions
1 cup organic black beans
1 cup organic chickpeas
1 cup brown rice, cooked (*can also used quinoa or millet for other gluten free options)
1 can organic whole or diced tomatoes
2 cups stewed/strained tomatoes
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
2 inches ginger, minced
2-3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp chili powder
Sea salt to taste
Instructions:
- Start by boiling your water and add your brown rice, simmering for 15-20 minutes and rinse when finished. Put aside brown rice and in a pan sauté your ginger, garlic and onions using your coconut oil on low to medium heat.
- In a separate pot start cooking your beef using your coconut oil on low to medium. When fully cooked, drain off extra fats and oils and add to sautéed ginger, garlic and onions.
- Next add all your veggies and cook on medium, covering with a lid. When veggies are medium crisp add your stewed tomatoes, strained tomatoes, black beans, chickpeas and rest of your spices.
- Simmer on low for 20-35 minutes. Serves at least 4 people, plenty for left overs and you can even freeze the rest. Easy peasy and super filling!
This recipe was contributed by Jacquie Robertson. At The Naked Label we are head-over-heels in love with Jacquie’s passion and inspiration for self-healing! Check out her site by clicking here. She’ll blow you out of the water with her scrumptious recipes and health articles.
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