Hearty and Healthy Recipes

Healthful variations of chili were the most plentiful entries for this month's category. The winning one was from Cathy Rodgers, a member of Trinity Valley EC. She says, "This is a great low-fat, low-calorie, hearty meal. The first time I made it, I had never had soy burger before and was a little afraid of eating it. Just as I was spooning my first bowl full, my son comes in the kitchen, says, 'Um, chili!' and takes my bowl away from me and starts digging in. I watched for a 'yuck' face, but there was none. The bowl was empty in seconds and he was asking for more. Since then the whole family eats the quick, easy, hearty, good-for-you chili. For the longest time no one but me knew we were eating soy burger." Cathy will receive a copy of the Texas Co-op Power Cookbook.

Soyfull Chili
2 medium bell peppers (red, yellow or green), coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
12 ounces meatless ground burger or vegetable burger (soy)
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed, drained
1 can (15 ounces) chili beans in sauce
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Cook peppers, onion, and garlic in oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in ground burger; cook 2-5 minutes, chopping burger into small pieces. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve with your favorite toppings, if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 210 calories, 17 grams protein, 2.5 grams fat, 33 grams carbohydrates, 960 milligrams sodium, 0 milligrams cholesterol

Italian Wedding Soup-Texas Style
1 chicken
1 small onion
1 pound fresh ground round or sirloin
4 cans chicken broth
1/2 package chopped spinach
1 cup pearl pasta (any very small pasta will do)
4 carrots cut into thin "coins"

Cook chicken. Remove from pan and bone. Reserve broth (skim fat to make more healthy). Use half chicken for soup (save the rest for chicken salad). Sauté onion till brown. Shape ground meat into tiny, thumbnail-sized meatballs.

Pour chicken broth (from cooking the chicken) and canned broth into pan; bring to simmer. Add meatballs. Cook 10 minutes, until done. Add pasta, carrots, sautéed onion and spinach; cook 5 minutes. Add cooked chicken. Makes hearty meal. Serve with fresh bread or rolls. Great on day two. If soup is too thick after sitting, add more broth. Chicken shortcut-use 3 baked, boned breasts and 1 extra can of chicken broth. Yield: 16 servings.

Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 210 calories, 14 grams protein, 13 grams fat, 7 grams carbohydrates, 61 milligrams sodium, 64 milligrams cholesterol

Bonnie Baker, Fayette EC

Hearty Deer Stew
1 1/2 pounds thickly sliced deer roast (preferably shoulder meat)
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small purple onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped, peeled tomatoes
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 stalk celery, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cans reduced fat chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 carrots, chopped
2 large potatoes, cut into medium-sized cubes

Sauté roast in olive oil over medium heat until browned-do not scorch. Add onion, garlic, tomatoes, thyme, celery, salt and pepper. Pour in chicken broth. Add bay leaf, carrots and potatoes. Cover and simmer one hour over medium heat. Stir several times. Remove bay leaf and serve with cornbread and pickled jalapenos. Yield: 10 servings.

Serving size: 1 cup. Per serving: 151 calories, 21 grams protein, 3 grams fat, 10 grams carbohydrates, 327 milligrams sodium, 72 milligrams cholesterol

Cindy Claburn, Bartlett EC

Comments about the magazine? E-mail Editor Kaye Northcott at kayen@texas-ec.org. ©2004 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc.