Chili for the Chilly

I only started liking chili in the past few years. I used to whine when my mom cooked chili for dinner. I cringed on trips to Cincinnati when anyone even mentioned the name Skyline or Gold Star. But the longer I've been in dietetics, the more foods I've adopted as variety is key to a healthy diet. And not to mention, how could I keep hating a food at the center of so many cook-offs? (I love a good cook-off. In college, I was named "Most like an Appalachian mamaw" in an unofficial bake-off after beating my own whipped cream- by hand. Not to brag...) On these cold, rainy days like we had in Louisville today, I really can't think of a better comfort food... and it can be a healthy comfort food at that!

Not all chili is nutritious of course. Traditional chili recipes are packed with ground beef and shredded cheddar things, which translates to lots of saturated fat. By using chicken instead of beef, you can save up to 12 grams of fat per serving depending on how lean a beef you choose. Throw in some chopped veggies and you've added fiber and many vitamins. That's the beauty of chili- you can make it as healthy as you want.

This chili recipe is by Ina Garten, aka the Barefoot Contessa, from you guessed it... the Food Network! This recipe was actually spotlighted in a national newsletter I receive called "SmartBriefs for Nutritionists." I tried and tried to take a pretty picture of this meal, but it turns out chili is not the most photogenic of foods. The pictures truly cannot do this dish justice. It is so tasty, so nutritious, and so filling! Top it with a little dallop of Light Daisy sour cream, and you may have found your new favorite fall food.

YUM. To access this recipe, please click http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chicken-chili-recipe/index.html. Of note, only 3 bell peppers were used- 1 yellow, 1 orange, and 1 green for extra color. The chicken was from boneless, skinless chicken breasts and were used in place of the roasted chicken. This dish it WONDERFUL. I hope you can try it!