You know the kind even your manly man will eat. But packed full of nutrients without extra calories. 

Because let’s face it, most of us don’t need empty calories and are perfectly happy as long as we’re satisfied.  This chili is definitely satisfying.

Building the Chili Flavor

The sweet potato is the star ingredient as it balances the chili seasonings so well. 

Because I was making this chili to share the love with one my work family members, I kept the heat out of it and instead focused on flavor.  Chili powder, ground oregano, garlic powder, and cumin will never let you down.

I also fire roasted the corn and poblano peppers, adding a little smoky flavor to the chili.

If you want to stretch this Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili a little farther, double the quantity of veggies & diced tomatoes and season accordingly.  In addition to the sweet potatoes, I added carrots, onions, red bell & poblano peppers, zucchini, corn, diced tomatoes and black beans.

I hope you’ll give this dish a try and as always I welcome and enjoy your feedback.

Recipe inspiration.  My Healthy Choices lunch buddy shared a new favorite dish, which was baked sweet potato topped with taco seasoned ground turkey and salsa.  It was delicious and has been lingering in my mind ever since.

We are so ready for chili season and have a collection of recipes for your enjoyment.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili

My motivation for this Heart Healthy Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili was to deliver a flavor packed hearty chili.

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey cooked and drained
• 2 small sweet potatoes peeled & cubed (about 2 cups)
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 carrot peeled and sliced
• 1 med. onion diced
• 1 red bell pepper optional
• 1 poblano pepper fire roasted, skins removed
• 1 zucchini diced
• 2 ears corn on the cob or 1 cup frozen
• 1 28- ounce diced tomatoes
• 1 4.5- ounce can diced mild green chiles
• 1 14- ounce can black beans drained & rinsed
• 2 Tbl. chili powder
• 1 Tbl. dried oregano
• 1 Tbl. garlic powder
• 1 Tbl. cumin
• 1 tsp. salt
• cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread diced sweet potatoes on a cooking spray coated baking sheet. Bake for 15 -20 minutes or until just tender.
• Meanwhile in a Dutch oven, add 1 Tbl. olive oil and brown ground turkey. Remove from pan and reserve. Add additional 1 Tbl. of olive oil and diced onion and carrot to pot. Saute until onion is tender. Add in remaining veggies and tomatoes, chiles, black beans and seasoning and bring to a gentle simmer; cook for 10 minutes.
• Add cooked sweet potatoes and ground turkey to the pot; heat through. Adjust seasoning to taste.
• Serve with favorite toppings, such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, cilantro.

Notes

Seasoning chili should be done according to taste. Adding gradually as the dish builds is how we arrive at the right balance.

The post Heart Healthy Turkey & Sweet Potato Southwest Chili appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

But that’s just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Fire roasted tomatoes, fresh lime juice, chili powder, cumin and oregano elevate the creamy black beans, making this hearty chili a super flavorful vegetarian meal.

When serving this chili, don’t skimp on the toppings. Sour cream, sliced avocado, radish and jalapeño, fresh cilantro and lime all bring nice bright flavors.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili is a delicious and satisfying meal. It’s perfect for when the weather starts to turn towards fall and the leaves remind us that Winter is coming.

I love all kinds of soups, stews and chilis. I rounded them up HERE for your viewing pleasure. Are you a black bean fan? Our Black Bean Puree is amazing, if I might say so myself!

Have you got a favorite cool weather go-to comfort food? I’d love for you to comment below.

Enjoy!!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Black Bean Chili

Black Bean Chili begins like many of our soup and chili recipes….with a medley of carrots, onions and celery. But that's just the beginning of this flavor journey.

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Chili

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 celery stalks diced
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 2 Tablespoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground oregano
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 3 15-ounce cans black beans drained and rinsed
• 1 15-ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• juice of 1 lime
• salt & pepper to taste

For Serving

• 1 lime cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 avocado diced
• 1 handful fresh cilantro
• radish & jalapenos sliced

Instructions

For the Chili

• In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the diced carrots, celery and onion and saute until just tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 1 minutes then add the spices and stir to coat vegetables. Add the broth, black beans and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Remove 3 cups of soup mixture to a blender and puree, then return to soup pot. Season with salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.

For Serving

• Serve in bowls and top with a dollop of sour cream, diced avocado, fresh cilantro, sliced radish and jalapeno and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

The post Vegetarian Black Bean Chili appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

We put in on everything from Carnitas to rice to homemade tortilla chips!

For that matter it was the star of our Southwest Breakfast Tacos and Vegetarian Tacos!

Thank you to What’s Gaby Cooking for the recipe inspiration!

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce come in a can and any unused portion can be frozen for later use. They are quite spice but add a nice smoky flavor to dishes.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Chipotle Salsa

This Chipotle Salsa is addicting!! We put in on everything from Carnitas to rice to homemade tortilla chips!

Ingredients

• 1 can 14 ounce Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1 Tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 cup yellow onion chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1 small jalapeno finely diced
• 1 lime juiced
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender and pulse until finely blended. Adjust salt to taste. Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

The post Chipotle Salsa is Addicting appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Perhaps the dish I remember most from my childhood is Beefaroni.  Not the canned type, but Homemade Beefaroni, that I think we had every week.  It’s affordable, easy to prepare, family friendly, and so delicious.  For that reason I consider this a comfort food recipe.

I made One Pot Homemade Beefaroni on Sunday and have been enjoying it for lunch this week.  This recipe makes 12 servings so it’s a great family meal or pot luck dish to share.

The above step-by-step pictures basically illustrate just how easy this dish is to prepare. I must be honest and tell you that I have admired “One-Pot” dishes for months on Pinterest.  This was my first attempt.  I found the key to even cooking of the elbows was to stir a couple times during the simmering process, other than that….ONE POT people!! Bam!!

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One Pot Homemade Beefaroni

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 193kcal

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 Tbl. butter
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms sliced
• 1 onion diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 28- ounce crushed tomatoes preferably no salt added
• 1 14.5- ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes preferably no salt added
• 1 cup chicken or beef broth
• 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• salt & pepper to taste
• 5 ounces elbow macaroni
• grated parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions

• Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add mushroom slices and cook 2-3 minutes, stirring once. Add diced onion and sauté for 4-5 minutes, until onions are tender. Add in garlic and ground beef. Use wooden spoon to break up beef; cook until meat is no longer pink. Drain off any liquid.
• Add tomatoes, broth and seasonings. Bring to a simmer. Stir in macaroni, making sure it is completely covered with sauce. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until pasta is tender.
• Serve with a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese

Notes

Each serving = 5 WW Pts+

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I took yesterday off from work to cook.  That was the sole purpose of my day and I was in heaven.  I’ve shared often that my work family loves to eat.  In fact, everyone either loves to eat or loves to cook (or both).  Which makes for some great special occasion spreads.  Today we celebrated Mardi Gras with a giant pot of Chili Gumbo and a platter of Mardi Gras Wings.  It was a good day.

I was a bit nervous at the thought of making gumbo.  I had some true Cajuns to feed and by no means wanted to compete with what they grew up on.  That would require making roux, from ingredients not already in my pantry (fee-lee, fii-lee, fo)…which would inevitably require me to leave my house and my pj’s.  Remember, I took the day off to avoid such things.

So instead I first sought out a gumbo recipe that would utilize some of the pounds and pounds of Andouille sausage in my freezer.  Long story short, we helped rescue a Trader Joe’s freezer truck filled with bacon and sausage.  It was the least we could do.

So while looking for a recipe that didn’t require file powder, I stumbled upon this beauty for Chili Gumbo.  Great flavor combinations that came together easily.  I highly recommend this recipe, which got a thumbs up today from my work family.

Did I mention I was cooking to feed my entire work family?  The Chili Gumbo recipe listed below is doubled from the original and easily fed twenty people.

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Chili Gumbo

Prep Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings 20

Author adapted from Abbie Argersi via Food52

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 dried Guajillo chilis
• 1 dark beer
• 30 ounces Chicken Andouille Sausage or favorite
• 2 Tbl. olive oil
• 3 Tbl. ground cumin
• 2 lbs. ground beef
• 2 onions diced (about 4 cups)
• 4-5 jalapeno peppers diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 4 celery ribs diced (about 2 cups)
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 4 Tbl. chili powder
• 1 30- ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes
• 3-4 cups beef broth
• 3 Tbl. red wine vinegar
• 3-4 Tbl. Cajun seasoning according to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour in a baking dish. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until golden brown, stirring every 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove stems and seeds from dried peppers and chop them fine. Place in bowl and pour in beer. Set aside.
• In a large skillet place Andouille sausage in one-inch of water. Heat over medium heat, turning once until water evaporates. Remove sausage and slice them. Brown them in oil then remove from the pan. Add cumin to pan and toast for one minute before adding ground beef. Season beef with salt & pepper and brown. Remove from pan and reserve with Andouille.
• Add the onions to the pan and cook them for 5 minutes. Add in celery, jalapenos and garlic; cook mixture until just softened. Add the vegetable oil, toasted flour and chili powder; stir for 3-4 minutes.
• Add in diced tomatoes, chilis and beer, and cooked meats with their juices. Add 3 cups of beef broth, red wine vinegar and 3 Tbl. Cajun seasoning (or more to taste). Simmer for at least 30 minutes. If too thick, add additional cup of beef broth.
• Serve with cooked white rice, lime wedges, fresh cilantro, and Louisiana Hot Sauce

The post Chili Gumbo appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Why have I waited so long to discover how easy AND inexpensive it is to make Restaurant-Style Salsa at home, by simply using your blender?!

We love Fresh Tomato Salsa in the summer when the tomatoes are abundant and delicious.  But frankly, I’m not willing to pay for over-priced, not all that tasty, supermarket tomatoes during the winter months.  Instead we turn to our freezer where we’ve got Homemade Tomato Sauce and to our pantry where we always have canned tomatoes on hand.

1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes (preferably no salt added), one onion, 2-3 jalapenos, 2-3 garlic cloves, a handful of fresh cilantro, a dash of lime juice, and a sprinkle of cumin, salt & pepper go into the blender.

We like our salsa a little bit chunky when serving with chips.  So just several good pulses in the blender or Vitamix until the desired consistency is reached.  If you have time, chill the salsa for an hour or so before serving to let all the flavors come together.

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Restaurant-Style Salsa

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 28- ounce can diced tomatoes with juice preferably no salt added
• 1 onion large diced
• 2-3 jalapenos seeds removed, diced
• 2-3 garlic cloves
• 1 handful fresh cilantro small stems and leaves about 2 cups
• 1 tsp. lime juice or to taste
• 1 tsp. cumin or to taste
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper or to taste
• pinch cayenne pepper optional

Instructions

• Place all ingredients into your blender or Vitamix container. Pulse until desired consistency is reached. Adjust seasonings to taste. Chill before serving.

The post Restaurant-Style Salsa appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I made a really good Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet.  I filled it with spicy Italian turkey sausage, carrots, sweet potato, kale, onion, tomatoes, garlic, and lots of fresh thyme.  A nice slow cook turned all those flavors into the heartiest of healthy meals.

As we embrace these winter months I’ve been enjoying recipes that include white beans.  They have a nice way of bringing creaminess to a dish without adding unwanted fat and calories.  Speaking of unwanted fat and calories, we routinely use Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage in place of regular sausage without ever sacrificing flavor.

Once the cassoulet ingredients are sautéed for a bit, a little chicken broth is added, before being topped with a buttered spinach & panko breadcrumb topping.

Our Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet finishes in a slow oven for at least an hour.  Yes, if you wanted to make this a quick weeknight meal, the vegetables could be simmered on the stove top until just tender then finished in the oven.  I’m a fan of letting it go low and slow until some of the ingredients start to break down and meld their flavors.

One bite and you’ll think “where did all this flavor come from?”  That my dear is the beauty of a cassoulet.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Sausage & Thyme Cassoulet

A nice slow cook turned all those flavors into the heartiest of healthy meals. One bite and you'll think "where did all this flavor come from?"  That my dear is the beauty of a cassoulet.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 3 links Jennie-O Hot Italian Turkey Sausage or favorite, casings removed
• 2 Tbl. olive oil divided
• 1 14.5- ounce can diced tomatoes I used Fire Roasted
• 1 19- ounce can Cannellini Beans rinsed and drained
• 1 medium sweet potato peeled & small cubed
• 2 carrots peeled and sliced
• 1 medium onion diced
• 2 cups fresh kale chopped & tough stems removed
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1/2 tsp. dried basil
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Mrs. Dash garlic & herb seasoning
• salt & pepper to taste

For the crumb topping…

• 2 cups loose fresh spinach leaves finely chopped
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 Tbl. melted butter
• pinch salt

Instructions

• Remove casings from sausage links. In a heavy bottom pan, heat 1 Tbl. olive oil over medium heat. Add sausage and cook through, breaking up with a wooden spoon during cooking. Remove sausage to drain on paper towels. Pour off fat from pan.
• Add 1 Tbl. olive oil to pan, sauté onion, carrot, and sweet potato for about 5 minutes. Add in cooked sausage, kale, beans, diced tomatoes with juice, chicken broth, thyme, and seasonings. Cover; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine breadcrumb ingredients and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until vegetables are very tender.

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Were you lucky enough to score the coveted ham bone after this year’s holiday feast?  We turned our ham bone into Loaded Bean Soup.  Loaded with count ’em 15 of these varieties: Northern, Pinto, Large Lima, Blackeye, Garbanzo, Baby Lima, Green Split, Kidney, Cranberry, Small White, Pink, Small Red, Yellow Split, Lentil, Navy, White Kidney, Black Bean.

It’s New Years Day and we like many want to be sure to include as many ‘Good Luck’ foods into our day as possible.  We started with a bag of dried beans from Hurst’s called 15-Bean Soup, even though the label lists 17 varieties.  Ha! That reminds me of a favorite childhood magazine, mostly reserved for doctor’s offices.  Anyone else remember Highlight’s Hidden Pictures?

Can you spot the Black-Eyed Peas?  I was tempted to try and identify all 15 or 17 of these beans…That’s when we decided to simply call our version Loaded Bean Soup.

We had our own ham bone which we made ham broth from (simple to do) vs. their seasoning packet.  We did however mostly follow the soup recipe on the package.  I must admit I was intrigued by the suggestion of beans, diced tomato, chili powder and fresh lemon juice.

The result was a hearty flavorful soup, naturally low in fat and high in fiber.  That qualifies this Loaded Bean Soup as a Healthy Choice going into the New Year.  Serve this soup with a side of homemade Cornbread for a little extra good fortune.

Curious what other foods, besides Black-Eyed Peas, are said to bring luck, health and good fortune in the New Year?  Check out this fun round-up of 10 Good Luck Foods.

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Loaded Bean Soup {15+ varieties}

Cook Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours

Author adapted from Hurst’s 15-Bean Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. Hurst’s dried 15-Bean Soup
• 1 ham bone
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• juice of one lemon
• 1 Tbl. chili powder

Instructions

• Place beans in a large Dutch oven and cover with 2-quarts of water for 8-hours or overnight.
• Meanwhile, to prepare the ham broth, place ham bone in large stock pot covered with 3 quarts of water. Bring to a boil then gently simmer for 2-3 hours, skimming foam periodically. Remove ham bone, reserve any ham pieces and chill broth. Once chilled skim off an fat.
• Drain beans, cover with ham broth and simmer for 2 1/2 hours.
• Add remaining ingredients including any reserved ham. Simmer for an additional 20-30 minutes or until onion and beans are tender.
• Delicious served with cornbread.

The post Loaded Bean Soup {15+ varieties} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I’ve just spent 30 minutes debating about what to call this latest Chili Masterpiece.  Something in me strongly protests anytime I want to use the words ‘Greatest’ or ‘The Best’ in a recipe title.  It’s very literal.

“How do we know it’s the best chili if we haven’t tried all chilis?”  Okay, fine.  Can we compromise and say that this is Our Best Chili Yet?  Agreed!  We’ve never experienced Chili even close to this unctuous vat of love.

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Our Best Chili Yet

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1/2 lb. ground hot sausage we used Jimmy Dean Hot
• 1 yellow onion diced
• 1/2 red onion diced
• 3 jalapenos diced
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 soft beef bullion cubes
• 1 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups favorite tomato sauce we used Rao’s
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 Tbl. cumin
• 1 Tbl. dark chili powder
• 1 Tbl. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. ground oregano

Instructions

• Brown ground beef and ground sausage in a Dutch oven until cooked through. Drain and reserve.
• Add onions, jalapenos and garlic to pan and sauté until tender. Season with beef bullion, water and remaining ingredients, including browned beef and sausage. Bring to a simmer and slow cook for 2-3 hours on stovetop or in slow-cooker.

The post Our Best Chili Yet appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The holidays have a way of throwing us me off course.  No matter how hard I try, temptation is waiting at every turn.  This year is going to be different.  Yes, I will cave to some temptations, or better said…enjoy my favorite dishes in moderation.  Yet, what I won’t do is completely abandon my Healthy Choices plan only to start over on January 1st.  Nope, not gonna do it.

This Chickpea & Spinach Stew, adapted from Weight Watchers, is going to keep me on track. 

This recipe is so easy I prepared (and pictured) it during my lunch break, in the kitchen at my office.  We’re talking easy, tasty and filling.  Cumin, ginger, lemon juice and fresh cilantro give this stew it’s bright flavor.  Chickpeas, diced tomatoes and fresh spinach give it the protein and nutrients to sustain you throughout the afternoon.

We’ve just celebrated the one year anniversary of our remodeled office kitchen and break room.  We now have a second refrigerator and a wonderful stove with double ovens which will most certainly get a work-out during the holidays!!  That is precisely why I’m focusing on Healthy Choices during my favorite food holidays.

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Chickpea & Spinach Stew

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author adapted from Weight Watchers

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1 medium onion diced
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 15- ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 16- ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
• 5 ounces fresh spinach
• 1 Tbl. water
• 1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Instructions

• Heat olive oil in large non-stick skillet. Sauté onion until tender. Add salt, garlic, cumin and ginger and cook another minute.
• Add diced tomatoes and chickpeas and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Use a potato masher to gently break some of the chickpeas. Reduce heat to low, add fresh spinach and cover allowing spinach to wilt for 2-3 minutes.
• To serve, sprinkle with lemon juice & fresh cilantro.

Notes

4 WW Pts+ per serving

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