Big Taste Small Space: Healthy Chicken Chili

As the weather begins to cool off, there is nothing like some comfort food to warm you down. Although I am a big believer in healthy eating, there is no reason I can't enjoy comforting and hearty food. One of my favorites is chili. This hot, hearty, and delicious dish is also very healthy! Packed with veggies and protein, one bowl of my chili and a warm blanket will be all you will need to warm up in the cold winter weather. And better yet, its all made in one pot!

Healthy Chicken Chili

1 large onion diced

3 garlic cloves diced

1 pound ground chicken meat

2 bell peppers (any color)

1 cup chicken stock

1 28oz can crushed tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne

1 tbsp chili powder

1 can cannellini beans

1 can small white beans

juice of 1 lime

3 tbsp fat free half and half

salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat a large pot with olive oil and sauté garlic, onions, and chicken until chicken is no longer pink and onions are translucent

2. Add bell peppers and cook for 5 min

3. Add chicken stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and beans. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until vegetables and tender.

4. Add lime juice and FF half and half and cook 5 min

*Serve over rice and add your favorite toppings such as sour cream, scallions, or cheese.

 Throw on your Snuggie and ENJOY!

Food Truckin': Kelvin Natural Slush Co.

One of the fasted growing trends in NYC are the gourmet food trucks. With new trucks popping up every day, its hard to keep track. I have recently decided to give myself a mission of finding the most unique and delicious food trucks around NYC. My first stop was Kelvin Natural Slush Co. This truck is usually located on 22nd and 5th Ave Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. However, you can check their website or twitter to find out their exact location. I had never heard of this truck before, and to be honest, I was actually on my way to a different truck when I spotted this intreguing vehicle. The day I made the discovery happened to be a few weeks ago when it was still a million degrees outside. Anyone who knows me knows I love me some cold refreshing slushes. This truck was like my dream come true. No more Dunkin' Donuts Coolata's for me! I have found my gourmet slush!

So this is how the slushy works: You start out by picking a base flavor, either spicy ginger, citrus, or green & black tea. You then pick a fruit puree to mix in. These mix-ins range from white peach to apricot to pink guava. I decided to go with a half citrus half ginger slush with white peach. Ohhh yes! It was fantastic. The ginger was just spicy enough and the peach and citrus were cool and tangy. I then called everyone I knew to tell them about my delicious discovery.

So before it gets too cold take a walk to 22nd street and try a delicious frozen treat!

Big Taste Small Space: Farmer's Market

One of the toughest things New Yorkers have to deal with is the tiny spaces we must call our kitchens. I have learned to adapt my cooking to use as little pots and pans as possible. Because I am on a budget I try to cook as much as possible, aside from the fact that I just love to cook. My favorite place to go to get my ingredients are farmers markets. With tons of local farmers and purveyors selling fresh ingredients, it is a great place to find new and unique produce to cook.

While at the market today I picked up a a few types of squash, some local fresh veggies, including San Martzano tomatoes, zucchini, and broccoli. 

Sqash is such an underutilized vegetable and I can't seem to figure out why. My belief is that people are intimidated and don’t know what to do with them or the difference between them. From the sweet butternut to the fibrous spaghetti, it is such a great vegetable to use because it is healthy, hearty, and actually very easy to cook.  

I decided to make a fresh and simple pasta dish using my recently purchased ingredients. I try not to use more than one pot and one pan per dish, not only to save space but to make clean-ups a whole lot easier. 

Fall Pasta Primavera

*substitute any of these vegetables for your own favorites

Prep Time: 10 minutes   Total Time 30 minutes

1/2 pound whole wheat spaghetti

1 small yellow onion thinly sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup white wine

1 small or 1/2 medium butternut squash peeled and chopped into 1 inch cubes

1 zucchini halved lengthwise and sliced

5 plum tomatoes chopped

1 bunch broccoli florets

1/2 cup chicken stock

1 tsp italian seasoning

salt and pepper to taste

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water 8 min, or until cooked through, drain.

2. In a large skillet, cook onions and garlic until translucent, about 3-4 minutes on medium heat. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add butternut squash. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until squash is just fork tender.

3. Add broccoli florets, zucchini, and tomatoes and chicken stock. Season with salt, pepper, and italian spices. Cover and cook for 10 minutes until vegetables are cooked yet still crisp. 

4. Toss in pasta with vegetables and heat through. Serve with fresh grated parmesan cheese.