Tips to Making Healthy, Yet Satisfying Chili

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Chili is the ultimate cold-weather comfort food. More than simply delicious, healthy chili is an easy one-pot meal made with ingredients you already have on hand, and can easily be stretched to feed a crowd at a get together or to feed your family at multiple meals throughout the week. Use these simple tips to make chili healthy, yet still hearty and satisfying.

Season Boldly

Using generous amounts of spice in your chili is a great way to add great flavor without any added fat or calories. Classic chili spices include chili and cumin (and cayenne for those who like it really hot). Have fun experimenting with different seasonings; cinnamon and allspice can add wonderful depth of flavor.

Choose Lean Protein

To make a classic beef chili that’s still healthy, choose beef that is at least 90%-lean, which fits into the USDA guidelines for lean meats. You can also opt for lean and flavorful ground turkey breast instead for those who are trying to avoid red meat.

Use More Beans

Beans add fiber and stretch your dish healthfully and inexpensively. Plus, a bean-based vegetarian chili (like Eating Well Magazine's Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili) has considerably fewer and less saturated fat than chili made with meat.

Add Whole Grains

Make chili into a one-pot meal by adding whole grains, such as wheat berry. Wheat berries and other whole grains add fiber which keep you fuller, longer. Many whole grains are also a great source of B vitamins, iron, magnesium and zinc.

Pile on the Veggies

Beyond the traditional tomato base, it’s so easy to sneak extra vitamins into your chili through vegetables; shredded sweet potatoes, zucchini, peppers and carrots add nutritional value without overpowering the other flavors.

Beware of Added Sodium

Be wary when shopping: choose no-salt-added canned tomatoes and reduced-sodium broths to control salt levels in your chili. And be sure to rinse canned beans before using to significantly reduce sodium levels.

Brighten Flavors with Acidic Ingredients

Adding a splash of lime juice or cider vinegar to your chili at the end of cooking helps to brighten the dish and add another layer of complexity to the flavor.  

Use Fresh Toppings

Add extra flavor to your chili with fun toppings. Try fresh flavors like chopped cilantro, diced red onion and shredded Monterey Jack, which create a great presentation and round out the meal.

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