Health Minded Personal Chef and Nutritionist in New York City

I have been making turkey chili  at Luscious Organics for at least three years professionally. Every time I make it, I make it a little differently and I hope a little better. I've made three variations this week alone for three different clients and each one was better than the next.

I made some today for a client using chipolte peppers, a little of the chipolte sauce, tomatoes, onions, oregano, cumin and just a drop of cocoa powder (unsweetened). This evening, I made some for myself. I just had two bowls since it was so good.  Tonight I added some mole sauce, chili powder, curry powder, tomato sauce and of course those chipolte peppers. They are amazing, hot and sweet, just like I like my men :)

Here's a recipe of sorts, although its constantly changing.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion

4 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 lb ground turkey

2 chipolte peppers chopped with the sauce they came in (I used Roland brand in a can)

1 12 ounce bottle dark beer (I used black and tan yueling)

2 tablespoons chocolate powder

1 tablespoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons curry powder

A few hearty shakes of good quality oregano

1 can of diced tomatoes (about 16 ounces)

1 can kidney beans (organic, no salt if possible)

Directions:

Saute onion in olive oil. After 5 minutes or so, add tomato paste and chile. Break up ground turkey into onion and paste/chile. Brown turkey with olive oil. After turkey has been seared/browned, add beer. Allow to simmer with beer for about 8 minutes. Add spices and diced tomatoes continue to cook for 12-15 minutes. Add beans cook 3-5 minutes more. Serve with low fat (or non-dairy) sour cream, chopped cilantro and sharp cheddar cheese.

In the snowdrift that is Long Island and taking some time off from private clients this week and next, I decided to cook some turkey meatloaf for my mother in a way she’s never had it before.

In my life and times studying and eating food, I have always loved meatloaf. However, I can’t put meatloaf and healthy in the same sentence. Usually, because the “meat” used for a traditional meatloaf was the cheapest and fattiest cut ground up with whatever leftover vegetables there were and shaped into a loaf. It was gourmet even back when it surfaced in the 1950’s kitchen, but it was cheap and easy to make.

So I bring you a slightly healthier, slightly more elegant version of my mother’s meatloaf, made with her by my side, doing what she always does – direct and nag me that I’ve dropped onions and peppers on the floor. She doesn’t care that Julia Child did as well. I could only imagine how mothers have influenced the great chefs. I wonder if Bobby Flay had the same relationship with his mother when he was inventing things as a kid in her kitchen. Love, take it any way you can!

So, here’s the recipe. I bet your mouth is watering and your heart full, the way you should always approach cooking.

An elegant Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 small onion, diced small
1 shallot, chopped small
3 cloves of garlic, smashed and chopped fine
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 lbs 97% lean ground turkey
1 28 ounce can of crushed san marino tomatoes (imported from Italy – organic is best)
2 eggs (organic, cage free are best)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Herbs de Provence (2 teaspoons)
Fresh rosemary chopped (2 teaspoons)
1 teaspoon paprika (ground)
pepper to taste (there’s enough salt in the tomatoes)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix turkey, tomatoes, bread crumbs, eggs, and chopped rosemary in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon (your hands are better – make sure to clean them thoroughly first!) and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a 12 inch frying pan with high sides and add onion, shallot, garlic, carrots, herbs de Provence and paprika once oil is hot. Saute 10 minutes until carrots are soft.

Add vegetables to the meat mixture. Stir to combine.

Place mixture in 13X9 baking pan and bake at 350 1 hour. Check at 1 hour for doneness with toothpick to see if comes out clean and top is set.

If you like, mom adds ketchup and breadcrumbs on top to form a crust. I would never do this, but sometimes, mom’s way is best and traditional! And traditions are important. I might also add reserve some of the tomatoes and add to the top with additional fresh chopped herbs for the same effect, but mom won this time

Enjoy the snow!