Pumpkin Chili

Do not curl up your nose at another pumpkin recipe.  This chili has a unique combination of heat and sweet (even though there is no sugar added) to make your taste buds dance.  Using my preferred beef, tomatoes and broth my calorie count came out to 136 calories per serving....and it was one heck of a healthy serving too.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds Extra Lean Ground Beef (I like Maverick Grass Fed)
• 1 tablespoon Avocado Oil (or Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
• 6 cloves Garlic, minced
• 1 large Green Pepper, diced
• 1 Jalapeno, minced
• 2 - 14.5 oz cans Fire Roasted Tomatoes (I prefer Muir's Fire Roasted)
• 1 cup Beef Broth (I use Swanson's as there is no added sugar)
• 1 tablespoon Paprika
• 1 tablespoon Chili Powder
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Salt 
• 1 - 15oz can organic Pumpkin Puree (do not confuse pie filling for puree)

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan or dutch oven crumble and brown the ground beef over medium-high heat. Drain off any fat and set the ground beef aside.
2. In the same pan heat the Avocado oil then cook the onions and garlic for a few minutes until the onion are beginning to soften and the garlic is developing some color.
3. Add the bell pepper and jalapeno to the onions and garlic.  Cook until the peppers are soft.
4. Add the cooked beef back with the onion/pepper mixture.  Add in the tomatoes, broth and spices.
5. Allow the mixture to heat through and reduce heat to medium-low allowing the mixture to simmer 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
6. Add the pumpkin puree to the chili.  Cover the pan to allow the chili to come back to temperature and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

Serves 6

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Found this little gem online and it was so good I simply had to share.  I can not take any credit for the original recipe as the only modification I did was used Avocado Oil instead of EVOO.  This will definitely become a family favorite during the holidays.

Maple Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash (about 3 lbs), peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Avocado Oil (or EVOO)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray.
3. Place butternut squash cubes in a bowl. Drizzle evenly with oil then sprinkle with ground cinnamon, salt, pepper and maple syrup. Toss all the ingredients together, using your hands, ensuring all the cubes are coated.
4. Spread the seasoned butternut squash cubes evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
5. Place in the oven and roast for 35 - 40 minutes (rotating pan if necessary half-way) until squash is tender. Remove from oven and serve immediately or allow to cool.

Easy Foil Baked Fish

Back in our restaurant days we used to love doing foil baked fish.  The best thing about cooking it in this manner is that the fish is always moist and the veggies end up with a different and wonderful flavor.  The combinations of fish and veggies is limited only by your imagination and will only take about 30-40 minutes from start to finish.  

Ingredients:

• 2 fillets of any white fish patted dry if previously frozen (cod, tilapia, perch however I've also done this with shark, tuna, and swordfish as well)
• 2 teaspoons Avocado or Grapeseed Oil
• 1 cup diced turnips or rutabaga
• 2 cups chopped vegetables (I used zucchini, carrots and some diced onions however you can also use any seasonal vegetable)
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 lemon (or lime which I prefer or even orange)
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
2. Lay out two large pieces of foil
3. Combine oil with the vegetables, thyme, salt/pepper) in a bowl and mix until well mixed
4. Divide the vegetables in half between the two sheets of foil
5. Place one piece of fish on top of the vegetables
6. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon onto each fish fillet
7. Next create your foil packet by bringing up the two side of the foil together, crimping tightly at the top rolling it down leaving about 1" headroom.  Then roll the sides inward towards the center of the packet. 
8. Repeat on the other foil packet
9. Place both packets on baking sheet and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes depending on thickness of the fillet or to a temperature of 145 degrees.  Except for the "meat steak" fish any white fish will flake when done.
10. Fish may be eaten right out of the plated foil packet or you can simply lift the fish out and "pour" the veggies and the au jus on the plate.  Do not for that liquid at the bottom it's full of flavor.

Serves 2