Autumn Harvest Chili

Author: Wednesday Group 1 Cooking Method:Simmering, convection heat transfer Cuisine:American Courses:Lunch, Dinner Recipe Keys: F Flexible Dairy Free

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 20 minutesCook time: 30 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time: 50 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:249 kcal Best Season:Fall

Description

Everyone loves this no-bean Autumn Harvest Chili. It’s a smoky/sweet combo of ground turkey, spices, and fall veggies like pumpkin and sweet potato.

Ingredients

• 1  tbsp olive oil or canola oil
• 1  lb. lean ground turkey
• 1  small onion, diced about ½ cup 
• 1  large carrot, grated about ¾ cup 
• 1  large, sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1″ cube
• 1  (15 oz) can corn, drained and rinsed 
• 1  cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix) 
• 2  (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes; no salt added – undrained 
• 1  tbsp chili powder 
• 2  tsp ground cumin 
• 1  tsp sea salt or to taste
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional 

Instructions

1. Add 1 tbsp of oil to a large soup pot or saucepan (2 qt or 3 qt) and heat over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, breaking up large chunks as you go. Add the diced onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until onions are translucent. 
2. Add the carrots, sweet potato, corn, pumpkin, and diced tomatoes and mix well. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, salt, and cayenne (if using). 
3. Continue cooking on medium-high until mixture starts to bubble. Lower heat to low-medium, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. 
4. Serve hot topped with any combination of plain yogurt, sour cream, ripe avocado, lime juice, hot sauce, and/or sharp cheddar. 

Video

Keywords:Dairy free, Gluten Free, Healthy

School is back again and that means it’s the start of fall semester. School can cause a lot of added stress to college students’ everyday lives. From expensive textbooks to tuition and rent, it can be an added stress to go to the grocery store, wandering the aisles trying to stay within budget and make meals that you know will keep you satisfied. You shouldn’t have to break the bank to be able to make nutritious and delicious meals. This Autumn Harvest Chili recipe by Juggling with Julia will help you prevent that. No more breaking the bank or worrying about finding the time in between classes and homework to cook. This recipe uses ingredients that are in season for the fall and easy to find, but most importantly the ingredients are inexpensive. Most ingredients are basic household ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. 

When you think of college your mind probably goes directly to studying, taking notes, and spending long hours finishing homework and writing papers. Our brains are constantly using energy throughout the day to keep us going, even more so when so much information is being thrown at you from all different directions. Our bodies can use many things for energy but our main sources are protein and carbs. This recipe is packed with protein and good carbs to keep you going throughout your busy day. It is veggie dense, to help boost your daily intake of those necessary vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. You can even meal prep this recipe at the beginning of the week and take it on the go. It tastes just as good heated up, as it does straight out of the pot.

We hope you love this recipe as we have. We hope it takes stress off your budget, and we hope that it gets you into the cozy fall mood! 

Putting it Together

If you are new to cooking or experienced, this is a fun recipe to try. Because of it’s seasonal veggies, it could be a new recipe to try. Have you ever cooked with pumpkins? The first thing to do when beginning to make this recipe is to gather everything together and measure ingredients. This is a process often called mise en place. As many of the experienced cooks and chefs know, mise en place can help in preparation to ensure you have everything you need while also setting you up to create a higher quality dish by having everything ready to add at the moment it’s needed.

After you gather everything, you will saute the meat and onions together. Sauteing is a form of cooking where you add a little oil and use high heats to cook things. To achieve the best results, make sure to cut the onion to uniform sized pieces as shown in the video above. After ensuring all the meat is no longer pink and the onions have reached that opaque (almost clear) look, you can proceed. Refer to the picture below for a good representation!

Now that the meat is up to the right temperature (155 degrees F for beef or 165 degrees for poultry) and the onions are soft, we will add the carrots, sweet potato, corn, pumpkin, and diced tomatoes and seasonings. Part of food literacy is the ability to understand how cooking process can influence your final product. We added the onions first to ensure they become soft and release flavor to interact with all the other ingredients. Consider adding the ingredients in reverse order that you want firmness. In other words, add the ingredients that you want to softest first, while the firmer ingredients later.

Allow everything to boil and become soft. During this time pectin, a polysaccharide that provides an excellent source of soluble fiber, will break down in heat. To ensure everything has weakened to your desired texture, occasionally pull out little samples of the soup and bite into the contents to check for a soft, but firm texture. We found that the time this takes slightly differs each time, so make sure to check occasionally as you cook. When all the ingredients are combined, it may appear that additional liquid is needed; however, note that the tomatoes will release their juices during simmering.

Serve in a bowl and garnish with plain yogurt, sour cream, ripe avocado, lime juice, hot sauce, and/or sharp cheddar according to your preference. We would also recommend this dish to be prepared with bread or rolls at your preference. Once put together this dish is unique and healthy!

Recipe Tips 

• Substitute vegan crumbles, ground beef, or ground pork for the turkey, or try a combination of these! 

• Try raw, cubed winter squash (like butternut or acorn) in place of the sweet potato. Also, cooked winter squash is a nice substitute for canned pumpkins. 

• For more intense heat from the spice, add 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of cayenne. In my family, anything over 1/8 or so is too much! You do you. 

Toppings

Don’t forget the toppings! There are endless ways to dress up this recipe, its customizable and completely up to you. We recommend sliced avocado, for extra healthy fats. Cilantro, for extra flavor and antioxidants. Sour cream, to add more probiotics into your diet. Fritos or your favorite chips, because not everything has to be healthy. Anything you love, its your bowl of soup! 

Budget Friendly Tips!

Making this recipe “in season” with its ingredients will lower the overall ingredient cost. This is an important skill in food literacy. It’s using your knowledge of nutrition and food production when cooking for yourself and others. When you eat seasonal vegetables, you can eat a more diverse diet while saving money. So not only does it allow opportunities for you to stretch your cooking experience, but can also lead to health benefits. These are important aspects of developing food literacy. Our chili is called “Autumn Harvest Chili” because tis the season for the autumn vegetable harvest!

Cost Breakdown

The Ingredients:

This recipe is simple to make with ingredients you have at home. With each ingredient able to be adjusted for personal preference and budget, this recipe allows flexibility for nutrition and price. To follow the recipe, use coconut flour, protein powder, peanut butter, maple syrup, dark chocolate chocolate chips, and coconut oil.

Substitution Ideas:

• Honey or agave can replace maple syrup, for personal preference.
• Different nut butters can replace peanut butter for allergies or preference. Seed butters, like sunflower seed butter, are a good substitute for those allergic to nuts.
• Chocolate chips can be milk, dark, or white chocolate.
• Most protein powders can be used for price flexibility, different flavor profiles, and personal preference.
  

Additional Protein Powder Notes:

Casein, brown rice, or paleo protein powder is preferred. Whey protein is not recommended, as the texture can be incredibly sticky and won’t form the bars well.
If your batter is too thick/crumbly, add water or milk until a firm batter remains.

We chose PB2 as our protein powder. Regular PB2 is a powdered peanut butter that you add water to to reconstitute. If you would like to use the protein, make sure you get the “Peanut Protein” version. We like this protein powder because it is protein derived from peanuts and brown rice, it provides 20 grams of protein per serving, and it uses monk fruit extract as a sweetener for a great no calorie natural sugar alternative.

Directions:

1. Line a deep pan with parchment paper and set aside. For thicker bars, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. For thinner bars, use any size bigger.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well.
3. In a small mixing bowl, melt your peanut butter with sticky sweetener until combined.
4. Add to dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.
5. Transfer protein bar batter into the lined baking dish and press firmly in place. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
6. Once firm, cut into bars and cover in optional dark chocolate and enjoy!

Chocolate (optional):

Let’s be honest – the only thing that would make these simple protein bars better is a smooth, dark chocolate top. When applying, you can cover the top while still in the pan, or slice and remove to dip fully. The more, the better, right? Melt your chocolate chips with a spoonful of coconut oil for a smoother finish, and place back in the freezer for a final set.

Nutrition, storage, and more:

When cut into 12 different bars, each bar contains approximately 20g protein. For peanut butter lovers this is it! The PB2 used creates a smooth consistency that makes your mouth water. The dark chocolate on top creates a dessert-feeling snack that is healthy and helps you achieve your goals. Protein helps build and repair muscle in the body, provides energy, and keeps you healthy. These are better cold so throw them in the freezer or fridge depending on your needs. If you need a snack in an hour or two but don’t have time to go home, you can take one out of the freezer and it will thaw by the time you want to eat. If you want one as your heading to class take one out of the fridge and eat it on your way!

Nutrition:

Serving: 1 Bar
Calories: 150kcal
Carbohydrates: 5g
Protein: 20g
Fat: 7g
Sodium: 109mg
Potassium: 150mg
Fiber: 3g
Vitamin A: 9IU
Calcium: 20mg
Iron: 1mg

References:

thebigmansworld.com/no-bake-peanut-butter-protein-bars-keto-sugar-free-vegan/

No-bake Protein Bars

Author: Wednesday Group 4 Courses:Breakfast, Gluten Free, Plant-based, Snack, Vegetarian Recipe Keys: M macro-friendly H high-protein C college-student

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: minutesSet Time: 25 minutesTotal time: 40 minutesServings:12 barsCalories:150 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

The recipe is high in protein, healthy fats, and fiber. For college students or college athletes, it is an easy on the go snack that can be prepared in advance and taken anywhere. College students/athletes are pressed for time and often go without eating or turn to fast, less nutritious options. This is a great on the go, nutrient dense option!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coconut flour
• 1 1/2 cups protein powder
• 2 cups peanut butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

1. Line a deep pan with parchment paper and set aside. For thicker bars, use an 8 x 8-inch pan. For thinner bars, use any size bigger. 
2. In a large mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients and mix well. 
3. In a small mixing bowl, melt your peanut butter with sticky sweetener until combined. Add to dry ingredients and mix until fully combined. 
4. Transfer protein bar batter into the lined baking dish and press firmly in place. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
5. Once firm, cut into bars and cover in optional chocolate and enjoy!

Notes

• TO STORE: Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Protein bars store well in the refrigerator, too! Let them sit at room temperature for several minutes before enjoying. 
  TO FREEZE: Freeze in a sealable container for up to 6 months. 

Keywords:easy, gluten-free, make-ahead, meal-prep, nutritious, protein, Quick, simple

Energy bites are more than fast food. The peanut butter packs a punch of protein, while oats help stabilize blood sugar, provide antioxidants linked to heart health, and improve digestion through their fiber content. Omega-3 fatty acids have links to brain and heart health, chia seeds are a terrific source of healthy fats to support cell function and nutrient retention, and taken together the ingredients have more health benefits than can be listed here.

The recipe price is low, and it can be easily adapted based on local ingredients, seasonal flavors, or whatever you have on hand for a fast, delicious, and nutritious snack any time of the day. All of the ingredients for the energy bites can be found in a grocery store.

Cost Breakdown

Additional Budget Friendly Tips

• There is no fresh produce or ingredients in this recipe, so the quality of the ingredients comes down to price and personal preference. This also makes it easy to save by buying in bulk and storing the ingredients, or making a large batch of the energy bites and freezing them.
• Other options to reduce price include shopping around, exploring local farmers markets, or dropping by the SNAC pantry. The food at the pantry is subject to change, but staples such as peanut butter and oatmeal are almost sure to be found there and the option can shave several dollars off the recipe cost.

Recipe Making Process

• To make the recipe, simply gather together the ingredients and measure them out, then follow the recipe to combine and shape the energy bites. Collecting and measuring the ingredients prevents the nasty surprise of an impromptu grocery trip and simplifies the process over all.

• The tools needed for this recipe include measuring cups, a tablespoon measure, a mixing bowl, a spoon, and a cookie tray. A rubber spatula can also be helpful for handling sticky ingredients such as peanut butter and honey, or a quick spritz of cooking spray to the measuring cup before measuring out the ingredients works just as well or even better as it means one less dish to wash. The final tool vital to this recipe are your own hands!
• A scooper can be used to measure out and shape the finished dough, but approximating the amounts and molding the bites by hand works just as well without the need for extra tools.
• If the dough is sticky, feel free to pop it in the fridge for a couple of minutes to let it firm up before shaping the bites. Adding a bit of water to your hands, no more than is needed to make them damp, can also prevent sticking.

Reflection of the Process

When done correctly, these energy bites can’t go wrong. The energy bites should turn out perfectly every time, with evenly mixed balls that stay intact for as long as they last. While not the prettiest looking snack, these energy bites make up for appearance in taste and speed. The chocolate chips melt in your mouth, mixing with the peanut butter to create a delicious flavor with just enough sweetness. The flax seeds, coconut, and oats add a satisfying texture to every bite.

The recipe is easy to make, so easy that one person commented it felt like cheating, and takes less than twenty minutes to prepare. For a bit of extra multitasking, listen to a recorded lecture, run through some notes, or use the time as a well deserved study break.

Overall, remember that this recipe is for the person making it. While the recipe is terrific as is, feel free to make changes to the recipe based on allergies, taste, and seasonal ingredients. If peanuts aren’t a good option, peanut butter can be replaced with almond butter or another similar choice. Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be replaced with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, M&M’s, or anything else in the pantry. This recipe is easily adaptable to all tastes and occasions. There’s nothing stopping you from giving it a try!

There are quite a few vegetables that need to be chopped, but we will discuss proper cutting techniques and tricks in the recipe description that will help you cut each ingredient quickly.

Making Cowboy Caviar is a super fun and easy process. Once you figure out different knife cuts and the proper way to hold your knife, it is really quite relaxing. Getting to spend a little bit of time just cutting veggies can be fun! The quick and easy preparation process makes this recipe a perfect choose for those times you are in a rush or need a quick healthy side dish to bring to a party. It is also very budget friendly if you are looking to save money. You just need to buy a few vegetables and in addition to few other ingredients that you probably already have at home. This recipe can be very versatile. The vegetables in this recipe can be switched if you don’t like them or if you have other vegetables at home you are wanting to use up.

This dish is very delicious, nutritious, budget friendly, and simple to make. It tastes very fresh and would be great to use for your next home barbecue. It is best served chilled with tortilla chips.

Cost Breakdown

Tips for Making this Budget-Friendly

• The Student Nutrition Access Center food pantry on the USU campus typically has canned beans and corn.
• Buy generic products such as Great Value or Kroger to reduce ingredient cost even more.

Making Cowboy Caviar and Knife Skill Tips

Tip before cutting vegetables: Hold the knife between your thumb and pointer finger on the bolster. Then wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle.

Step 1: Mix the ingredients for the dressing in a large bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Gather the vegetables and other ingredients that will be put into the dressing.

Step 3: Rinse and drain the beans and corn.

Step 4: To cut the bell pepper, gently cut around the top. You do not want to cut all the way through the pepper. Turn it upside down so the stem is facing downward. Cut along each of the sections of the pepper (there will be three or four, depending on the pepper). Gently pull each section away from the pepper. Slice each section into four thin strips. Then dice. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 5: Cut the top of the onion off, leaving the bottom intact. Cut the onion in half. Beginning at one side, make cuts all the way across the onion. Then turn the onion and make perpendicular cuts. You should have small, diced onions. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 6: Slice the jalapeno in half and remove the seeds (you can leave some in if you like more of a kick). Cut the jalapeno into thin circles and proceed to mince the jalapeno until you are left with very small pieces. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 7: Chop the cilantro. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 8: Cut the avocado in half, throwing away the seed. Peel the skin gently off. Flip the avocado so the rounded side is facing up. Make thin slices lengthwise all the way across the avocado. Then turn it 90 degrees and slice all the way across the avocado. This should create little cubes of avocado. See the video for a more detailed visual.

Step 9: Add all the ingredients into the bowl with the dressing and mix well.

Eat with your favorite bag of chips, as a side for a hamburger, or just straight out of the bowl!

These delicious and easy to make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins are perfect to freeze so that college students have something to eat for breakfast. Made in advance, they only take 30 seconds to warm up in the microwave before a student heads to class. Made with whole grains and pumpkin, their nutritional value also makes these a great way to start the day! This is an easy and cheap recipe made for beginners. We had fun making this recipe, it is so straight forward anyone can make these muffins!

The simplicity of this recipe starts with the ingredients. The ingredients in the muffins are basic, they are things that every grocery store has, and they are easy to find. After purchasing all your ingredients, if you’re in a time crunch you can practice Mise en Place. You can have everything measured out in advance, then it makes it easier to dump everything in and combine it. Even without pre-measuring out the ingredients, this recipe is still fast and easy. Once all the ingredients are measured, start mixing the wet and the dry ingredients together in separate bowls. Then when mixed, pour the dry ingredients and chocolate chips in with the wet ingredients. You then fold the ingredients together, making sure you don’t over mix as that will crush the air bubbles and ruins the light and fluffy texture. Use a measuring cup or an ice cream scoop to dish into a greased muffin tin. Don’t over fill muffin tins, you don’t want them to overflow while baking. Bake for 16-18 minutes. You will know they are done when you stick a toothpick or a fork in the center and it comes out clean. We all thought the muffins were delicious, so these are a perfect cheap, easy, and incredibly delicious fall breakfast.

Cost Breakdown

Here’s the cost breakdown for these muffins:

Tips to Make this Cheaper

• Buying generic brands of expensive ingredients such as the canned pumpkin can
  be helpful.
• Buy some ingredients such as flour and chocolate chips in bulk, so they are cheaper per ounce if the whole package will end up getting used in other recipes.
• To make this recipe sustainable, ensure that all the extra ingredients get used in other recipes like pumpkin pancakes!

Reference: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/skinny-pumpkin-chocolate-chip-muffins/

The most important meal of the day should not be skipped because it’s too complicated, takes up too much time, or simply is inedible. Gluten free options can be so hard to find these days and we want people to know that there are so many options for them. These gluten free breakfast peanut butter chocolate chip oatmeal cakes from Eating Well make for a nutritious breakfast. The peanut butter is a great source of protein, and the oats contribute fiber. The milk can be substituted with plant-based milk to meet other dietary needs. To ensure these muffins gluten free, use gluten free oats!

See how we made these muffins in the video below the recipe.

Cost Breakdown

Check out the cost breakdown for this recipe:

Ways to make these muffins cheaper or more sustainable:

• Buy generic ingredients if you can!
• If you want, use organic peanut butter or applesauce
• For the eggs, an option is to use cage free eggs, so we know the chickens were treated appropriately!

The way you hold a knife can affect the precision and ease of your cuts as you prepare your food. The proper way to hold a knife for the best results is to curl pinkie, ring, and middle fingers around the handle. Then rest your pointer finger on the bolster of the knife and position your thumb on the other side of the blade.

It is also important to curl in your fingertips of the hand holding the food to be cut. This can prevent accidents as the curling protects your fingers from the blade. The knuckle can also align the knife as you cut.

This fruit pizza is the perfect recipe to practice your knife skills because you will spend some good time slicing fruit to make your masterpiece beautiful! Try to get out of your comfort zone and use cuts you’re not used to. You can also mix up the fruit depending on what’s in season and how you want your pizza to look!

Cost Breakdown

Pro tip: Buying generic brands will help make all ingredients cheaper. Buying in bulk ingredients such as flour, sugar, salt will also be cheaper. As far as fruit, research fruit that is currently in-season these will be cheaper options. The SNAC pantry will occasionally have canned fruit so be sure to check out the options there!

Crust

Do not fret if your crust turns out a little cracked or the shape is funky you’ll cover it with beautiful and tasty cream cheese frosting and you can experiment with a favorite fruit design!

Crust covered with cream cheese frosting.

If you have kids or nieces and nephews, this is a great time to enlist their help! They will love decorating the pizza with fruit, and don’t fret if it doesn’t look like a Pinterest masterpiece … it will look colorful and beautiful no matter what. Not to mention it will be super tasty!

This recipe is great for a fresh dessert to share with your friends or family. It’s fun to try new designs and different fruit depending on what is in season. It truly is a food that your eyes can enjoy as much as your stomach. Plus, it never gets old!