USANA Test Kitchen: Dude-Approved USANA Chili & Cornbread

My husband grew up in Georgia eating beef brisket, cheesy grits and gravy-smothered fried chicken. Ryan, known for the pork belly he serves at his restaurant, has a pig tattoo on his arm and lists “pork” as his favorite food. Getting him to eat healthy, as you can imagine, is not always an easy feat.

Recently, however, Ryan admitted to me that after about a year of being on a USANA regimen, he’s felt healthier than ever before.

Between his MyHealthPak, USANA Probiotic and the fruit and veggie Fibergy Plus shakes I make for him almost every day, he’s getting a lot of the nutrients he wasn’t getting before.

I imagine a lot of us have a difficult time getting in all the nutrients we need through our diets. If you’re more of a “meat-and-potatoes” person like my husband, it’s probably that much harder to do. This is why in honor of Men’s Health Month, we’re featuring “dude-approved” dishes that are also healthy.

Our first recipe is a healthier chili that is fortified with fiber. The USANA Ultimate Chili uses lean turkey meat to cut down the amount of beef in the recipe. It’s got vegetables, protein-loaded kidney beans and good-for-you spices (such as cumin, a nice source of iron).

For those of you watching your sodium intake, you can easily make this dish without added salt, as it has plenty of flavor! Top this chili over a veggie dog, serve it with some whole grain tortilla chips or pair it with our Nutrimeal Cornbread for a satisfying, nutrient-rich meal!

USANA Ultimate Chili

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

1/2 pound lean ground beef
1/2 pound lean ground turkey
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
3 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely diced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely diced
1.5 tablespoons ground cumin
1-2 tablespoons chili powder, depending on preference
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons dried oregano
12 ounces light beer or water
1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes (dry, not packed in oil)
2 bay leaves
3 16-ounce cans dark kidney beans, drained and gently rinsed
2 tablespoons Fibergy Plus
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Low-fat sour cream and shredded cheese for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pan on medium-high heat. Add half the beef and turkey and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned. Transfer to large pot.
Reduce heat to medium and add remaining oil to the pot. Add onions and bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are softened.
Lower heat to medium-low and add garlic, jalapenos, cumin, chili powder, paprika and oregano. Stir until garlic is brown and jalapenos are softened.
Add sauteed vegetables to pot and turn heat to medium-high; once meat and vegetable mixture begins to sizzle, add beer or water, diced tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and bay leaves. Cover and lower heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1.5-2 hours.
Add beans and simmer, covered, for 30-40 minutes; add Fibergy during last 5 minutes of cooking.
Remove bay leaves. Stir in cilantro and lime juice. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrimeal Cornbread

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

1.5 cups cornmeal
2.5 cups low-fat milk or non-dairy substitute
2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup all-natural cane sugar or low-glycemic equivalent
2 eggs, beaten
2 scoops Vanilla Nutrimeal
1/2 cup vegetable oil or creamed corn

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal and milk and let stand for 5 minutes as you prepare your other ingredients; grease a 9 x 13 baking pan.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs, Nutrimeal and oil (or creamed corn) until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

Your Turn

Do you sneak Fibergy Plus into some of your dishes? Have you made Nutrimeal into a dessert for your family? How do you get your loved ones to eat healthier?

Photo: Raji Barbir

Eating well is an important part of being healthy. From the USANA Test Kitchen is a monthly column offering useful nutrition tips, as well as delicious, healthy recipes that use USANA products in creative ways.

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