The World's Healthiest...and Most Delicious Turkey Chili

I'm always looking to invent new recipes that taste incredible and are ridiculously healthy. Last Sunday I was waiting anxiously for the Carolina Panthers game to start (my favorite football team) and I had a spontaneous craving for chili. I didn't want any ordinary chili though...I wanted uber healthy, protein packed chili that delivered a spicy punch. I went to the grocery store, picked up a few ingredients I thought would add robust flavor, and within two hours I had concocted a pot of the most delicious chili I've ever had. Every single ingredient used has numerous health benefits...every one! This chili is loaded with muscle building protein, belly-filling fiber, and disease fighting antioxidants, lowers cholesterol and blood pressure, burns calories through thermogenesis, prevents inflammation, promotes positive heart, digestive, and gastrointestinal health, and even controls blood sugar levels. I really don't understand how something so healthy could taste so incredibly good. Here's how to replicate this hearty, delicious, and nutritious recipe.


What you'll need:

• 2 lbs lean ground turkey (93% lean or more). Ground turkey is an incredible source of protein, iron, vitamin B6 and B12, riboflavin, niacin, selenium (a powerful antioxidant), phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Swapping out lean turkey for beef cuts out a significant amount of fat, saturated fat, and calories.
• 1 hot green chili pepper. Chili peppers contribute vitamin A and have been shown to fight inflammation, serve as a natural pain reliever, reduce cholesterol and triglyceride levels, clear sinus congestion, boost immune function, and aid in weight loss through themogenesis. Thermogenesis is the process by which your body raises its core temperature, burning both calories and fat. 1 chili pepper also provides 182% of your daily value of vitamin C. 
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1.5 cans canned Tuttorosso crushed tomatoes. Tomatoes contain high levels of vitamin C and and the carotenoid lycopene, a potent antioxidant. Lycopene has been shown to protect against a wide variety of cancers, including colorectal, breast, prostate, endometrial, lung, and prostate. Tomatoes also promote good colon and prostate health.
• 3 cloves garlic. Garlic helps control blood pressure by thinning blood, it raises HDL (good) cholesterol and prevents LDL (bad) cholesterol from building up, and even improves immune function. Pretty potent for a spice.
• 1 sweet white onion. Mainly for flavor, but contributes moderate levels of potassium. 
• 6 leaves fresh basil. Contains high levels of vitamin K and beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant. Basil has also been shown to have anti-inflammatory properties. 
• 1 can red kidney beans.
• 1 can white cannellini beans. Both types of beans contain extremely high levels of protein and belly-filling, cholesterol lowering fiber (1 cup provides ~46% DV of fiber, that's a ton!). The fiber in beans helps control blood sugar levels from surging after a meal and promotes heart and gastrointestinal health. Beans also provide thiamin for memory, iron, molybdenum, tryptophan, and the antioxidant manganese. 
• Extra virgin olive oil. A study in Greece showed that consuming olive oil daily results in a 47% decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease. 47%! Olive oil is the world's best protector of the heart. Consuming olive oil regularly can significantly lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, controls blood sugar levels, improves insulin sensitivity, and even prevents the accumulation of belly fat. It's also loaded with polyphenols (antioxidants). This stuff is liquid gold...start using it as often as possible. 
• 1 cup chili powder. For flavor.
• 3 tbsp cayenne pepper. See chili pepper. Add more cayenne if you want it spicier.  
• 1/2 cup cumin. Cumin provides iron, benefits the digestive system, and even displays anti-carcinogenic properties. 
• Brown rice. Complex carbs and fiber for long lasting energy.

Steps

1. Grab a huge pot and heat it up on the stove over low heat. The heat must be kept low so that nothing burns. The heat should stay on a low setting the entire time. Coat the bottom of the pot with a generous layer of extra virgin olive oil.
2. Mince up the garlic and chop up the onion. Place both into the pot and let them cook in the oil until they turn translucent / begin to turn golden brown. DO NOT burn the garlic, it will ruin the entire recipe. This is a really critical step, but luckily it's the last part that requires any attention. 
3. Once the garlic and onions have begun to brown add the lean ground turkey meat. Stir the turkey around with the olive oil and allow it to cook until it turns brown/dark grey. Once the turkey has turned brown drain any excess oil that's left in the pot, but make sure not to lose any of the garlic or onions.
4. Finely chop up the basil leaves and chili pepper.
5. Add the basil, chili pepper, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cayenne pepper, and cumin. 
6. Stir all of the ingredients together, cover it with a screen, and let it simmer for 30 minutes. 
7. Begin to cook the brown rice in a rice cooker (if you have one), if not make it over the stove or in the microwave (won't taste as good though).
8. After 30 minutes of simmering add both cans of beans. At this point taste the chili. If you want it spicier add more cayenne pepper and/or chili powder.
9. Let the chili simmer for an additional 25 minutes.
10. Mix with brown rice, or if you don't want the carbs eat it plain.
11. Enjoy!!

Total time: ~ 1 hour 15 minutes