Turkey Barley Chili

Happy Super Bowl Sunday! It's snowing (again) here in south-central PA. Is it snowing where you are?? Will you be watching the big game tonight?? 

This recipe (which I slightly adapted) is from "Soup and Ladle Favorites" - a cookbook put together by local Pennsylvania dietitians. On the ingredient list, you will find ground turkey (a lean meat choice), barley (hulled barley is a whole grain), and water (as opposed to high-sodium broths). I know what you're thinking...plain ingredients = bland and boring. Not so!! The onion, peppers and garlic meld with the spices to make a very flavorful soup. And the turkey, beans and barley give it the heartiness you desire in a bowl of chili! It's perfect to serve on game-day or simply to warm you up on a chilly winter day. I served the chili with cornbread and topped it with shredded cheese and sliced green onions (I love the flavor and slight crunch that the green onions add!) A very filling meal that I'm sure you and your family will enjoy!

*Note: I usually recommend draining and rinsing all canned beans to reduce the sodium content. However, this recipes does call for undrained kidney beans. Because we are using water (not broth) and less salt, it works well in this soup!




Ingredients
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey (or ground beef, if you prefer)
3/4 cup onion, diced
1/2 of a green bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper (seeds removed), diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3-4 cups water
1 (15-ounce) can red kidney beans, undrained
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/2 cup uncooked pearl or hulled barley
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. paprika
1 drop Parsley Vitality (or 1 Tbsp dried parsley)
2 drops Black Pepper Vitality (or ground black pepper, to taste)
Salt, to taste (about 1 tsp.)
Desired toppings such as shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream (or plain Greek Yogurt) & sliced green onions

Directions
Heat olive oil in a large pot. Add turkey, onion, bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and garlic. Cook and stir until turkey is brown and vegetables are tender. With ground turkey, you shouldn't need to drain off the fat.

Add water, undrained kidney beans, tomato paste, barley, chili powder, mustard, cayenne pepper, paprika and the Parsley and Black Pepper Vitality oils. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover and simmer for 30 minutes longer, stirring occasionally and adding more water, as needed, to make it the consistency you desire. If you are using hulled barley, you made need to cook a bit longer. If using pearl barley, you may need to add more water.

Serve and top with desired toppings. Makes about 4 servings.



*Note: The Vitality oils listed in this recipe are from Young Living - the exact same Seed to Seal quality as all of their other essential oils. They are extracted from plants with better-than-organic standards. So you are truly getting all plant juice and nothing else. No synthetics or chemicals are used in any of the growing, harvesting or distilling processes. Essential oils/Vitality oils pack a more powerful punch than the dried herbs that come from the same plant - so a little goes a long way. Not all essential oils are safe for dietary use, so make sure you are using Vitality oils. 

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