Healthy Dinner Recipes

There's nothing quite like a hot bowl of chili to take the chill off your bones. When it's cold outside, you need something good and hearty to warm you up inside. But that doesn't mean you can' find a healthy dinner recipe to prepare this favorite family treat. The one I'm going to share with you, takes a little time, but prepares enough for 10. It's great for serving to a small crowd but I make it for my family of five and we can easily eat on it for two days.

Heart Healthy Chicken Chili
11 ounces dried white beans (pinto, navy, Great Northern)
3 sprigs fresh thyme
8 fresh parsley stems
1 bay leaf
1 tsp. salt
2 2/3 cups water
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast, (cut into small pieces)
1 cup dry white wine (optional)
8oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 ½ cups frozen corn (no-salt added)
½ cup red bell pepper, chopped
½ cup green bell pepper, chopped
½ tsp hot pepper sauce
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. black pepper
½ cup parsley, chopped

Directions:
1. Put pinto beans in a microwave safe 1 ½ quart casserole.
2. Bind parsley stems, bay leaf and thyme together with a string.
3. Add bound seasonings to beans along with ½ tsp of the salt and the water.
4. Cover beans and microwave on high for 30 minutes.
5. Continue cooking on medium for one hour, stirring every thirty minutes (add water as needed).
6. In a large stockpot, sauté onions and garlic in olive oil.
7. Add chicken, wine and mushrooms.
8. Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
9. When beans are cooked, stir half into the pot with chicken.
10. Mash the remaining beans and add them to the pot.
11. Add corn, peppers, hot pepper sauce, oregano, salt and pepper.
12. Simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in chopped fresh parsley.

Serves approximately 10

Health Benefits: An excellent source of protein, chicken is low in fat and easy to digest. Beans are rich in fiber and protein and low in fat and cholesterol. The fresh herbs add flavor so you can hold the salt to a minimum to keep sodium levels low.

Karen Ficarelli is the founder and CEO of Fitness4Her.com, a diet, exercise program and women's fitness blog, developed especially for women. A sports nutritionist and personal fitness trainer, Karen has a treasure chest full of healthy dinner recipes to help you stay healthy and lean as well as exercise routines for women of all fitness levels.