Pumpkin Chili

One thing I encourage all of my clients to do is to make one new recipe a week.  I do this because I have found that a lot of people think eating healthy is no fun and takes a lot of time when really it is just a matter of not knowing how to make it taste good and not having a collection of quick and easy, go-to recipes on hand.

Therefore, by trying out one new recipe a week you can find ones that you really like and that take a short amount of prep time.

I love to cook and try out new recipes.  Just this past week my wife and I stumbled across a recipe for pumpkin chili.  Immediately, I knew I wanted to try it out.  I am a huge fan of both pumpkin and chili especially during this time of year.

We tried it out, and it is excellent.

So I wanted to share it with all of you.  You can cook a bunch and have leftovers for later, which is one of my favorite things about chili.

PUMPKIN CHILI

Lastly, I wanted to mention that pumpkin is actually a very healthy food that offers many benefits. You can usually buy canned pumpkin year round, but Fall and early Winter is when it is in season.

Pumpkin is very low in calories and provides a hefty dose of vitamin A and potassium.  In fact, just one cup of mashed pumpkin contains 2.5 grams of fiber and 33% more potassium than a medium banana for only 49 calories!  In addition to vitamin A and potassium, pumpkin is also a good source of:

-Beta carotene – helps support your eyesight

-Beta cryptoxanthin – shown to reduce the risk of lung and colon cancer

-Alpha carotene – may protect against prostate cancer

-Vitamin K – improves bone health

-Moderate amounts of calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorous

So whether you are looking to lose some body fat, gain some lean mass, or just eat for performance and/or health, pumpkin is a great food to have in your diet.  If you like pumpkin, consider adding it to smoothies or into other recipes.

Now go get cooking and take advantage of this great recipe!