Comfort food when the weather is Chili (Chicken and white bean chili that is)

One of the great things about cooking for another family is that it challenges me to not cook the same thing every week. I often spend my free time flipping through cooking magazines, and now rather than just admiring the recipes, I think about how I can tailor them to meet my desire for healthy meals that please the palate.

This week's line up:

Chicken and white bean chili served with corn bread

Spanikopita (Greek spinach pie) served with salad

Stuffed Shells served with brussels sprouts

After looking at the weather forecast for the weekend (rain, rain and more rain), I knew that some comfort food would be in order. By combining a few recipes that I had come across, I was able to create this delicious Chicken and White Bean Chili. Perfect for these dreary NJ days!

Chicken and White Bean Chili

5 points per cup (about 250 calories)

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 yellow onions, chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3 (15.8-ounce) cans Cannallini beans, rinsed and drained

2 cans (4 cups) fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

3 chicken breasts (about 30oz of chicken) poached and shredded*

1 15-oz can diced tomatoes with jalapenos

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or two cubes of frozen cilantro**

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

-Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

-Add onion; sauté until it looks translucent

-Add chili powder, garlic, cumin and oregano. Stir until onions are coated with spices.

-Add beans, diced tomatoes and broth; bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes.

-Using an immersion blender, puree some of the chili so it thickens. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a food processor or blender, just be careful not to put the lid all the way on the blender, or the hot mixture will explode. You can probably also use a potato masher or big fork and just mash around the pot until some of the beans look broken up.

-Add the pulled chicken and let simmer on low for an additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

*To poach chicken, fill up a pot with water and add ½ cup of salsa. Place chicken in the pot and simmer for 30 minutes over medium heat. Pour out water and allow chicken to cool on a cutting board, then pull apart with your hands or using two forks. If you don't have time to do this, buy a whole rotisserie chicken and shred the meat from it for this recipe.

** I buy most of my herbs frozen or dried because otherwise I find they go to waste. Trader Joes sells frozen cilantro (check out the freezer aisle). I love this product and add it to all sorts of things like marinades, pico de gallo and chili. You just pop out the number of cilantro “cubes” you want to use (1 cube is equal to one tablespoon on cilantro) and then stick the rest back in the freezer for next time!

Healthy meals to nourish your mind.