Healthy Recipes: Spicy Organic Beef Chili with Spaghetti Squash By Laura LaValle, RD, LD

I don't know if you've ever tried chili over pasta, but it's a favorite in my city of Cincinnati. Replacing pasta with different types of squash has become my favorite way to reduce carbs. The squash tastes great with tomato-based sauces and the nutritional value is so much better. If you don't want to take 45 minutes to bake squash, zucchini cooks up much more quickly and works well too.

Serves: 8
Healing Nutrient Spotlight
Excellent source of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, niacin, zinc
Good source of riboflavin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12, selenium, manganese

Ingredients*
1 lb. organic grass-fed beef
1 large spaghetti squash (about 4 to 5 lbs.)
2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
2 tsp dried cilantro
1 T. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
15 oz. can Eden Foods spicy organic pinto beans
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 28 oz. can whole tomatoes with green chilies
1 hot chili pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp. sea salt or to taste

*Select organic ingredients for optimum nutrition.

Preparation
Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove only the seeds. Place squash cut side down in a shallow baking dish with 1/4 cup water. Bake at 350° for 30 to 45 minutes until squash is tender. Use a fork to pull out the strands of squash into a bowl. Add some organic butter or olive oil.

While squash is baking prepare chili. In a large stainless steel pot, sauté onions and garlic at medium low heat in olive oil until translucent. Add spices and beef and sauté for 5 more minutes. Add rest of ingredients and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes until beef is tender and flavors are blended. Serve over spaghetti squash.

Nutrition
280 calories, 20 g protein, 10 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 3 g monounsaturated fat, 1 g polyunsaturated fat, 65 mg cholesterol, 25 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 6g sugar, 1700 IU vitamin A, .1 mg thiamin, .2 mg riboflavin, 4 mg niacin, .7 mg pantothenic acid, .4 mg vitamin B-6, 1 mcg vitamin B-12, 40 mg vitamin C, 25 mcg folate, 1000 mg sodium, 90 mg calcium, 60 mg magnesium, 550 mg potassium, 4 mg iron, 13 mcg selenium, .3 mg manganese, 4 mg zinc, .2 mg copper

[Ed. Note: Laura B. LaValle, RD, LD is presently the director of dietetics nutrition at LaValle Metabolic Institute (formerly part of Living Longer Institute). She offers personal nutritional counseling at LMI for clients who need help with their diet in relation to illness or disease. Laura also provides educational services in the areas of health promotion, wellness, and disease prevention.]

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This article appears courtesy of Early to Rise’s Total Health Breakthroughs [Issue 09-02-08] which offers alternative solutions for mind, body and soul. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.totalhealthbreakthroughs.com/