5 Easy, High-Protein Lunches
Maybe it’s just me, but lunch seems to be the hardest thing to plan for sometimes, especially for a busy work week. You need something that is simple, easy to [...]
Oh wow, raise your hand if you need some vegetables in your life? I’m talking vegetables not smothered in cheese, cream, breadcrumbs, marshmallows or whatever else we do to make healthy things delicious on Thanksgiving. I feel like this is a good time to post this recipe because people are over their juice cleanses and whatever other self-destructive dieting tactics they’ve been indulging in the last few days. Also, also – I may be a dietitian, but I totally get it, vegetables can sometimes be really tough to squeeze in every day. They’re not always my favorite either. So, I like to find sneaky ways to get lots in at once and this for sure qualifies as that.
This recipe actually wasn’t meant to be a “recipe,” but my roommate LOVES vegetable soups and is always requesting them, and I needed to clear some stuff out of the fridge. Plus, we needed some health in our lives this week. So, I literally just started dumping veggies into a pot and what came about what an incredibly flavorful, delish spicy vegetable chili. OK, it’s not THAT spicy, and honestly, if I can eat it it means it’s safe for 90% of the population, but it does have a little kick to it, which I love. You could totally replace the poblano with a green bell pepper, though, and skip the jalapeno if you are anti-spicy anything.
By the way, it’s a big deal that I am raving about a vegetable chili. You have no idea how much I wanted to put some ground beef up in here.
OK, so now let’s talk about the stats on this guy. The recipe by itself is pretty low-fat and doesn’t have a lot of protein, which isn’t generally my style. It does, however, contain 16 g of fiber/serving, which I’m really pumped about.
To make this an actual meal, I would recommend adding a big dollop of plain Greek yogurt and/or a handful of cheese, or just have a couple of eggs on the side. Or on top. Omg, yes, on top of the chili. DO IT. Also definitely top with some chopped avocado for extra healthy fat, and crumble in a few chips or baked tortillas for some crunch. The chips really add nothing health-wise but who doesn’t love a crunch in soup? I’ve actually convinced myself I NEED to have a crunch in every soup I eat, which is really a problem, but that’s a whole other topic.
Protein: Black beans. Beans go in the Fiber category for me, but they do add about 10 g protein/serving in this soup, so we’ll give them some protein credit today.
Healthy Fats: Olive oil and whatever healthy fat toppings you add – avocado, cheese, full-fat Greek yogurt
Fiber: Pretty much everything in this soup – all the veggies and especially the black beans
If you’re a real bean lover, you could also double the amount of beans in this recipe to up the protein. HOWEVER – just know this will drastically increase the amount of carbs and fiber and honestly, you need be aware of how much fiber you can handle at once. Do I really need to go into detail here and explain what happens when you eat more fiber than your body can handle? If so, just DM me. We’ll have that talk.
Recipe time.
Author: Megan Hansen
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 4-6
Spicy, warm, super healthy comfort food. This Spicy Vegetable Chili is packed with fiber and veggies and is the perfect vehicle for loads of avocado.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 poblano, diced (or sweet bell pepper)
1 small jalapeno, seeds removed, minced (optional)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cumin
3 c vegetable or chicken broth
2 (15-oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
Optional toppings: avocado, cilantro, cheese, baked tortilla chips
Instructions
Heat oil in a large soup pot.
Add onion and peppers, cook, stirring frequently for 5-8 minutes or until onion is translucent.
Add spices, stir.
Add broth, tomatoes, and beans and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Top with cheese, avocado, cilantro and/or baked tortilla chips.
*to bake the tortilla chips, just broil a couple of corn tortillas until they are crisp on both sides. You can brush them with oil before broil or not – up to you.
Serving size: 1/4 recipe
Fat: 7
Carbohydrates: 36
Sugar: 7
Fiber: 16
Protein: 11
Notes
If you’re sensitive to spicy food, just skip the jalapeno and swap the poblano for a sweet bell pepper.
