Clean Eating Thursday #1- Super-fast Thai Chili

Clean Eating. Have you heard the phrase? It is really popular right now. There is a magazine, a show, cook books, etc. Basically it is eating naturally, no processed food, no white sugar (GASP), butter not margarine, no canned cream of mushroom soup casseroles, etc. ALL natural foods. This concept may seem like the polar opposite of The Bakery Box. But, everything in moderation, right? And although I LOVE to bake, I do try hard to be healthy. And I do try hard to practice self-control. Yesterday, I made toffee, sugar cookies, and two kinds of cupcakes. I only ate 1 cupcake (today I ate 5 though so I guess that counters yesterday...crap...) Anyways, yes, we should try to eat healthy meals if we want to snack like pigs, carb-adicts, glutens. So, I propose to start one meal at a time. Every Wednesday night I will make something from Clean Eating and post about it on Thursday night. I have been getting the magazine now for a year and have loved every single recipe I have made (ugh...except for the desserts) So, last night we had thai chili. It had wheat bulgur in it and sweet potatoes. Sound strange? It was pretty delish and my boys ate it. THAT is something. And my hubby Paul gave it the "make again" rating. So, here's to your health. Make it (Seriously a 30 minute meal!!! ) and THEN eat a cupcake! :)

Super Fast Thai Chili
Source: Clean Eating Magazine January 2011

Put in your shopping cart
1 1/2 tsp. red curry paste---see note below
1 tsp. ground cumin
4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth----see note below
1/2 cup uncooked wheat bulgur
1/2 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed (2 cups)
1 large green pepper (2 cups)
3 cups cooked kidney beans, drained (probably about 2 cans)
1/2 cup light coconut milk
2 cups jarred or boxed tomato puree
2 scallions
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Put on your apron and:

1. In a 4 quart pot, add curry paste, cumin and a bit of broth. Mash mixture and stir until paste is no longer in lumps. Add remaining broth, bulgur, potato, and bell pepper. Set over high heat and bring mixture to a boil. Cover tightly, reduce heat to med. low and cook for 10 minutes.

2. Add beans, coconut milk, and tomato puree to pot and stir. Cook, uncovered, for 7 min, until bulgur is tender and chili is thick. Garnish with scallions and black pepper.

Notes on this recipe:
I changed a few things that maybe you might want to try. My Walmart didn't have red curry paste. I just used about 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder. Also, I didn't want to spend the money on vegetable broth, so I used chicken bouillon and beef bouillon at home...a mixture of both. ( Are you shaking your head right now thinking, "Ghetto, much? " ... I know...I know...) Also I added a big can of tomatoes to the chili...I think this is a good addition. We also topped ours with green onions instead of scallions (Sigh...once again ghetto) And we couldn't forget the fattening shredded cheddar cheese. Even with these changes, or maybe because of them, this chili was so good and really a different combination of flavors!