I am sick!
Not the ‘I’m so sick that I can’t get out of bed’ sick, but the, ‘I have the worst sore throat, raspy voice, and more mucus than can be humanly possible’ type of sick. Yuck! Go figure…I spend 2 weeks on the go working like a crazy person and this is my first quiet day off and I wake up and I am sick. The worst part…I am supposed to run 11 miles today in prep for my Thanksgiving half marathon. Instead, I slept for a full 11 hours! As I’ve mentioned before, this is the consequence of working with kids. After 6 years in pediatrics, I have built up an immune system, but after an exhausting few weeks, fatigue and stress usually take its toll.
When I woke up this morning, I was in pretty bad shape (even after 11 hours of sleep). Not totally surprising as I started getting a sore throat and cough on Thursday night. I knew a run was not in the cards, which makes me sooo sad since it is a sunny 50 degree day. Perfect for a long run! The BOY suggested breakfast, and I was in for pumpkin pancakes. I started with some tea and the BOY ordered pumpkin hot chocolate.
I know that yesterday was National Pumpkin Day, but we are a bit late in our celebrations. I brought along October’s Cooking Light where I found this good looking chili recipe. My thought was to pick up the ingredients on our way home.
For breakfast, I ordered an omelet with figs, apples,and turkey sausage. It also came with goat cheese, but I got that on the side, and a side of pancakes (not surprisingly, the BOY and I both chose pumpkin).
The pumpkin pancakes, topped with bananas and pecans were incredible! It was hard not to inhale them in a minute.
But, I am working on slowing down while eating, so I took my time to enjoy every bite! And then had leftovers to take home with me.
After lunch, we made a quick stop at the farmer’s market. This is the last weekend that it is open until spring, which is a bummer! Does your farmer’s market stay open year round? If so, I am jealous!
Then it was on to Mariano’s for a few more chili ingredients.
When we got home, it was partner chili cooking in the kitchen. The BOY got to work on some chopping and I browned the meat.
Instead of following the preparation described in the recipe, we decided use our trusty crockpot, which always produces amazing chili!
For now, I have settled with getting some fresh air by opening the back door. Perhaps, I will be able to get out for a walk later if my head stops spinning (not sure if this is the cold or the medicine), but for now, my medicine has kicked in and I think I am in need of a nap, perhaps another round with my netti-pot, and some serious hydration.
Poblano-Turkey Sausage Chili
From Cooking Light October 2012
Makes 6 1-cup servings
Ingredients
1 cup prechopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
8 ounces sweet turkey Italian sausage
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 poblano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons no-salt-added chicken stock (such as Swanson), divided
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added pinto beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
Sliced radishes (optional)
Directions
1. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 4 minutes or until browned. Remove casings from sausage; add sausage to pan. Stir in chili powder, oregano, cumin, poblanos, and bay leaf; cook 4 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble sausage.
2. Add 1 cup stock, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thickened. Combine flour and the remaining 2 tablespoons stock in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk to form a slurry. Add slurry to chili, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cilantro and black pepper. Discard bay leaf. Serve with sour cream and sliced radishes, if desired.
In the mood for chili on this crisp, fall weekend, here are some other great chili recipes!
What is your favorite food to eat when you are sick?
Mine is my Dad’s homemade chicken soup. I usually have some stashed in the freezer, but sadly I am out. I’m not sure how that even happened…Hint, Hint, Dad!
