Chili Stuffed Avocado

My relationship with avocados went from utter disgust to true love. They contain fat, mainly monounsaturated fat which is good for your heart, as well as a number of vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, and plenty of fiber. They taste so delicious raw, seasoned, or stuffed.

Anyways, back to the point at hand. I had some ripened avocados just waiting to be devoured along with some leftover turkey chili, so I figured WHY NOT EAT THEM TOGETHER!? This recipe was totally inspired by my favorite dietitians over at foodheavenmadeeasy.com. One hass avocado is easily >250 calories, so I would recommend eating only one half or one stuffed avocado. Honestly, this is a super basic meal/snack, but it was so delicious I had to share.

I started with two hass avocados and decided to season them with a little salt and pepper, but that is absolutely optional.

Chili is my lazy winter go-to meal and is equally yummy without meat. You can add a variety of beans and veggies to this recipe. I'm no chef, but this is what I do!

Chili Recipe

1 15 oz. can low-sodium red kidney beans

1 15 oz. low-sodium can black beans

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 lb. ground turkey meat

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 - 1 cup chopped onions

1/2 - 1 cup chopped bell peppers

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp garlic powder

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp cayenne pepper

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Dump the beans and tomatoes in a large pot and place them on low-medium heat. Mix the spices in a small bowl and heat olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers to pan and allow to simmer for a minute or two. Place turkey meat in pan with onions + bell peppers and cook until brown. Add seasoning mix to the meat + a splash of water and allow the spices to cook into meat. Once there is no more liquid in the pan, dump it into the pot of beans and tomatoes. BOOM, lazy chili. 

I lightly seasoned my avocados with salt and pepper then proceeded to smash them making it easier to scoop. Add chili to the avocados and voila. You can eat them plain or enhance it as you would a regular bowl of chili. 

This meal is both nutrient and calorie dense. For a lighter option I would either cut it down to one or gut most of the avocado out. 

Lands End

currently playing// Unstoppable by Lianne La Havas

I have had the pleasure of spending my late teens and early twenties in Northern California -- from the East Bay on up to Sacramento. As much as I complained about missing my immediate family, I would not have traded this experience for anything else.

My days of living in California are quickly coming to an end and I am now realizing how much I am going to miss it. Over the next couple of months I'm going to share some old, and possibly new, photos of my life here being a somewhat West Coast transplant.

Here we are at Lands End park/trail/shoreline and my goodness is it an experience. You get the opportunity to surround yourself with landscape and breathtaking views from the steep rocky hills or with your feet drenched in the high tide of the ocean.

This is not your typical beach, but you know what makes this one feel a little more special? The hard work you've put in to enjoy it. The hike is not extremely strenuous, but it will have you feeling it the next day from the waist down.

Driving on the San Francisco hills scares the mess out of me, so we took the BART and uber'd it around town. It also gives me a chance to view the city in all of its eccentric beauty. On this ride we dropped off another rider at the California Academy of Sciences and heard an uber drivers story of riding a man around town to find a hooker. Yikes.

Our last stop was at a delicious eatery called Brenda's French Soul Food. This was my second time eating at this location, and neither time was I disappointed with my selection. 

Experience San Francisco and put this on your list of places to visit. It is truly an unforgettable and magical experience. 

It's super hard to figure out where to start using the internet, so in your google maps enter 916 El Camino Del Mar and voila! 

Summertime Skin Care Regulars

currently playing// Special Affair by The Internet

I started wearing foundation regularly about 2 years ago, and ever since then my skin has been more prone to acne. More acne yields more acne scars. Once the summertime weather made its debut, I decided to say farewell to all forms of foundation on my skin. It's the best decision I've made for my skin in a long time. 

My skin type? Oily, oily, and OILY. Since I've been taking a break from wearing foundation on my skin I have not had any breakouts, except for the occasional hormonal flare-up.

Here are a few things that have helped me reduce blemishes and minimize the size of my pores.