As many of my friends and readers know, my husband Bill and I have been on the hCG diet for about a month now. In that month, I've lost about 18 pounds and 5 inches from my waist. The diet is kind of radical in that it allows only 500 calories to be consumed per day and limits the kinds of foods you can eat while on the program. So you can imagine that Bill and I are beginning to miss some of our old comfort foods. We'll be on the program for for two more weeks of low calories before beginning the maintenance phase in which we can begin to add a wider variety of food into our diets. That's why I was excited when I was issued a challenge by Hunt's to create a healthy recipe using Hunt's tomatoes and dedicate that recipe to a loved one.

According to an article published in the March/April 2011 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine called, "Tomato Consumption and Health: Emerging Benefits", there are a number of health benefits to increasing tomato consumption. Adding tomatoes to one's diet has been associated with reduced risk of certain cancers, heart disease, ultra-violet light induced skin damage and osteoporosis, among other conditions. When you think of red tomatoes, keep in mind that tomatoes are good for your heart. They're low in calories and rich in nutrients like potassium, fiber and the antioxidant, lycopene. The lycopene found in canned tomatoes like Hunt's products are easier for your body to use, and higher amounts of lycopene are in canned tomatoes than the raw version. In fact, new dietary guidelines recommend adding an additional serving of tomatoes each day. Tomatoes are a superfood, and I love the convenience of Hunt's canned tomatoes. That's why I chose to use Hunt's canned Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes With Garlic in the chili recipe I create for Bill.

Bill's Hearty Sweet and Spicy Chili

Ingredients (makes 4 servings)

14 oz. 92% lean ground beef

2 14.5 oz. cans Hunt's Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic

1 6 oz. can Hunt's No Salt Added Tomato Paste

1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Brown ground beef in large skillet

Drain ground beef and return to skillet.

Add diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir well.

Next, add broth and continue stirring until throughly combined.

Add spices, cocoa and vanilla exract. Mix well and cook to boil.

Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

The chili turned out really good, and it was so easy and convenient. I wanted to make a hearty meal my husband would enjoy. He's done so well on the diet. He's given up a lot of his favorite foods, and I hoped he would appreciate a nice bowl of hot, stick to your ribs chili. He did. The cocoa and vanilla were a nice way to add a bit of sweetness since we aren't permitted to have sweeteners like honey or molasses. Even our daughter liked the chili!

For more information on the nutritional value of tomatoes, you can check out this webinar from ConAgra Foods. I was compensated by The Motherhood for my time and participation in this campaign. I'm thankful for this experience. It allowed me to use my creativity and to show that I could create a nutritious and tasty recipe for my family. I dedicated my recipe to my husband. Who would you dedicate a healthy tomato recipe to?