How turkey chili helped me move apartments

How Turkey Chili Helped Me Move Apartments

Victoria Heydt

Ah, moving in the time of COVID. It seemed like a great idea at the time. Recently, I moved across town. Nothing crazy, like a few years ago when I moved to another state. But, holy smokes, did this most recent relocation make me realize I'm not as much of a minimalist as I would like to be.

Could it be due to all of the boxes of seasonal decorations that I'd collected over the years for fall and Christmas? Or the inordinate number of spices I'd somehow (literally) racked up in my 1-bedroom apartment? Or the variety of plates and platters I'd accumulated over the years due to my fervor for hosting? All of the above.

During my purge process (I was channeling my inner Marie Kondo at the time), I made it my mission to make as many meals as I could using the ingredients I had in my fridge and pantry so that I could move fewer items to the new house. Plus, it helped the budget.

Always a fan of chili, especially during autumn, I grabbed a few cans of beans and diced tomatoes, defrosted ground turkey from my freezer, used a bottle of lager that was chilling in my fridge, and made an incredible batch of turkey chili. I added a hint of cinnamon and it just took the flavor profile to a whole new level. Just be careful not to add too much cinnamon. Did that once with a pie…still haven't lived that down.

To use up the leftovers, I baked spaghetti squash and had it as my base for the turkey chili the next few days. It's a great alternative to pasta if you're gluten-free, plus it just leaves you feeling lighter than pasta does.

I also made a crazy number of egg dishes to use up the crate—yes, crate—of eggs I had in my fridge. When I was making egg recipes for lunch and dinner, I would pair them with a delightful avocado toast to make the meal heartier.

Once I actually moved into the new place, I wanted to continue to make hearty meals that I could prep ahead, as I eat constantly throughout the day. And taking time during lunch, even when you work remotely, can be tough. So I roasted this super juicy chicken, made some parmesan-garlic mashed potatoes, and paired that with a fall salad. I divided the meal into several containers to make it more of an easy grab-and-go type situation.

Now that I'm settling into the new house, I'm excited to unpack all of my fun kitchen gadgets and start making more fall-focused recipes like butternut squash soup and cozy apple cider!

- Victoria Heydt
Editorial Project Manager, The Spruce Eats