Chili-Rubbed Turkey Breast with Pepper, Onion, and Black Bean Saute

Inspiration for a meal can come from many places. Cookbooks. The Food Network. Recipes online. Books you're reading. Cravings. I'm continually amazed at the many ways I stumble upon ideas for meals, and I'm always thankful for the sources of inspiration in my life.

What made me decide to make a chili-rubbed turkey breast? First and foremost it was because turkey breast slices were on sale at the grocery store when I stopped in for some diet soda and bananas. I have an awful habit of looking at all of the sale specials as I wind my way through the aisles, even if I have a mission when I'm in the store. If my mission is sour cream, you can bet your bottom dollar that I'll still end up perusing the fresh fruits or the bakery specials for the day. As Shan says, I'm incapable of passing up a sale. I just have to look at it, even if I don't buy anything. So, I will say inspiration found me in the poultry section of the meat department after step class tonight.

My second inspiration was the Tex-Mex Chicken Salad recipe I found on Weight Watchers online. The combination of peppers, black beans, and corn sounded just delightful. The fact that these crisp ingredients were combined with mayonnaise and chicken breast before being chilled was just fantastic. I love a good chicken salad. My plan was to make this spicy, cold salad for dinner tonight. That is, before I found the turkey breast on sale. And before I realized, once again, for the twentieth time today, that it's darn chilly in my nook of the Midwest. Teens chilly. Snow on the way chilly. It's been the kind of cold that almost begs for hot, home-cooked meals to warm up the evening.

What to do? What to do? The answer: get inventive.

Chili-Rubbed Turkey Breast with Pepper, Onion, and Black Bean Saute
Serves 4
POINTS: 6

For Turkey Breasts:
1 pound boneless, skinless turkey breast slices (from poultry section of meat department)
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 medium scallions, sliced
Non-stick cooking spray

For Pepper, Onion, & Black Bean Sautee:
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
14.5 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the broiler of the oven.

Spray a broiling pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place turkey breast slices on pan. In small bowl, combine chili powder, salt, pepper. Once combined, rub spice combination on tops of turkey breast slices. Place turkey breasts on top shelf of oven, nearest broiler. Broil for 5 - 7 minutes per side.

While the turkey breast is under the broiler, heat olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about one minute. Add the onion and peppers and saute until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Salt and pepper vegetables to taste.

Once the peppers and onion are tender, add the drained and rinsed black beans to the skillet. Cook until heated through about 2 minutes more.

Serve turkey breast slices on top of 1 cup of pepper and onion saute. Sprinkle scallions evenly on top of turkey breast slices.