My depression busting Pumpkin Beef Chili is a quick and easy meal that is the perfect addition during times of stress. Last week was Mental Health Awareness Week, and November is National Family Caregiver’s Month.

Sadly over 50% of caregivers suffer from anxiety and depression due to the stress of caring for a loved one with special needs.

When stress is high, blood sugar often becomes imbalanced leaving you feeling jittery, anxious, fatigued, dizzy, angry, and confused. Chronic blood sugar dysregulation also creates imbalances in the important neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine, and when these neurotransmitters are low, the body naturally seeks out sugar to increase them.

With so many things to do and think about, it’s easy to forget about eating on a regular schedule, but this is the time when you need to do just that. To help you remember, simply create an alarm on your smartphone for different intervals throughout the day. I recommend eating smaller protein-rich meals (animal protein is high in brain-loving zinc and vitamin B6) every 3 to 4 hours for calming and blood sugar balance.

If you’re going to be out and about, pack food in a cooler with blue ice blocks. Another great tip is to make large batches to portion out for the day, saving you time and alleviating the stress of coming up with multiple meal options.

So get out your crockpot and join me in celebrating the many wonderful flavors of fall!

Pumpkin Beef Chili Ingredients:

• 2 lb. grass-fed ground beef (great substitutions include organic ground turkey and chicken)
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 1 large zucchini, diced
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 3 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon unrefined salt
• 1 pound cubed pumpkin or one 16 oz. carton organic pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups organic (preferably homemade) chicken stock

Pumpkin Beef Chili Instructions:

1. Brown the meat in a large skillet with either coconut oil or ghee.
2. Put all of the ingredients into your crockpot, plus the browned meat. Stir to combine and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

This recipe is so easy you can make it the night before and it’ll be ready when you wake up!

As always, I’d love to know how it turns out for you in the comments below!