Pumpkins are everywhere right now! Every corner farm-stand and grocery store and superstore are selling pumpkins in assorted shapes and sizes. I’ve also read from several sources that we need not fear a canned pumpkin shortage this year, as there was a successful pumpkin harvest this year by the major manufacturers.
So with the love of pumpkin in mind, I thought I would drag out this old beloved bowl of chili and remind you about it, because it is very delicious. Pumpkin is a wealth of nutrients- loaded with antioxidants and vitamins, it’s a nutritional powerhouse. Yet we don’t eat much of it, except for cooked up into a pie. Delicious, yes, but not ideal for everyday. This chili, on the otherhand, is spectacular. You cannot even taste or see the pumpkin if you’ve successfully pureed it enough. Read: feed this to your chili loving kids and they will get a massive boost of veggie goodness without any fight or fuss.
I’ve made some very successful tweaks to this chili. Last night Andy and I each inhaled two bowls, we thought it was good before, but these tweaks made it even better, so I’m updating the recipe. It originally came from Taste of Home in fall of 2008, and was (I think) a way to utilize Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. I thought it worked much better as a chili last night when I used ground turkey instead. It more resembled a ground beef chili in that regard. I also added a hefty tablespoon of smoked paprika, and eliminated the dried parsley in favor of both fresh parsley and cilantro. Unless you’re a cilantro hater, trust me on this- add it. It took this chili to new levels, and we’re really looking forward to eating it up as leftovers.
Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili
1 pound ground turkey 1 medium onion — chopped1 medium sweet yellow pepper — chopped
3 garlic cloves — minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups chicken broth
2 cans black beans — (15 ounces each) rinsed and drained
1 can solid-pack pumpkin — (15 ounces) 1 can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies — (14-1/2 ounces) undrained 2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon smoked paprika 2 tablespoons fresh minced parsley 2-4 tablespoons fresh minced cilantro
Directions:
In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey in the olive oil and drain any liquid once browned. Add and saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.