When I posted a round-up of the recipes I actually make on a fairly frequent basis I totally forgot to include this chili. I’m not really the type of person who thinks you can only eat pumpkin between the months of October through January so I’ve been known to whip up a batch of this spicy pumpkin infused concoction in the middle of summer. The addition of pumpkin really brightens the color of the dish and it’s fun to watch your guests try to guess what the secret ingredient is while they’re digging in to sour cream and cilantro topped bowls.
If you really want to carry the healthy theme to the next level then I suggest pairing this wholesome meal with a batch of Paleo Pumpkin Nut Muffins. Just crumble one on top instead of a corn muffin. I promise you’ll like it. Just make sure you skip the chocolate chips. That would just be weird. Speaking of potentially weird things, I generally use white cannellini beans when I make this dish but happened to not have any on hand this week so I substituted with garbanzo beans. The garbanzos actually held up really well and didn’t seem to break down as much as the cannellini beans so I may start using them on purpose now. Aren’t happy accidents lovely?
Turkey Pumpkin Chili
Adapted from WholeFoodsMarket.com
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeños, finely chopped
1 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground white turkey breast
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (15 ounces) can pumpkin purée
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste
1 (15 ounces) can garbanzo or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.
