Turkey Chili

Like a lot of people, I LOVE FALL. The crisp air, the colorful leaves, the endless stands of harvest produce at the farmer's market, pumpkins galore, and of course, football season!

It was a cold and rainy weekend in NYC so rather than wallow in my "football-widow" state, I decided to get cozy in my kitchen and make a big pot of Turkey Chili. Serve it over a steaming bowl of brown rice or with crispy corn chips. If you're having friends over to watch the game, double the recipe and create a toppings buffet of shredded lettuce, cheese, organic plain low-fat yogurt(instead of sour cream),salsa and guacamole.

Ladies, I promise you your men will go crazy for this and they won't miss the meat at all. Kids will love it too and enjoy building their own version with the toppings.

And don't forget the chips! What football game would be complete with out them? Instead of regular fried chips loaded with fat and salt, go for the healthier alternative. My favorite are Guiltless Gourmet's Organic Blue Corn Chips. You can find them at Whole Foods and any health food store. They're baked, not fried with a little bit of expeller-pressed safflower/canola oil and lightly salted. Delish. You can make this ahead of time and just heat it on the stove for 30 minutes or so over medium-low heat. This is such a great one-dish meal and will last you for several days. The leftovers taste even better!

Leigh's Turkey Chili

Time: Approx 1 hour Serves: 4-6

Ingredients:

1 lb. organic ground turkey

(I use half white and half dark meat)

1 14 1/2 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed(kidney or pinto beans also work well here)

1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

2/3 cup chopped yellow onion

2/3 cup chopped celery

2-3 cloves peeled and minced garlic

2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

pinch or two of cayenne (optional)

1 14 1/2 ounce can chopped plum tomatoes

expeller-pressed canola oil or good olive oil

1/2 cup organic low sodium chicken broth

1 bay leaf

sea salt and pepper

1. Heat a tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the turkey (brought to room temperature*) and season to taste with salt and pepper. (Don't be afraid to generously salt the turkey! Sea salt contains essential minerals that are so good for us. Of course, taste as you go so you won't overdue it.) Break the turkey into pieces and cook until browned. Remove to a bowl and set aside.

(*It's important to take the ground turkey out of the fridge for 30 minutes or so before cooking. If the meat is cold, it won't sear but boil in it's own juices instead. If it's room temperature it will brown nicely, locking in the juices and preserving the flavor. Makes a huge difference!)

2. Using the same pan, reduce the heat to low and add the carrot, onion, and celery. After a couple minutes add the garlic. Cook for another 3-5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the spices and bay leaf and continue to cook for another couple minutes. Increase the heat to medium and add the tomato, stock and bay leaf. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat back to medium-low, add the turkey, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

3. Add the can of beans and stir well. Simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve immediately with your favorite toppings.