Fresh Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Now that I have discovered the amazingness of GARLIC OIL, I have attempted to make some of my favorite dishes again, incorporating the garlic oil. I still made this pumpkin chili without onion (I know, crazy) but used the garlic oil to add some much needed garlic flavor. Hey, it does the trick for an Italian like me who has lived without garlic for almost two years now (because of
FODMAPs, in case you are new to my blog)!

Fall Harvest Pumpkin Turkey Chili

Ingredients
(Serves 4)

2 T garlic olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 pound ground turkey
1.5 cans diced tomatoes (14.5 ounce cans)
1/2 can black beans, strained
2 cups pumpkin puree
1.5 T chili powder
1 t cinnamon
1.2 t ground black pepper
Dash of salt

1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup Greek yogurt

*** If you would like to use garlic and onion, use plain olive oil instead of garlic oil, and add 1 clove minced garlic and 1 cup chopped onion ***

Directions

1. Cook the pumpkin in the oven for about an hour at 375 degrees. Half way into the cooking process pierce some slits into the sides of pumpkin (it will be soft enough to pierce at this point). Once it's cooked, scrape out the seeds, discard, then scrape out the flesh. ** You could also choose to use canned pumpkin puree **


The pumpkin "shell" was very sturdy and thick. It would make a nice bowl if you want to serve your chili in the bowl. I had to serve five people and only had two pumpkin shells, so I wasn't able to be so creative.


2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and saute the bell peppers (and garlic and onion, if you are using them).

3. Stir in the turkey and cook until browned.

4. Transfer vegetables and turkey into a slow cooker or a Le Crueset skillet (I used the latter). Mix in tomatoes, beans, and pumpkin, then add seasonings.

5. Cover and cook on a very low setting for about 2 hours (possibly longer if using a slow cooker).


This chili was very, very thick. I like my chili thick, but on this particular day Nick and I were having my parents and brother over for dinner.....


If I would have kept the chili as is, it would not have served all 5 of us, so I thinned the chili with some low sodium chicken broth (~ 2 cups).


I served it with cheddar cheese and plain Greek yogurt. My dad, who "hates yogurt" had no idea this was Greek yogurt and not sour cream. Nick noticed, but thankfully he didn't say anything or else my dad would have been PISSED! The only reason Nick knew it was Greek yogurt was because, as he said, "We don't have sour cream, so I knew it was yogurt!".



Everyone enjoyed this chili, even my picky brother.

QUESTION: Do you ever add cinnamon to your chili? Do you have an ingredient that you always add to recipes? I add cinnamon to just about every recipe I make! Growing up my grandma also added it to her lasagna and I swear it "made" the lasagna. I'm obsessed.