By Elizabeth Casalnova
Columnist
This recipe is one of my favorites because it’s one of the first ones I’ve made myself. This chili is perfect for the days I don’t feel like cooking because I can throw everything in my crockpot and come back to it later. If you don’t have a crockpot, don’t worry! You can cook it on the stove on low heat for a fraction of the time it takes in the slow cooker. The ingredients list is lengthy, but with many of them being canned vegetables and spices, it is still a cheap meal that you can store for the week.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb lean ground turkey
- 1 15oz can black beans, mostly drained (leave some liquid)
- 3 15oz cans of stewed or diced tomatoes
- 1 15oz chickpeas, drained
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 ½ tsp minced garlic
- 1 bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup mushrooms, chopped
- 2 stalks of scallions (optional)
- 1 ½ tsp paprika
- 1 ½ tsp cumin
- 1 ½ tsp chili powder
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp italian seasoning blend
- Salt and pepper to taste
Slow-Cooker Directions:
1. Add all ingredients to 4-quart crockpot, cover and cook on low heat for about five to eight hours.
Stove-Top Directions:
1. In a pan over medium-low heat, sautée onions in olive oil until translucent.
2. Add in bell peppers, and sautée for three minutes.
3. Add mushrooms and sautée until the mushrooms are soft.
4. While the vegetables are cooking, preheat a large pot over medium-high heat and add olive oil and ground turkey.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until turkey is all brown, and then reduce the heat to low.
6. Add sautéed vegetables and the remainder of the ingredients to the pot and stir.
7. Simmer for at least 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, and enjoy!
