Turkey Pumpkin Chili

Pumpkin isn’t only for sweet recipes. Try switching things up and use pumpkin in a savory cooking application. Start with this Turkey Pumpkin Chili! 

Turkey Pumpkin Chili with a piece of cornbread in a white bowl

How is October already coming to an end? Fall is a busy time for me with conferences and a lot of work travel. Also during this time of year, I’m sure your Pinterest boards are being saturated with pumpkin everything! I am would say I am a self-proclaimed pumpkin lover, but my RD friend Maggie I would nominate as the president of the pumpkin lover’s club. She just came out with a pumpkin cookbook featuring 50 creative pumpkin flavored, shaped, & spiced recipes.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili with piece of cornbread in a white bowl

Did You Know?

A few years back I was at a conference and an RD from Nestle was there speaking about Libby’s canned pumpkin. That brand is a staple across supermarkets nationally. I’m sure many of you, like myself, stock up on Libby’s canned pumpkin this time of year. I was fascinated to learn they exclusively use Dickinson pumpkins, which are a special strain of pumpkins.

Why Dickinson Pumpkins?

Libby’s acquired the rights to the “Libby’s Select Dickinson” pumpkin in 1929 from the Dickinson family who brought it in the early 1800s from Kentucky. If you ever Google “Dickinson pumpkin” images that appear look like a pale, slightly misshapen butternut squash, not the jack-o-lantern pumpkin you may be thinking of. When Dickinson pumpkins are grown and cultivated just right, they yield a sweet, bright orange flesh that’s amazing in dishes from pies to pasta, and a healthier ingredient to swap into some of your favorite recipes.

Confession: One year I was a little too pumpkin obsessed. I ate it in my oats for breakfast, stirred it in my yogurt, made smoothies, breads, soups every. single. day. I had a tad too much beta-carotene and my palms started turning orange. Lesson learned.

While pumpkin is used in sweet applications the majority of the time, pumpkin works well with savory applications. This chili is perfect for someone who isn’t too crazy about super spicy chili. It’s a mellow flavor with a hint of sweet. I feel like chili isn’t complete without a slice of cornbread. I always crumble up the cornbread right into the chili.

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white bowl with turkey pumpkin chili with a piece of cornbread

Turkey Pumpkin Chili

  • Author: Chef Julie Harrington, RD
  • Prep Time: 10
  • Cook Time: 20
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6
  • Category: chili

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 lb. ground turkey breast
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 (28 oz) can no salt added diced tomatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
  • 2 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
  • 1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  • pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey, and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
  2. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
  3. Add in the diced tomatoes, pumpkin, chicken stock and beans, and stir to combine.
  4. Bring the chili to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.
  5. Serve with cornbread.

Notes

This chili freezes well. Make a large batch and freeze half for another time.

Keywords: chili, pumpkin, turkey,

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Wondering what I will be doing with those half cans of ingredients? I love being creative with extra ingredients that I have in the fridge. I think this will turn into a burrito bowl.

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Southwest Stuffed Peppers topped with avocado on a white plate

Southwest Stuffed Peppers

  • Author: Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen
  • Yield: 6

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 red bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup quinoa
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 (14.5 oz) can corn, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 (14.5 oz) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, drained
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 avocado, sliced
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Slice pepper in half lengthwise, place on baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes.
  2. Cook quinoa according to package directions.
  3. In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, saute until translucent. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, and cooked quinoa and cook until heated through. Stir in cheese.
  4. Remove peppers from oven and stuff with bean mixture. Bake for an additional 5 minutes.
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lemon parsley chickpeas in a white bowl

Lemon Parsley Chickpeas

  • Author: Julie @ RDelicious Kitchen

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 (15 oz.) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Add olive oil to a large saute pan over medium heat.
  2. Add garlic, saute for 1 minute, until it begins to become fragrant. Add chickpeas and toss with garlic and olive oil until evenly coated.
  3. Stir in lemon juice and simmer until reduced by half, tossing chickpeas occasionally.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in chopped parsley.

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Hearty Vegetable Soup

Nothing is better than coming inside from a cold winter day and warming up with a hearty bowl of soup. Making soup from scratch is by far better than the canned stuff. Canned soups are packed with a ton of sodium. The recommended intake of sodium is < 2,400 mg per day. In some soups thats 75% of your sodium intake right there!
 
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Minestrone soup RD1.jpg

Hearty Vegetable Soup

Makes 12 servings

 

Ingredients:
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3 carrots, peeled and chopped into a small dice
4 celery stalks, chopped into a small dice
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 medium red onions, chopped
Salt and pepper
1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
3/4 cup sundried tomatoes, sliced
2 quarts low sodium vegetable stock
2 quarts water
3 cups kale, roughly chopped
1 lb whole-wheat ditalini pasta
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas


Directions:

1. In a large stock pot over add the bacon and cook until crispy. Add the carrots, celery, garlic, and onions to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the veggies are tender, 7-8 minutes more.

2. Add the mushrooms, sundried tomatoes, and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Add the stock and water to the pot, and bring up to a boil.

4. Add the kale, pasta, and chickpeas to the soup pot, and cook until the pasta is al dente. Season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

5. Ladle the soup into shallow bowls.


Minestrone Soup RD2.jpg


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(nutrition facts based on calorie count)

 

 

Enjoy!