TURKEY CHILI WITH CASHEWS AND KALE
Healthiest Meals on Earth
by Jonny Bowden
A free-radical freedom fighter
Prep Time: 15 to 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 to 40 minutes
Yield: About 8 servings (about 12 cups [3 L], plus extra broth)
Ingredients
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1½ pounds (680 g) ground turkey or chicken
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2½ cups (570 ml) low-sodium fat-free chicken broth
• 1 cup (235 ml) dark beer
• 2 tablespoons (32 g) tomato paste
• 1 can (15.8 ounce, or 455 g) kidney beans, drained
• 1 can (15.8 ounce, or 455 g) black beans, drained
• 1 can (16 ounce 455 g) diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
• 1 cup (150 g) colored bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 small zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced into half rounds
• 1 cup (67 g) kale, stemmed and chopped or torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/4 cup (31 g) cashews, chopped
• 1/2 cup (8 g) chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 28 ml) fresh lime juice, optional
Directions
In a 4- to 6-quart (4- to 6-L) sauté pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cook until browned, for 5 to 6 minutes. Add the oregano, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, and salt and sauté for 2 minutes. Pour in the broth and beer. Stir in the tomato paste. Add the kidney beans, black beans, tomatoes, bell pepper, zucchini or squash, kale, and carrot. Bring to a simmer, re- duce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cashews and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the cilantro and lime juice, if using.
Notes from the Kitchen
• Traditionally, chili is cooked in large batches. If you aren't serving a crowd, plan to eat the leftovers throughout the week or store extras in the freezer: Let the chili cool for about 15 minutes and store it in a freezer-safe container in the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, remove the lid and dry all the condensed moisture with a paper towel. (This helps to reduce freezer burn.) Reseal the container, removing as much air as possible, and store it in your freezer for up to a month.
• There is no need for the excessive saturated fats of traditional chilis. You can make a very flavorful chili without even using meat. Keep beans as the primary ingredient. If you do use meat, choose a low-fat option, such as the ground turkey or chicken used in this recipe, to help reduce the calories of the dish. You could even make chili with ground buffalo.
• Chilis are very versatile, and you can use your own palate and intuition to customize any recipe. Add any combination of softer vegetables you happen to have in the fridge. If you want to use a slow cooker, just pre-brown and drain the meat, add all ingredients to the slow cooker, and cook for about 4 hours on high, or 8 on low.
• In this recipe, instead of the ground turkey or chicken, you can use about 3/4 lb (330 g) cubed or shredded cooked turkey or chicken. Add the cooked meat in with the tomatoes for the last 5 minutes of cooking time.
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