Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Corn Plus a VISA Giveaway!

With the holiday season looming on the horizon, I start hunting for recipes that are easy to make, healthy, and will feed an army of hungry houseguests. When my mind is filled with planning our Thanksgiving dinner, I really do not want to have to fuss with regular meals; I want them to take care of themselves. I want to have things on hand that I can make ahead and that get better with time.

I love to make nourishing meals for my family and friends. When our focus turns to the sweets all around us during the holidays, it is next to impossible to focus on healthy eating. But making a few changes to your favorite recipes can make all the difference and provides a counter-balance to our typical holiday noshing.

I was asked by the fine people at Del Monte to help them spread the word about their wonderful line of products, and I was happy to oblige. I am a San Francisco Bay Area native and grew up eating Del Monte canned fruits and vegetables. They were always in my mother’s shopping cart and were the foundation for many memorable family meals.

Today’s recipe for Turkey Chili is one meal that everyone will enjoy; it can be endlessly adapted to personal tastes. It gets better as it warms on the back of the stove waiting to feed latecomers, and is very filling. You can let everyone garnish their bowls, making it extra fun for kids to create their own variations. And if you have anyone in your gang that has gluten-intolerance issues, the recipe is perfect for them, too!

By replacing the traditional beef and pork with ground turkey, you eliminate a lot of the unhealthy fats and calories. And don’t worry about it tasting like Thanksgiving dinner – the seasonings are definitively southwestern. Packed with flavor, it is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. I added a can of Del Monte Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn to complement the masa harina in the chili and add even more healthy vegetables and crunch.

Did you know that canned tomatoes are even healthier for us than fresh? The heat in the canning process increases our body’s ability to access and use the powerful antioxidant lycopene in tomatoes, helping to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease. Del Monte canned fruits, vegetables and tomatoes are packed at the peak of ripeness (nearly 90% are canned on the day they are picked to lock in nutrients), do not contain any artificial colors of flavors, and the majority are grown in the United States.

It is a prize filled day at The Heritage Cook! In addition to this winning recipe (if I do say so myself, LOL) today, we have not one but two ways for you to win. You can leave a comment here for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card (see details below) and then head over to Del Monte’s Facebook page and enter their “Add Some Garden™” contest for a chance to win daily prizes and the grand prize culinary tour worth $10,000!

Giveaway Entry

To enter for a chance to win the $100 Visa Gift Card, leave a comment below telling us about meals that make you feel good and that are good for you.

Rules for Contest Entry:

1. No duplicate comments. You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes question above on this post

b) Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the 
following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

c) Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry

2. This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older.

3. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

4. The Official Rules are available here

5. This sweepstakes runs from 11/19/2012 to 12/21/2012

6. Be sure to visit the Del Monte’s brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win!

I cannot wait to hear about your favorite healthy meals. Good Luck everyone!

Jane’s Tips and Hints:

Slow-cooked meals like chili are often better when served the day after cooking. This gives the flavors time to blend and really come together. While this is delicious on the day you make it, it is even better the next day. So throw this together and have an easy meal ready for tomorrow!

Gluten-Free Tips:

While this recipe does not contain any gluten, make sure all of your ingredients are gluten-free.

Turkey Chili with Black Beans and Corn (Gluten-Free)

© 2012 Jane Evans Bonacci, The Heritage Cook. All rights reserved.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

Chili

1 tbsp. organic extra virgin olive oil

1-1/2 lb. ground dark turkey

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1 red bell pepper, stem and seeds removed, minced

2 stalks celery, minced

2 (14.5 oz.) cans Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Chipotle Chiles

1 (14.5 oz.) can Del Monte Petite Cut Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles

1 (14.5 oz.) can of water

2 to 3 tbsp. ground ancho chile powder or regular chili powder, to taste

1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper, or to taste (leave out for a mild chili)

1 tbsp. ground cumin

1 tbsp. oregano leaves

1/2 cup masa harina or corn flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and thoroughly rinsed

1 (15.25 oz.) can Del Monte Golden Sweet Whole Kernel Corn, drained

Optional Garnishes

Shredded cheese, such as cheddar and/or Monterey Jack

Sour cream

Chopped green onions

Chopped fresh cilantro

METHOD

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the turkey and pork. Break up large chunks with a flat-edged spatula. (If your Dutch oven is made of cast iron, reduce heat to medium.) When the meats are mostly browned, add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and celery. Cook, stirring often until vegetables are wilted and meats are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes (with their juices), ancho chile powder, cumin, oregano, masa harina, salt, and pepper. Make sure there are no lumps of masa in the mixture. Reduce heat to low and cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender and the flavors have blended. Add a little water if chili is too thick. Add the beans and corn. Cook until heated through.

At this point you can serve it, continue cooking on low for up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally, or turn it off and when cool, store in the refrigerator for serving the next day.

Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with garnishes if desired.

Make Ahead: This is one of those dishes that improves with time. Make it one or two days ahead and give the flavors time to blend together.

Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material on The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, I can be contacted via email: theheritagecook (at) comcast (dot) net. Feel free to quote me, just give credit where credit is due, link to the recipe, and please send people to my website, www.theheritagecook.com.

The intention of the content on this site is for your inspiration and enjoyment. It is not a substitute for advice given by a licensed health-care professional. You are responsible for medically confirming any dietary restrictions and ingredient safety with product manufacturers before consuming or using any product. If you have dietary restrictions, always read the labels before including any ingredient in your cooking.

As an affiliate member, if you click on links in my posts and purchase a product, I may receive a small percentage of the sale. Any commissions received will be used to offset a portion of the costs of running The Heritage Cook. If I have received products for review or had travel expenses covered, I will disclose that in the content of each article where applicable.

Thank You!

Do you have any questions or comments? I love to hear from you!

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