Chili Cookoff: Aubrey
LISA GRENTZ, MS, RDN, CD/LDN, FAND
Our last featured chili for this month’s cookoff comes from registered dietitian, Aubrey. This festive fall recipe is perfect for dinner on Halloween and all winter long.
Soups are such an awesome way to get in a ton of nutrition, especially veggies. I kind of take it as a personal challenge to see how many veggies I can pack into a dish without anyone noticing or refusing to eat it! This chili is a favorite at our house, and perfect to add some fall pumpkin flare. The pumpkin addition is not very noticeable to the taste buds, but packs a huge dose of beta carotene, vitamin K, and vitamin E, with a nice boost of iron, too! And if you use the serving suggestion below, you get another fiber and veggie boost, as well. My kids love it because it helps cool down the chili, too, and adds a fun crunch reminiscent to crackers or tortilla chips.
Pumpkin Chili
Serves: 4+
1 Tbsp. avocado oil
1-pound ground beef, bison, or venison
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced or 2 heaping tsp. of minced garlic
2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. cumin
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. oregano
½ to 1 Tbsp. of maple syrup
15-ounce can tomato puree or crushed tomatoes*
15-ounce can pumpkin puree (plain, not sweetened or flavored)
½ - 1 cup bone broth or water (as needed to get desired consistency)
½ head of cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded (optional, but highly recommended!)
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat, onion, and garlic and cook until meat is starting to brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the paprika, cumin, salt, cinnamon, and oregano, stirring to evenly mix for about a minute.
Drizzle in the maple syrup, then add the tomatoes and pumpkin. Stir and let come to a simmer. Add water/broth as needed to get the consistency you’d like and then let simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes.
Divide the cabbage into bowls and top with the chili. Serve and devour. Repeat all fall.
*Fun fact: I hate the texture of cooked tomatoes! So, we use tomato puree instead of crushed tomatoes, but if you like crushed, go for it!