Turkey and Black Bean Chili

Ingredients:

One small onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic crushed and chopped

1 bell pepper (I prefer red) diced

2 tablespoons of cooking oil

1 ½-2 lbs of ground turkey

One packet of chili seasoning of your choice (or you can make your own*)

2 8 oz cans of black beans drained and rinsed (I soak and cook about 1 ½- 2 cups of dried beans from scratch)

1 28 oz can of crushed or diced tomatoes

1 cup of water

¼ cup of red wine or low sodium chicken broth

2 bay leaves

Directions:

Sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper in the oil in a large sauce pan` over medium high heat until the onion is translucent and the veggies are slightly softer.  (Do not overcook the veggies)

Add the meat and brown in the same pan

Add the chili seasoning and the beans and mix thoroughly

Add the tomatoes, the water and the wine or chicken broth and the bay leaves

Cover and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour on medium low heat. (Up to 2 hours for richer flavor)

This recipe serves about 6-8 people but you could probably half the recipe if you desire less.  Or you could eat some for one meal, pack some for lunch the next day, or freeze the rest for future meals if you live alone or have a small family.  I cook mine in 30 minutes in an electric pressure cooker, but this can also be done in a slow cooker on high for 4 hours.  To save even more money, substitute onion and garlic powder (about a teaspoon each) for fresh onion and garlic and skip the sauté stage.  Canned beans are relatively inexpensive and quick; however, a bag of dried beans can be used for more than one meal and may be cheaper in the long run.  To make this meal even heartier  try serving with rice or cornbread.

*Easy Chili Spice:

• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper (optional for spicier chili)
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 tablespoon dried, minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons white sugar (optional)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

• Stir the ingredients together.
• Store in an airtight container until ready to use

---