Slow Cooker - BLACK BEAN 'N' PUMPKIN CHILI

[Sneaky Snoopy]

1 medium ONION, chopped
1 medium SWEET YELLOW PEPPER, chopped
3 GARLIC CLOVES, minced
2 tablespoon OLIVE OIL
3 cups CHICKEN BROTH
2 cans 15oz each BLACK BEANS, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups cubed cooked TURKEY or CHICKEN (I used chicken)
1 can 15 oz solid-pack  PUMPKIN
1 can 14 1/2 oz DICED TOMATOES, undrained
2 teaspoons DRIED PARSLEY
2 teaspoons CHILI POWDER
1 1/2 teaspoons DRIED OREGANO
1 1/2 teaspoons GROUND CUMIN
1/2 teaspoon SALT

Step 1 - In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper and garlic in oil until tender.  Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients.

Step 2 - Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.


It is OK to add extras.  My first batch I didn't have a small can of tomatoes so I put in a 28 ounce can.  Plus I like kidney beans so I added that too.  for the chicken I bought a pre cooked chicken and cut and cubed the white meat.  This soup tastes great by itself or topped with cheese or avocado.  I know that one bowl is not enough.  I hope you like it.

[tprouty]

This looks yummy, Snoopy. Thanks for posting it.

I've been going thru all my archived recipes and making note of the ones that will work for slow cookers. My hubby got a new job (YAY, finally), and he starts and ends his day a lot earlier than I do, so with the slow cooker I can have his dinner ready when he gets home, and my lunch for the next day. I'm looking forward to this recipe, with all the great spices, and we love black beans.

Good luck on your race! You'll do great! We have a good friend who does marathons (just did Boston this year). He LOVES to eat, and the training keeps him slim and allows him to eat anything he wants, pretty much. All that exercise certainly covers a multitude of sins.

Have fun!
Terri

[southernyankee]

Hi Snoopy,
Here's a big  for you for this recipe! I made this last week without the chicken because I like the idea of having meatless soups on hand. It was totally delicious! I made just a few changes: didn't have the yellow pepper, so I substitued about 1/3 pkg. frozen fajita veggies (red & green pepper & onion.) I also didn't saute the onion and pepper beforehand - just popped all the ingredients in the large slow cooker ---- and waited, and waited, and waited  for the slow cooking to happen.

Again, many thanks....and by the way, DH and DS raved over this. The pumpkin gives it a mellow, creamy taste.

Best,
southernyankee

[LINDA RN]

Where did you find pumpkin? Stores around here were sold out in December due to a crop failure. Wasn't supposed to be any available until this fall. Kinda looking forward to cooking it this fall.

[wendysgoodnews]

I have been looking for a new recipe to cook for Mike so will try this for next week.  I am one of the pumpkin hoarders.

[MsHeirloom]

Me, too!  It's too warm for warm pumpkin smoothies for breakfast so I need to try this recipe!  Pam

[Sneaky Snoopy]

I'm glad you like this recipe too.  I have another one for Cincinnati chili.  I will have to post it too.  I like the slow cooker stuff.

[southernyankee]

"Pumpkin hoarders!"  Funny, funny....I guess that descriptor goes for me, too. I always like to have a can or two of the 15 oz. cans of Libby's 100% Pure Pumpkin on hand year 'round. I also like to keep frozen "winter" squash on hand, it's good in soups also. I used the squash in a double batch of (customized) LDL White Bean Soup to store ahead when I knew I was having dental surgery in Feb and March.

FYI to would-be pumpkin hoarders: in my market it is shelved with the canned pie fillings, not with canned fruits or vegetables. Now that I've let that secret out of the bag, I'm gonna shop tomorrow and replenish my canned pumpkin stash. Fall is still a long way off, the store won't have it in large quantity 'til then  and I don't want to run out of it!

southernyankee

[LINDA RN]

Another coworker makes Cincinnati chili. It is a big hit

[CodingQueen]

Snoopy,

Do you use unsweetened dark chocolate in your Cincinnati Chili? I believe that's what makes it so delicious.

Southernyankee,

I, too, am a pumpkin hoarder. Bought the last case in the supermarket last November around Thanksgiving. I haven't seen it in the stores, yet.

CQ

[Tanya]

I've never cooked with pumpkin other than for pie.  I want to try this recipie to see what it tastes like.  Hope I like it because there is only me to eat it and I hate to waste food by throwing away something I don't really like.  Does the pumpkin flavor the chili?  Is it similar in flavor to other winter-type squashes?

[southernyankee]

CQ - Canned pumpkin by the case ? Wow, am I behind the power curve on hoarding behavior or WHAT?????? I'm a can or 2- or 3- or 4- type of hoarder at this point (only competent with Hoarding 1.0 so far  ) and with limited storage space unless I become more creative  . Until then I'm working with pantry shelves alone. I'm not up to stashing cases of canned goods under the beds yet , etc. but I know that that has been done. Here with our So. TX humidity, I wouldn't dare store foodstuffs in the garage or shed because the cans would rust in a NY minute.

Tanya - IMHO the pumpkin or squash in soup recipes is mild and "quietly" sweet to the palate. I find that I can taste just "a suggestion" of pumpkin or squash in among the veggies, beans, broth I have used. The pumpkin/squash flavor is subtle and lends a creamy texture....of course, it will NEVER taste like ol' fashioned pumpkin pie  in a recipe unless there is sweetener and pumpkin pie spices = pumpkin pie, an LDL no-no and no-go. (BTW, the LDL crustless pumpkin pie recipe is great...) But back to the soup.....in Snoopy's recipe the pumpkin works great and is a nice visual difference from what we envision soup to look like. I personally welcome the added fiber and the carotene (vitamin A precursor) given to the soup by good old 100% canned pumpkin and 100% frozen winter-type squash.

You may want to try making half the recipe amount (in a small slow cooker/crock-pot) for your first go 'round. Then you wouldn't need to worry so much about trying a new recipe vs. food being wasted. The amount of pumpkin left aside (1/2 of a 15 oz. can) would go nicely in a cold pumpkin smoothie - again, recipe is available on our message boards. One of the fun  things about the LDL recipes, besides their being very easy for the most part, is improvising to add a little of this, perhaps less of that, to arrive at nourishing LDL meals customized to your taste preferences. Good luck in trying this recipe, Tanya...either with or without the meat. Let us know  how it comes out for you.

Best wishes,

southernyankee

[LINDA RN]

OK Y'all are making me really hungry for that chili.......pumpkin hoarders ought to be nice and share.... you can mail me a seving or two of that chili anytime now! It has been raining a slow steady rain all evening. Chili suddenly sounds good.

[CodingQueen]

LINDA RN,

It's raining here, too....suppose to be wet all weekend but it's hot and sticky...definitely not chili weather.

CQ

[lrainbow2006]

You know, all I can think about lately is that Pumpkin chili.  I was reading about "pumpkin hoarders" and wondering what the stores looked like here in NY.  And of course, I went there yesterday and no pumpkin to be had.  Now how am I going to make it through until the fall?  Pumpkin was Never on my shopping list in the past and now it is all I can think of...thanks guys!

[Sneaky Snoopy]

Snoopy,

Do you use unsweetened dark chocolate in your Cincinnati Chili? I believe that's what makes it so delicious.

Southernyankee,

I, too, am a pumpkin hoarder. Bought the last case in the supermarket last November around Thanksgiving. I haven't seen it in the stores, yet.

CQ

Yes it is unsweetened.  I can't taste the chocolate but I think it blends with the spices.  I will try to get it posted.

[LINDA RN]

Here is the recipe I had for Cincinatti Chili.
Have not looked at it since LDL, so it definitely has non-LDL ingredients.
I added the changes I would make to make it LDL friendly.

Cincinnati Chili
Recipe courtesy Food Network Magazine
Prep Time: 40 min
Cook Time: 25 min
Serves: 6 to 8 servings
                       
Ingredients
 •  2 tablespoons vegetable oil
 •  2 onions, chopped
 •  2 cloves garlic, minced
 •  2 tablespoons chili powder
 •  2 tablespoons sweet paprika
 •  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
 •  1 teaspoon ground allspice
 •  1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
 •  1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
 •  1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
 •  1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
 •  1 1/2 pounds ground beef (Sirloin or Round-mix with ground Turkey or Chicken Breast to reduce fat)
 •  Kosher salt
 •  1 6-ounce can tomato sauce
 •  1 cup diced tomatoes
 •  1 bay leaf
 •  2 tablespoons chopped unsweetened chocolate
 •  1 tablespoon cider or red wine vinegar
 •  2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce (Watch for MSG and Corn Syrup in some brands)
 •  Freshly ground pepper
 •  12 ounces cooked spaghetti  
 •  1 19-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
 •  1 pound grated cheddar cheese (Fat Free?)
 •  Oyster crackersCorn Thins, for serving

Directions
Heat the oil in a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat.
Add half the chopped onions and the garlic and cook until soft, stirring, about 5 minutes.
Add the chili powder, paprika, cumin, allspice, coriander, cinnamon, cayenne and cloves.
Cook, stirring, until fragrant.
Add the beef and cook the mixture, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
Add 1 tablespoon salt.

Add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, bay leaf and 1 1/2 cups water; simmer the mixture, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thicker.
Add the chocolate, vinegar and Worcestershire and cook until the mixture is thickened but still soupy, about 15 more minutes.  
Discard the bay leaf and season the chili with the freshly ground pepper.
Divide the spaghetti among bowls and top with the chili, beans, remaining onion and cheddar.
Serve with the oyster crackers Corn Thins.

[CodingQueen]

Snoopy,

My aunt gave me her recipe (and many others that contained unsweetened dark chocolate) a long time ago. When I asked her about it she said that her ancestors (Aztec Indians) had used chocolate in a lot of their cooking and it made a huge difference in the taste. She was right. I've made it both ways and when I left the chocolate out of the recipe my family commented that it didn't taste right.

LINDA RN,

Thanks for posting your recipe.

CQ

[Tanya]

Thank you, Southernyankee, for your reply regarding the taste of pumpkin in soups.  I can't wait to try this recipe.  Unfortunately, the stores in my area don't have canned pumkin in stock so will have to wait until I can find some - maybe this fall.  I love your name.  It reminds me of my mother.  She was from South Carolina, met my dad from Las Vegas and spent the remainder of her days in Utah.  Not exactly a yankee, but the west is definately not southern!! LOL 

Linda RN:  Your recipe looks interesting also.  Will have to give it a try.

Thanks to all who post here.  You are all great!!!!!!

[barrypaxton]

Here is another recipe for Cincinnati Chili. I always loved Skyline Chili. It is the restuarant that started the Cincinnati Chili. There's a Skyline Chili close to our apartment.

1 large  onion chopped
1  pound extra-lean ground beef
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon red (cayenne) pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa or 1/2 ounce grated unsweetened chocolate
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 (16-ounce) package uncooked dried spaghetti pasta
Toppings (see below)

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, saute onion, ground beef, garlic, and chili powder until ground beef is slightly cooked. Add allspice, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt, unsweetened cocoa or chocolate, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cider vinegar, and water. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions and transfer onto individual serving plates (small oval plates are traditional).

Ladle chili over spaghetti and serve with toppings of your choice. Oyster crackers are served in a separate container on the side.

Toppings:
Oyster Crackers
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Onion
Kidney Beans (16-ounce) can

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Of course you will want to skip the ingredients that are not LDL approved.  Here are some of the comments I found about Cincinnati Chili: "the "secret" of making Cincinnati Chili. One very important thing is - never brown the ground beef and don't put onion in the mix. The onions are saved to put on top. The ground beef is mixed with the ingredients plus water and boiled for several hours. Also use tomato paste instead of tomato sauce." and "Another secret for making your Cincinnati Chili even more authentic is to put the ground beef in a food processor and get it very finely chopped before boiling. When finished the chili should be a bit watery." 

Blessing,
Ollie