dinner :: white bean turkey chili

listen, this chili is really good.  i adapted the recipe from one i found at epicurious.com and it has quickly become a staple meal in our home.  the cinnamon makes this dish divine.

first thing you need is about two cups of chopped yellow onions (two medium onions). 

{don't forget :: image quality = camera phone}

saute the onions in a large stock pot with about one tbsp of olive oil heated over medium-high heat.

after the onions are soft, add the oregano and cumin.  saute for one minute.

add the turkey and break it up with the back of your spoon.  cook on high until no longer pink.

throw in the chili powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and salt.

add a large can of whole tomato's and break them up with the back of your spoon. 

add a small can of tomato sauce and three cups of low sodium beef broth.

top the mixture with three bay leaves and bring to a boil. let the chili simmer for about 45 minutes and then add 3 to 4 cups of great northerns.

there are a few things i do to make this an "easy" recipe to whip up when i can't think of anything else (which is often).  first, i try to always have a few pounds of ground turkey in the freezer and instead of using canned beans, i followed my cousin sarah c.'s advice about preparing beans a head of time and freezing them which helps to cut back on the sodium a lot (by eliminating the need for canned beans).  i also buy dried bay leaves as opposed to fresh bay leaves and i found costco has huge containers of super yummy chili powder in their baking isle.  most of the time you can find great deals on canned tomato's and so i stock up when i can.   once you buy the rest of the spices, they'll last for several batches.  don't forget the cinnamon!

the kids and the hub top their chili with grated cheddar while i prefer a dollup of light sour cream or, as gwen suggested, low fat plain yogurt would do the trick too.  i just happen to be a super huge sour cream fan.  i will make the switch though.  just give me some time. 

we usually enjoy our chili with some version of cornbread or muffins on the side.  this is one meal that everyone eats without complaining. 

anyway, as always, it was delish.  beans beans the magical fruit ... heaven knows i needed it.

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup chili powder
2-3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 28-ounce can whole tomatoes
3 cups low sodium beef stock or canned beef broth
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3-4 cups of great northern beans

yields 8 servings (about 1.5 cups a serving)
294 calories, 8.2g fat (1.7g saturated fat), 49mg cholesterol, 719mg sodium, 30.8g carbs, 10g fiber, 6.5g sugar, 26.4g protein.