Turkey White Bean Chili

Here's another recipe for beans.  Honestly, we do eat other things, but bean soup is low in fat, high in protein and tastes good and, more importantly, it is one thing Roger can eat reliably even if his stomach is feeling sensitive, so it’s on our menu pretty frequently these days.  We make all types of beans and really enjoy the varieties for their unique flavors and textures.  I’ve been working to perfect some old recipes this winter.  My Turkey White Bean Chili is one that’s good enough to share.

If you use dry beans, start them simmering at breakfast time so they’ll be done in time for dinner.  For a quick soup, you can substitute 3 15-oz cans of white beans.  Personally, I don’t think canned beans have the same flavor, but they’ll do if you’re in a hurry.  Aside from cooking the beans, this soup comes together quickly.

We like to make a tropical fruit salad to go with this chili.  Fresh sliced mango, oranges and watermelon offset the heat of the chili nicely.

Turkey White Bean Chili

1 cup dry white beans

2 15-oz cans chicken broth

1 4-oz can diced fire roasted green chilis

½ cup + green tomatillo salsa (at the end of cooking, add more salsa to taste)

1 small package ground turkey (about ½ - ¾ lb.)

6 green onions

½ teasp cumin

½ teasp garlic powder

1/8 teasp crushed red pepper flakes

Toppings:

Fresh avocado, sliced

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Rinse the beans and pick out those that don’t look appealing.  Put them in your soup pot and cover with plenty of water.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer.  Cover the pot, turn the burner to low and let them simmer for 5-6 hours.  The only thing you have to do all day is check once in awhile to make sure they don’t boil dry.  It’s better to start with too much water; you’ll drain it off later anyway.  (It's okay to run errands while the beans cook as long as you're sure there is plenty of water in the pot.)

About 30 minutes before dinner time, assemble the soup ingredients.  Sauté the chopped green onion and ground turkey together in a large skillet.  Add a little of the chicken broth to the turkey to help break it up.  When the turkey’s cooked through, add the canned green chilis, ½ cup tomatillo salsa, the cumin, garlic powder and red pepper flakes.

Drain the beans and return them to the soup pot.  Add the chicken broth and the ingredients from the skillet.  Heat through.  Taste, and add more tomatillo salsa to taste.

When ready to serve, add the avocado and the cilantro to the top of each soup bowl.

--Candi

P.S.  I have a recipe for pinto beans that I know you'd love.  And there's Julie's Curried Lentils of course.  How much time have we got?