Foodie Fridays: Pumpkin-Black Bean Chili

From Taste of Home

I made this Pumpkin-Black Bean Chili for Halloween, and it was quite tasty.  My husband loved it so much he had it for both lunch and dinner the next day!  I served it with the Pumpkin Biscuits I made from last week's recipe, and they were the perfect combination.  Top the chili with shredded cheese and/or Greek yogurt to enhance the flavor even more.  I left out any really spicy ingredients, but add two seeded and minced jalapeño peppers, or any other spicy hot ingredient(s), if you like your chili to have a little kick to it.  I tossed the last of the peppers and Japanese eggplant harvested from my small garden into the pot just to use them up, and my husband really liked the eggplant in particular.  Feel free to throw in any vegetables you think would work in this recipe.  I also added some peanut butter and a cocoa/chili powder blend because I had them.  I might play around with the proportions of these two ingredients the next time I make this recipe, which will likely be very soon!

Pumpkin-Black Bean Chili

2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Japanese eggplant, diced (optional)
1 lb. ground turkey breast (or use dark meat or a combination if you prefer)
1 can (14.5 oz.) diced fire-roasted tomatoes
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin purée
2 T. peanut butter
1 1/2 C. water
1 T. chili powder
1 T. cocoa powder
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 C. frozen corn
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat.  Stir in the next four ingredients and cook, stirring often, until tender, about five minutes.  Add the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.  Stir in the next eight ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low and add the corn and beans.  Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more.  Serves 6.