Black Beans & Italian Turkey Sausage Chili

It's winter and you want comfort food. You want hearty sumptuous, warm meals but you don't want to pack on the pounds. No worries!! We can always make healthier versions of the foods we like without sacrificing flavor. This recipe does just that...it's guilt free chili, eat up!

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 1/2 cup red onion, diced

1 tbsp garlic, minced

20 oz Sweet lean Italian Turkey sausage

1 tbsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

2 poblano chile peppers, seeded and chopped

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 cup water

28 oz diced tomatoes

2 15 oz cans no-salt added black beans

1/4 cup green onion, chopped

For slurry

2 tbsp all purpose flour

3 tbsp water

Preparation

• Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Swirl to coat pan.
• Add onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes.
• Remove turkey sausage from casing and add to pan.
• Stir in chili powder, cumin, Cajun seasoning, poblanos and bay leaves.
• Keep stirring to crumble sausage and cook until sausage is brown.
• Pour in water, then add beans and tomatoes. Stir mixture then bring to a boil.
• Cover pan, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes or until mixture becomes slightly thickened.
• In a small mixing bowl, whisk water and flour to form a slurry then add to pan
• Stir to mix thoroughly then cook for 1 more minute.
• Remove from heat then stir in chopped green peppers
• Add black pepper if desired
• Remove bay leaves before serving

Serve hot with corn bread