Pumpkin Chipotle Chili

I love everything about this time of year- the colors of the leaves, the football games, the cooler weather, the residual excitement left over from when fall meant a new school year (yeah, I'm a dork), and the warm, hearty FOOD. Give me anything made out of pumpkin and any kind of soup and I'm a happy girl. This recipe combines those two wonderful things into a nutrition-packed, delicious chili. Use beans and low-fat ground beef, bison, ground turkey or soy crumbles for a lean protein source. Add in chopped red pepper, a can of pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling- you don't want sweet chili) and tomatoes for tons of Vitamin A and C and plenty of garlic and onions for a healthy dose of flavanoids and you'll be fighting off that change-of-season sickness that can sometimes be a bummer about fall (but probably the only bummer about fall!).

1T vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic glove, finely chopped
1 lb lean ground beef, bison or turkey
2 15oz cans of no-salt added diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15oz can pure pumpkin
1 15oz can tomato sauce
1 15oz can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2-3 chipotle peppers, canned in adobo sauce, chopped with 1T of sauce
1/2 cup frozen corn
1T chili powder
1tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Set aside on a plate.
2. Add meat to pan and cook until browned. Drain any excess fat or blot with a paper towel until gone.
3. Place vegetables, meat and all remaining ingredients in a crock pot on low heat for 6-8 hours

For maximum enjoyment, eat while wearing a halloween costume.