Cold Weather No-Mato Chili (Turkey Or Beef)

• 1 whole Softball Sized White Or Yellow Onion, Diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, Diced
• 4 Tablespoons Extra Light Olive Oil, Divided
• 1 can Beets, 8 Oz, Drained; Reserve Liquid
• 3 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 can Pumpkin Puree, 29 0z
• 2 cans Dark Red Kidney Beans, 15 Oz. Drained And Rinsed
• 1/2 cups Cilantro, Chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Kosher Or Coarse Sea Salt
• 2 teaspoons Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Ground Cumin
• 1-1/2 Tablespoon Ground Chili Powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoon Ground Cayenne
• 1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
• 2 cups Low Sodium Beef Or Chicken Stock, Divided Use
• 1-1/2 pound Ground Beef Or Turkey

1. To start, make the "tomato" base:
2. 1) In a large stew pot, saute onion and garlic over medium heat, in 2 Tablespoons of oil until onions are translucent and tender; some browning is OK.
3. 2) Puree beets in a food processor or blender until smooth as cake batter.
4. 3) Add lemon juice and vinegar to the onions and garlic. Let simmer for 5-7 minutes.
5. 4) Then add pumpkin, beets, beans, cilantro, salt, pepper and spices to the pot and stir well
6. 5) Once everything is incorporated add 1.5 cups of low- sodium beef or chicken stock and mix well until it gets a "chunky spaghetti sauce" texture; let simmer for 5 minutes.
7. 6) Turn off the sauce heat and put to side.
8. 7) In a smaller pot, brown turkey or beef in remaining 2 Tablespoons of oil until cooked through.
9. 8.) Once cooked, add meat to sauce base and simmer over low heat.
10. 9) De-glaze your meat browning pan with the remaining 1/2 cup of stock and once deglazed, pour the stock into the main event.
11. 10) Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes and let flavors mingle and meld. Taste and adjust spices according to taste. If the chili color is off, adjust by adding some of the reserved beet liquid, 1-teaspoon at a time.
12. Serve over rice with a spoonful of sour cream, shredded cheese and avocado. Other options for garnish include crushed tortilla chips and thinly sliced scallions. I like to serve it like a chili bar and everyone has fun with it!
13. Please Note: I have tried time and again to do this with one pot, but I find that 2 very bad things always occur:
14. A) The low fat content of the meat makes it prone to being overcooked and tough.
15. and
16. B) Beets discolor if cooked too long and turn the beautiful bright red a funky shade of purple.
17. ALSO: If you find this too thick, add more stock until you reach your desired texture.
18. I hope you like my first Tasty Kitchen submission!!!

onion, garlic, extra light olive oil, beets, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, pumpkin puree, kidney beans, cilantro, kosher or, black pepper, ground cumin, ground chili powder, ground cayenne, red pepper, chicken, ground beef

Taken from tastykitchen.com/recipes/soups/cold-weather-no-mato-chili-turkey-or-beef/ (may not work)