Wood-burning stoves, chilly air, falling leaves, pumpkin spice, and everything nice… Fall is here and I couldn’t be more excited! For a majority of my life thus far, Fall meant trading in my flip-flops and sunglasses for backpacks and boots. I cherished those hot, summer days because the east-coast winters were so harsh. Now, living on the west coast, I have a new appreciation for Fall. The months of September and October are actually the most ideal here in the Bay Area…the coast is warm and clear; a welcome relief from the cold fog that covers it during the summer. My first Fall here in California, I didn’t expect the leaves to change like they do on the east coast- so when I started witnessing those red, orange, and yellow leaves covering our streets, I was ecstatic! We truly live in the most perfect climate in all the country- we still get the change of seasons, but we don’t have to deal with those miserable winter mornings scrapping ice off our windshields. Before you start feeling sorry for us missing out on a White Christmas, Lake Tahoe is only 3 hours away…so when we crave the snow, we just head up there.

I have to say my favorite thing about Fall is breaking out my pumpkin candles – they make our little apartment feel so cozy, it makes me want to curl up on the couch with a bowl of warm apple crisp and a good book. My second favorite thing is breaking out my CrockPot again which somehow gets forgotten during the summer months. I made my first batch of chili for the season last night, and wanted to share the love with you!

This is hands down my favorite chili recipe – it’s packed with so much goodness and spice, it’s like Fall in a bowl for me. AND it’s super healthy – I like using ground turkey because it’s lighter than ground beef, but there are so many other ingredients that it’s just as filling as a beef chili.

Ok so have I convinced you to try this yet?? What are you waiting for…time to get cooking! 🙂

Mrs. K-Fit’s Sweet Potato & Quinoa Turkey Chili

Ingredients

• 1lb ground turkey
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• salt and pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 28oz can crushed tomatoes
• 15oz can black beans
• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 large sweet potato (about 1lb) peeled and chopped small
• 2 Tablespoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
• Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped avocado, sour cream or tortilla chips

 

Directions

Add ground turkey and onion to a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season liberally with salt and pepper then cook until no longer pink, breaking turkey up as it cooks. Add garlic then cook for 30 more seconds and add to a 6 quart crock pot. Add remaining ingredients, except toppings, into crock pot then cook on high for 3 hours, or low for 5-6 hours, or until sweet potatoes are tender. Serve with toppings.