Kicked-Up Black Bean Turkey Chili

It’s still cold out there…

And the Super Bowl is next weekend…

We need a good chili recipe.

This Kicked-Up Black Bean Turkey Chili is your classic tomato-based turkey chili, kicked up with a secret ingredient and loaded down with tons of veggies.

What’s the secret, you ask?  Something pretty unexpected for chili, but it gives off a rich, dark color and a deep, smoky flavor…

…espresso!

I, for one, am a tea drinker, not a coffee drinker. But, I do love the smell of coffee and the flavor it can bring to both sweet chocolate desserts and savory dishes alike. I keep a can of Café Bustelo espresso powder in my freezer for those few recipes I have that just need a good sprinkle of espresso.  In a pinch, you can substitute a few tablespoons of strongly brewed coffee.

For little ones, try serving this chili over a bowl of brown rice or orzo.  Em loves her “chili rice.”  And you’ll love that it’s loaded with good-for-you ingredients, like turkey, black beans, zucchini, peppers, corn and tomatoes.  Not too spicy, but full of flavor.

It’s perfect for the big game…or just a cold weekend night, cuddled up under a blanket with a good movie.

Chili for a chilly night…

Little Hands Can…

• Add the chopped veggies into the pot
• Rinse the black beans
• Measure out the spices and add them to the pot
• Add tomatoes, beans and broth to the pot
• Add toppings to their chili

Side note: I turn the stove off when Em helps me add ingredients to a pot AND make sure she knows not to touch the pot, as it’s hot!  I’m also not more than 2 inches away from her, helping her do this task at her young age.  But, yes, she can do it, even at 2 years old.  Little ones can and want to do a lot in the kitchen…with proper supervision, of course.

On the Side

We eat chili on chilly days.  Chili…Chilly…Hmmm.  Two words that sound the same, but are spelled differently and have different meanings.  With this recipe, we’re learning about homophones!

The word homophone is from the Greek root homos meaning “same” and phone meaning “sound.” Makes sense, right? Homophone = same sound.

Here are some some ways you can explore homophones:

• First, what is a homophone?  If your child doesn’t know, explain what homophones are and give some examples.  For little ones, it may help to use your examples in sentences. “We use flour to make cookies” and “I can smell the pink flower.”
• Brainstorm as many homophones as you can and write them down.  Can you use each one in a sentence to show that you know what each word means?
  • right/write, to/too/two, your/you’re, hear/here, knew/new, there/their/they’re, etc.
• Brainstorm some FOOD-RELATED homophones.
  • chili/chilly (maybe even Chile?), pear/pair, flour/flower, ate/eight, meat/meet, berry/bury, dough/doe, steak/stake, thyme/time, grate/great, etc.
• Challenge your child to make a sentence using both homophones.  For example, “We eat chili on chilly days!” or “I bought a pair of pears.” or “They ate dinner at eight o’clock.”

Find out more about homophones, including a complete homophone list!

Disclaimer: As with all of our recipes, my suggestions for how kids can help with a particular recipe are based on what has worked in our kitchen.  Your child may be able to help more or less based on their age and/or ability. As always, make sure you are properly supervising kids in the kitchen.