The Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Challenge

Who doesn't love chocolate chip cookies? And since I eat dark chocolate every day for-uh- health reasons, yeah, that's right, health reasons, I wondered if I could make that daily treat extra special occasionally with a healthy chocolate chip cookie.

My first discovery came to me when I was searching for a healthy dessert to make for my friend Stacey's birthday. I found a recipe for an almond cake covered with dark chocolate (delicious as it turned out the for the trial run, but a disaster for the actual day, which is another story...)and there on the site was a chocolate chip cookie recipe that is made with almond flour! I have been a fan of almonds and the flavor of almonds my entire life, so this definitely sounded intriguing. These cookies have no flour, no eggs, no butter, and are sweetened with agave.

Elana's chocolate chip cookies. These are a bit of a pain to work with. The batter is thin and if you're not careful, they will fall apart as you are transfering them from the pan, even after cooling. They come out very flat but tender and very tasty! Everyone in my family loved them so unfortunately they were gone way too quickly. The recipe can be found on the Madhava Agave Nectar website, but I've seen it elsewhere on the Internet, so I don't think it originated there. Here is the link: http://www.madhavasagave.com/RecipeDetail.aspx?RecipeID=56

The second attempt was my own invention. Inspired by the almond flour in Elana's recipe, I took a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe I've had for years and made some substitutions. The white flour became half whole wheat pastry flour, half almond flour and I used agave in place of the sugar. This cookie, in contrast to Elana's has the butter and eggs that you would typically find in a chocolate chip cookie recipe, but are made healthier with no processed sugars or flours. I added some toasted almonds and a little almond extract and had my new invention- a healthy almond dark chocolate chip cookie!

I'm finding that I am enjoying making healthy versions of desserts. Next up- honey roasted peanut cookies. Recipe coming soon!

Maria's Almond Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies
(may be doubled)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup agave nectar
1 egg
1/2 tsp.vanilla
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1/2 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1/2 tsp. hot water
3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup almond flour (or very finely ground blanched almonds)
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Beat butter and agave until smooth. Beat in egg, vanilla, and almond extract, then dissolved baking soda. On a piece of parchment or wax paper, whisk together dry ingredients. Mix into wet ingredients in thirds. Stir in dark chocolate chips and toasted almonds. Refrigerate if necessary. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 325 until golden. Cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely.

This Food is Forbidden!

Chinese Forbidden Rice. Admit it. Any food that is called "forbidden" is something you just have to try. Also called Chinese black rice, it is considered a "superfood," being one of the highest foods in antioxidants (more than blueberries!)and it also improves blood circulation. Forbidden rice has the darkest bran layer, and therefore the most fiber, vitamins, and minerals than any other whole grain rice. And THIS is exactly why it became known as forbidden rice in ancient China. Because it was thought to ensure a long life, only the emperors were allowed to eat it. And as for the taste? It's pretty special- a little chewier than brown rice with a bit of a nutty flavor. I am a big fan! Unfortunately, I have only been able to find it so far at a health food store. Unless I have just missed it, I don't think it's available at Wegmans- yet.

You can cook forbidden rice exactly the way you do brown rice. Boil it in water and a little salt, if desired. Use about a cup of rice to about a cup and a quarter of water. As soon as it starts boiling, turn the stove to low, cover, and cook until all the liquid is absorbed. You can make it in place of regular or brown rice in any recipe, or just serve it as is, either on the side or under a dish with a sauce.
I've also tried a few recipes I've found online. My favorite by far is Fried Forbidden Rice by Sang Yoon. Fried with roasted garlic, bacon, onion, and tamari sauce and topped with scallions, the nutty rice took on the Asian flavors nicely! I made this recipe exactly as written with one exception. The original recipe requires that you cook the rice and let it dry overnight before adding it in the recipe. I didn't really have the time for this, so I just cooked it and spread it out on a pan, draining it with paper towels to absorb the liquid. The dish was delicious so I'm not sure the cooking ahead is really necessary.

The next one I'm going to try is a forbidden rice salad from Whole Foods that is apparently their best selling salad. I'll post the results and recipe after I've tried it. Let me know if you dared to try forbidden rice! And please pass along any great recipes you find. I am planning on making this "superfood" a staple at our house!

Fried Forbidden Rice ACTIVE: 25 MIN TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 25 MIN plus overnight chilling SERVINGS: 6
STAFF-FAVORITE Ingredients
1 head of garlic (about 12 cloves), cloves peeled
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for drizzling
2 cups black rice (13 ounces; see Note)
2 cups water
1/4 pound lean bacon, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
4 scallions, coarsely chopped
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Put the garlic cloves on a double sheet of foil and drizzle with vegetable oil. Seal the foil around the garlic and bake for about 1 hour, until the garlic is soft and caramelized. Let cool, then refrigerate overnight.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cover the black rice with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed and the rice is just tender. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Spread the rice on a large rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
In a large, deep skillet, cook the bacon over moderate heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate.
Pour off all of the fat in the skillet and add the 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 6 minutes. Stir in the bacon, black rice and roasted garlic and stir-fry over moderately high heat until warmed through, about 3 minutes. Stir in the soy sauce and season with salt and white pepper. Transfer to bowls, garnish with the scallions and serve right away.

The Return of Quinoa with a Twist- It's for Breakfast!

Since I started on my weight loss/healthy eating journey almost ten years ago, I've relied on mostly one ingredient for breakfast: the incredible, edible egg. Previously given a bad rap for its cholesterol content, it is now known that eggs actually contain the good cholesterol that our bodies need. The advantage to having an all or mostly protein breakfast is that it keeps your blood sugar steady so that you are less hungry during the day. Although there are many ways to vary the egg breakfast (omelets with different veggies, meats and cheeses, open faced egg sandwiches on whole grain, etc.), sometimes I just want something else.

Cereals are tough for me because it has been difficult to find one that is low enough in sugar without tasting like cardboard. I do enjoy the weight control oatmeal occasionally, loaded with berries, but recently I've been wanting to try making my own oatmeal to have something that is more natural. So I started digging through recipes online, in recipe books and magazines and after perusing several oatmeal recipes, I came across a breakfast quinoa that looked very interesting. It called for red quinoa, almonds, apricots, orange and cinnamon and was topped with fresh ricotta cheese. YUM!

If you read my previous post about quinoa, you know that it is a protein powerhouse. So now I can eat some fruit and grain for breakfast but still get that boost of protein that I need first thing in the morning! The original recipe can be found in the February issue of Food and Wine magazine. I'm sure you are already guessing that I made substitutions! First, it called for pure maple syrup but I used agave nectar instead because I prefer the flavor and it has a lower glycemic index and will keep blood sugar levels down. I also substituted fresh dates for the apricots because I am not a huge fan of apricots. If you are going to do this, don't buy the sugared dates in the baking aisle that look like rabbit pellets! Buy the organic dates. They are delicious, all natural, and the pits are easy to remove. There is just no comparison! Well, after that substitution (which was a delicious one), I realized that apricots were probably chosen in the original recipe for color. As you can imagine, the dates blended right in with the red quinoa and aside from the almonds, the dish was rather monochromatic. So I threw in some golden raisins and that helped a bit!

The great thing about recipes like this is that you can substitute for the sweetener (either agave like I did or honey), the nuts, and the dried fruit to make it YOUR quinoa breakfast. And by the way, it was absolutely delicious. The recipe can be made up to five days ahead and reheated. It also can be served cold which we will definitely try with the leftovers tomorrow.

So now I have another option for breakfast other than eggs. I'm still going to go back to some oatmeal recipes and if I try anything fabulous, I will be sure to post it here!

Sweet Breakfast Quinoa (from Food and Wine)
1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
2 cups water
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used dates and added golden raisins)
2 T pure maple syrup (or agave nectar or honey)1/2 tsp grated orange zest
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup fresh ricotta

In a small saucepan, cover the quinoa with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until water has been absorbed and quinoa is tender, about 15 min. Lightly fluff with a fork and cover again.
In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown, about 2 min. Add the apricots, maple syrup, orange zest and cinnamon and stir well until heated through.
Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir gently to incorporate the almonds and apricots. Top each portion with a tablespoon of ricotta (I also added more orange zest) and serve.

The Holidays- You can make your sweets and eat them too!

Yes, it's true. If you eat only whole grains and very little sugar like me, you can still enjoy some treats during the holidays. My cookie tray this year consisted of both my family's favorites and variations that are healthier yet still delicious.

My first challenge was to come up with a cookie that was similar to the date filled cookies that my father's family has made for years. The dough has an anise flavoring and the filling is dates, raisins, orange juice and some kind of alcohol, usually whiskey. They are rolled into logs, sliced and baked and then drizzled with a sugar icing. They are my husband's absolute favorite. However, this would be Tim's first year without these little morsels, as he has been eating the way I do since last March and has lost well over 70 lbs. The man deserved his favorite cookies during the holidays! But he is committed to this way of eating now, and insisted he would live through it.

So my challenge, as I said, was to come up with something with similar flavors but using whole grain flour and natural sugars. As usual, I found a recipe that I could start with and then modify to make it work for me. The original recipe came from cd kitchen online and was called Anise-Scented Fig And Date Swirls. A few changes, and it became a delicious cookie that will now be on my cookie tray every year. In fact, they were gone way too quickly, so next year I will need to make a double batch. On Christmas Eve, my mother was getting together a plate of cookies to take to her neighbors and when my father saw her doing this, he removed each of the fig and date swirtls one at a time and put them back on his own tray. "You aren't giving THESE to the neighbors," he said, which is quite a compliment since it is my dad who makes the traditional date filled cookies that inspired these every year.

Another addition to my cookie tray is dark chocolate bark. This is about the easiest and most versatile sweet you can make for the holidays. Just melt a package of 60% chocolate chips in the microwave, pour the melted chocolate onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and top with anything your heart desires! I topped half of mine with pecans, cinnamon, and dried cranberries and the other half with macadamia nuts, natural coconut, and sea salt. Just press the toppings down a bit and let it dry for about an hour and a half or so. If it doesn't harden up nicely for you, stick the cookie sheet in the freezer for a short time. When hardened, break it all up into random pieces. How easy (and delicious) is that?

The last healthy treat on my tray was honey bunches. I've made and shared these little nuggets many times and I am constantly asked for the recipe. I can't take credit for these- they come from wholegraingourmet.com. Just get yourself on that site and have a ball. There are some great recipes there. The honey bunches are little mini muffins of pecan-coconut-honey goodness! Other than substituting agave nectar for the honey and raw sugar for the brown sugar, I make these exactly as written. These are certain crowd pleasers!

And one more recipe I must share with you- a blueberry coconut macadamia nut muffin that is totally healthy and you would never know it! We had these on Christmas morning and they are very special. The original recipe came from Eating Well Magazine but of course I've made my own modifications.

So as you can see, it is true what they say- you CAN have your cake and eat it too (and cookies, and candy, and muffins, etc.) during the holidays and beyond!

Maria's Fig & Date Pinwheels
Dough: Wisk together 1 ¾ cup plus 1 T whole wheat pastry flour, 1 T ground anise seed, ¼ tsp. each baking soda, salt, baking powder. In mixer, beat 2 sticks unsalted butter, 4 oz. cream cheese, ¼ cup agave nectar. Add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1 large egg yolk. Beat until creamy. Add flour mixture gradually. Shape into a disk and refrigerate at least an hour.
Filling: In food processor combine 1 pkg Mission figs, 1 cup dates, juice and grated rind of 1 orange, ¼ cup wine or whiskey, 2 T water, ¼ cup agave nectar. Process until smooth. If not getting a smooth consistency, can be cooked on the stove until it is spreadable. Add ½ chopped pecans.
Roll dough out to a 13 by 10 inch rectangle about 1/3 inch thick. Spread filling evenly over dough. Roll up, jelly roll fashion. Roll entire roll in raw (turbinado) sugar. Refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, Cut roll into 1/3 inch thick slices. Bake at 350 degrees on lightly buttered cookie sheets.
Cream cheese icing: Beat together 8 oz. softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup agave nectar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Add water or milk if necessary. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Blueberry Coconut Macadamia Nut Muffins
1/4 cup natural coconut
2 tablespoons plus 13/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour, divided
2 tablespoons natural brown sugar
5 tablespoons chopped macadamia nuts, divided
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk (or 3/4 cup whole milk plus 2 tsp lemon juice)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon coconut or vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or line with paper liners.
Combine coconut, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts in a small bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; stir to combine. Set aside.
Whisk the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Whisk the agave nectar, the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, egg, egg white, buttermilk, butter and coconut (or vanilla) extract in a medium bowl until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients; stir until just combined. Add blueberries and the remaining 3 tablespoons nuts; stir just to combine (I toss the blueberries in some whole wheat pastry flour first so they don't burst in the oven). Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle with the reserved coconut topping and gently press into the batter.
Bake the muffins until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire rack at least 5 minutes more before serving.

A Gift of Food

It is my niece and goddaughter Jamie's first Christmas as a mom. And to say that she has embraced motherhood is an understatement. Her little nugget Claire is obviously thriving from the love and attention she receives. I love to watch them together, their bond so perfect and sweet. I must confess that I watched her pull into my driveway the other night and stood there in the window as she gently unhooked Claire's car seat, talking and smiling at her the whole time. She was late arriving to our house, yet Claire never would have sensed it, as her mother's primary focus was not on the mad rush of the holidays. It was, as always, on HER. I'm some years away from being a grandmother myself, but this has to be similar to how it feels when you watch your own children as parents. Pure joy and pride.

On Thanksgiving, a few of us were having a conversation about cooking, and Jamie expressed that she doesn't do much cooking in her small kitchen. As a working mother, she would rather spend time playing with Claire than in the kitchen preparing a meal. Claire's dad Jason will often barbeque or one of them will bring something home that is easy to throw together. So that's where the gift of food idea was born! Tim and I decided to do some make-ahead dinners that we could freeze and give to Jamie and her family for Christmas. We decided to give them to her early so it would make this hectic time a little easier for them.

Our idea took on a second life and when we were finished we had: Italian meatloaf, turkey chili, turkey soup, penne and meatballs, beef stew, and chicken noodle casserole- all in freezable containers, some that could go right in the oven. The card included the names of the dishes and the cooking directions for each. What a fun project!

I'm including here the recipes for Italian meatloaf (which is Michael Chiarello's) and the chicken noodle casserole (which is based on a recipe from an old family friend). I highly recommend the meatloaf as it tastes like a giant meatball and is the only meatloaf my family wants to eat. I've passed this recipe along before and it is much loved. My friend Stacey triples the recipe when she makes it and freezes two.

Here is the link for the meatloaf:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/michael-chiarello/italian-meatloaf-recipe/index.html

Mrs. Shaw's Crockpot Chicken (modified)
(can be mixed with noodles and baked in the oven as a casserole)
6-8 chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
Italian seasoning (or a mix of Italian dried herbs)
1/2 cup sherry or Marsala
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 oz. cream cheese
1 Tablespoon minced onion
butter
Place chicken in crockpot. Brush with butter, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Mix thoroughly. Cover crockpot. Cook on low 5-6 hours. About 3/4 hour before serving, mix soup, cream cheese, onion and sherry together in pan. Cook until smooth. Pour over chicken in crockpot. Cover and cook 30 minutes more. Break chicken up with a spoon or fork until shredded. Serve over noodles or rice
*We serve this over brown rice but for Jamie's family mixed it with egg noodles for a casserole.

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving has come and gone, along with the feeding frenzy that always comes with it. We spend every Thanksgiving dinner at my parents' house and it is my father's task to prepare the bird and his much loved Italian sausage stuffing. There were 26 of us this year, all gathered around the long table that takes up their entire living room. Each family prepares a side dish and the selections tend to vary every year. Dad proclaimed that this year, the sides were the best ever and that everyone should make exactly the same thing next year! There was roasted butternut squash with craberries, sweet potato with apples, cauliflower casserole with prusciutto,and twice baked potatoes. And there is always fennel (or finOKE as my dad pronounces it) to munch on to cleanse the palate. Again, the Italians know how to make every occasion all about the food, and my family is no exception.

My contribution to the Thanksgiving meal has always been the pumpkin pies. I make two of the regular recipe and one of the healthy version (scroll back to old posts for recipes). The regular pies go very quickly but I always manage to sneak an extra small piece to my 21-year old nephew Jesse, who has been loving my pumpkin pie since he was a little boy.

Because I don't make a Thanksgiving meal for my own family, big holiday breakfasts have become a Straight family tradition. For the past few years, the aforementioned pumpkin clove pancakes have taken center stage and then the accompaniments vary from year to year. But since we just had the pancakes on Family Day last month, I thought that maybe everyone would want something different. So I texted the girls and mentioned the idea. My response from Gillian? "What were you thinking?" My response from Carly? "Stupid question..."

And so, pumpkin clove pancakes it was. But I had to step it up a bit. I was flipping through one of my favorite recipe books, Food Network Kitchens Cook Book, and I found a recipe for cornmeal pancakes with blueberry maple syrup. Tim and are both very fond of blueberries, so I decided to modify the syrup part of the recipe to serve with the pumpkin clove pancakes. The original recipe calls for maple syrup but I of course substituted agave nectar! Although the kids didn't use it (they like the pancakes with butter and pure maple syrup) Tim and I really loved it, and I would definitely make it again. Don't be alarmed when it is very thin after cooking on the stove. It thickens upon standing.

Along with the pancakes, I served a mixed fruit salad that I also found in the same cookbook. But my biggest accomplishment this year was a new recipe adaptation that I came up with for dark chocolate raspberry pistachio muffins. I am always excited when I can invent another dessert that is both delicious and healthy. It started out as an old Pillsbury recipe from one of their "Classics" softcover cookbooks. I used to collect these when I was in my twenties and they are still on a shelf in the back of my pantry. I really loved the idea of the flavor combination so I just substituted whole wheat pastry flour for the white flour, agave nectar for the sugar and dark chocolate chips for the milk chocolate. They came out super delicious and the pistachios crunch so nicely when you bite into them! I have to be honest- the picture above is not exactly accurate. In the original recipe, they have a little jelly surprise in the center. When I used a raspberry "all fruit" product, the fruit soaked into the muffin. It made for a moist delicious muffin, but the fruit cannot be seen. For photographic purposes, I cut one in half and inserted some of the raspberry in the center. I supposed you could put the fruit in with a pastry bag after baking, but then the muffin would probably not be as moist and delicious so I think I will make it the same way next time.

With another Thanksgiving come and gone, it's time to take a breather before getting out the Christmas recipes. More holiday blogging to come!

BLUEBERRY AGAVE PANCAKE SYRUP
based on a recipe from Food Network Kitchens Cookbook
1 1/2 cups blueberries
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Toss the blueberries with the agave nectar in a small saucepan. Add the cinnamon stick and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture boils the blueberries just start to pop, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard the cinnamon stick and stir in the butter and lemon juice. Let stand until thickened, serve warm.

CHOCOLATE CHIP PISTACHIO MUFFINS
based on a recipe by Sally Vog and published by Pillsbury
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup agave nectar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup 60% dark chocolate chips plus extra for topping
1/2 cup whole pistachios plus extra for topping
1 cup whole milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/3 cup seedless raspberry spreadable fruit such as Polaner
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Lightly spoon slour into measuring cup, level off. In large bowl, wisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and pistachios.
In small bowl, combine milk, butter, lemon peel, vanilla and egg. Wisk in agave nectar and blend well. Add to dry ingredients all at once and combine just until dry ingredients are moistened.
Fill each paper-lined muffin cups half full. Spoon about a tsp or two of the fruit over the batter, then cover with more batter. Muffin cup should be filled about 3/4 full total. Top each with chocolate chips and pistachios.
Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes, then remove from pan. Serve warm or cool.

On Being a Leader, not a Follower

I used to be a recipe follower. If a recipe called for an eighth of a teaspoon of something, I had to buy a set of measuring spoons that included an eighth of a teaspoon. There was no eyeballing it. If I was missing any ingredients, I'd be sending Tim to the store instead of making a logical substitution. When I look back, I enjoyed cooking strictly by the recipe but I missed out on the opportunity to be creative. When you take a recipe and make it your own, you get such a feeling of satisfaction. That is, if you make wise decisions based on at least a little experience and knowledge about food. I'm sure that's why I didn't take risks back then. I just didn't feel confident enough in my skills and the perfectionist in me did not want to risk failing.

This has changed. And really just within the past year or so. I can't pinpoint exactly when I became a recipe adapter, or leader if you will, but now that it has happened, I enjoy cooking so much more.

My latest recipe adaptation resulted in one of the best chilis we've ever had. I was looking for a turkey chili recipe and I found an interesting one on epicurious.com. I would, by the way, highly recommend searching for recipes on that site. Many, such as this one, are from past issues of Bon Appetit magazine and I've had so much success from the recipes that I am considering subscribing! This recipe called for ground turkey, white beans and a really interesting mix of spices, including cocoa powder! If you've never used cocoa in cooking (as opposed to baking...) don't be afraid of it! Tim made some cocoa rub ribs on the grill this summer that were outstanding!

Now let me be clear that I am not taking credit for how wonderful this chili turned out. It is outstanding chili because the original recipe is outstanding. The slight modifications just make it more "mine." Try this chili and make it yours. I would love to hear how it turns out!

TURKEY CHILI WITH WHITE BEANS -original recipe from Bon Appetit, 1997
(my modifications in parentheses)
1 T vegetable oil (Canola)
2 medium onions, chopped (1 large)
(about a cup of chopped red, yellow, and orange bell peppers)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano (Mexican oregano)
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey (I used 1 lb. ground turkey, 1 lb. chopped turkey filet. We like chunks of meat in our chili!)
1/4 cup chili powder (ancho chili powder!)
2 bay leaves (fresh)
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch dark cocoa)
1 1/2 tsp. salt (Kosher salt)
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 28-oz. can whole tomatoes (I used San Marzano tomatoes)
3 cups beef stock or canned beef broth (Wegman's beef culinary stock!)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
3 15-oz. cans small white beans, rinsed and drained (I only used 2 cans of cannelini beans and that was plenty)

Garnishes: Chopped red onion, chopped fresh cilantro, plain low-fat yogurt or light sour cream (We used cilantro, light sour cream, shredded reduced fat cheddar, and chipotle tabasco sauce)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion (and peppers); saute until light brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add oregano and cumin, stir 1 minute. Increase heat to medium-high. Add turkey; stir until no longer pink. breaking up with back of spoon. Stir in chili powder, bay leaves, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon. Add tomatoes with their juices, breaking up with back of spoon. Mix in stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add beans to chili and simmer until flavors blend, about 10 minutes longer. Discard bay leaves. Ladle chili in to bowls and serve with garnishes/toppings.

**** We served this over brown rice. YUM!!!!!