Dishing Up the Dirt

Harvest Chili

This chili is pretty much Tumbleweed Farm in a bowl. We packed so many farm fresh flavors into this autumn stew and I am really excited to share the recipe with you! Besides, everything tastes better when eaten out of a roasted pumpkin.  Forget the bread bowl I’m all about the roasted vegetable bowls.

Since we have finally gotten some much needed rain soups and stews are becoming a staple in our weekly meal plans. I’m loving standing in front of my stove mindlessly stirring a big pot of stew while listening to the rain falling onto the roof. This dreary weather is a welcomed change.

I prepared this stew with a lot of our late season vegetables. Peppers, onions, sweet potatoes, jalapeños, tomatoes, pumpkins and plenty of cilantro. This is a stick to your bones kind of meal and perfect for a chilly fall evening.

If it’s cold and dreary where you live I hope you take the opportunity to slow down for the evening and whip up a big batch of this harvest chili. The roasted pumpkin bowls are optional but I wouldn’t skip it. You get a spoonful of pumpkin with every bite. Dig in!

Harvest Chili + Lime-Chili Cashew Cream

Prep Time: 40 minutes    Cook Time: 45 minutes    Serves: 4

  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil (or oil of choice)
  • 1 medium-large sweet potato, scrubbed and cut into 1/4 inch chunks
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño pepper, diced (remove seeds for less heat)
  • 1 medium-sized bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons chili powder
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes,
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 cup cilantro, minced
  • sliced jalapeños for serving
For the Lime-Chili Cashew Cream:
  • 1 cup cashews (soaked for 2 hours)
  • 1 Tablespoon lime juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder + more for addition spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
For the Pumpkins:
  • 4 small sugar pumpkins
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare the pumpkins by cutting off the top and scooping out the seeds until the inside of the pumpkin is smooth. Drizzle with a little olive oil salt and pepper and place cut side up in the oven. Roast until the inside of the pumpkin is tender. About 30-40 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in the sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften. About 4 minutes. Add the garlic, peppers, and spices. Cook for about 1 minute. Add the water, black beans, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30-35 minutes. Stirring occasionally. Taste test after about 25 minutes and adjust seasonings if need be.
  3. While soup simmers make your cashew cream. Strain cashews from soaking water and place in a food processor or high speed blender with 1/2 cup of water, lime juice, chili powder and salt.  Blend on high speed until the cream is smooth. Add more water to thin if necessary. Taste test and adjust seasonings as necessary.
  4. Ladle chili into pumpkin bowls and top with cashew cream and plenty of cilantro and jalapeño peppers.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide. *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary. *Cooking times will vary for the pumpkins depending on their size. *Always taste test as you go.


Leave a Reply

6 thoughts on “Harvest Chili

  1. Ah- thank you Andrea for the cashew cream idea! I am making chili for a vegan friend tomorrow night and hadn’t thought of some good topping ideas. LOVE your beautiful stuffed pumpkins – I remember your previous recipe using them and always think of the idea fondly.

    Enjoy your chili and this cooler weather!

  2. I’m loving all the flavors packed into this chili, so good!

  3. Thanks for another lovely recipe.

  4. Emma says:

    What gorgeous presentation! And I love how chunky the chili inside looks too. Yum!

  5. Karolyn says:

    Looks super good, can’t wait to try it! Just made your pumpkin spice oatmeal this morning, so good! Such a great way to start the day. Thank you for the recipes!!!!

  6. Francesca says:

    Once again, genius from the Bemis kitchen \o/

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