White Bean Chili

You'll need a slow cooker to do it easily and well, but it can be done stove top with a good pot that doesn't burn and a little attention to water levels.

Beans are outrageously good for you and really delicious. Make this with or without the hot stuff, with or without the meat (you could sub tempeh or seasoned tofu). Make it yours.

• 1 large bag navy beans, cannellini, or a mix of each (approx. 2 lbs.), picked for rocks, washed, soaked for 6 - 12 hours and drained
  
• 4 - 8 cloves garlic, whole or roughly chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 t marjoram
  
• smoked turkey parts, usually neck or wing, 1 - 3 pieces to taste
• 1/2 lb. chicken breast or ground turkey
• 4 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  
• 2 - 3 poblano peppers, cut in chunks or strips the long way, don't worry about a few seeds
  
• 1 - 2 serrano peppers, cut in disks, with seeds
• 5 - 7 leaves fresh broad-leaf oregano, sometimes called Cuban oregano, cut into strips across the vein (chiffonade) or quadruple that for European oregano and leave whole. Don't bother with dry. You could even use a little fresh thyme instead.
  
• 1 T cumin seed, or 2 t ground cumin
• ancho chili powder to taste, if desired (it's really hot and delicious)
• 1/2 cup tomatillo sauce or canned tomatillos with the juice of 1/2 lime
• garnish with any of the following: cilantro leaves, lime, Pukka sauce, salt, avocado, cheese, blue corn tortilla chips, chopped tomato, chopped yellow or purple onion, pico de gallo, sunflower sprouts, scallions, sour cream. I've even heard some like it with sauerkraut! (Be sure the only ingredients are cabbage and salt, like this one)
  
• a health conscious but less purist recipe adds baby carrots to the cooking and chopped kale at the end, delicious!

Put the beans, garlic, marjoram, bay leaves and fresh water into the pot or slow cooker on high.

Saute the poultry in the olive oil, add the cumin and ancho (if using), set aside when done.

Saute the peppers in a splash of oil, and don't molest them! Let them roast and brown before you stir. You'll probably cough and make everyone choke and laugh. This is a good thing. They're done when they're browned and stray seeds are crispy looking. Set aside.

After the beans have been bubbling for an hour (or all day), add the smoked turkey pieces and carrots (if using). Take out the bay leaves. Add the meat, the peppers, the tomatillo sauce, simmer for at least ten minutes or another hour or two. Remove turkey parts when the carrots are soft.

Check the salt and add sea salt if needed.

It will be hot enough to cook the chopped kale directly in the bowl. Garnish the top as desired. You could also put brown rice in the bowl, or have whole grain tortillas, or make burritos. Burritos would freeze nicely.

Remember, if you have issues with beans and gas, don't eat anything sweet for an hour. Not yams, not a TicTac, not anything. After that go right ahead. Try it.