Black Bean and Cauliflower Chili

I know some of you are just driving by real slow to check out the accident. I realize this recipe sounds weird. Let me reassure you that it does taste better than it sounds. I also know that if I left out the word cauliflower and called it Black Bean and Garden Vegetable Chili, it would draw more readers. But in the interest of transparency I decided to add cauliflower to this recipe’s name.

Sometimes my leftover use is more spontaneous (some might say impulsive) rather than premeditated! My daughter thinks this should be called the “ultimate disguise chili”. I wasn’t trying to sneak weird food past my kids, but if they were more willing to eat cauliflower because of the chili seasonings, then that is a good thing. This recipe was inspired by MJPuzzleMom’s Black and White Turkey Chili recipe at What a Crock! What I had available in my garden, freezer, and pantry triumphed over my best intentions to follow a recipe. I needed to use up some cauliflower, so I replaced the can of white beans with chopped cauliflower and once I started diverging there was no going back. If you’re not a gardener, the original recipe will probably be more convenient for you. Or even better, use both of them as inspiration to create something wonderful of your own.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken

2 cans black beans, drained

4 cups cauliflower rice

2 cups tomatoes, diced

1 cup onion, diced

2/3 cup bell pepper, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1-2 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Ancho chili pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon fresh marjoram

1 teaspoon dried cilantro

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 can of white beans, drained and mashed

In a skillet brown the ground turkey. Add the turkey to the slow-cooker. Add beans, cauliflower, tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, garlic, and chicken broth. Stir well. Add spices. Stir well. Add corn starch one teaspoon at a time; stirring well after each teaspoon.

I made this chili very mild because my fire-eating husband is out of town. The original recipe called for 1 1/2 Tablespoons of chili powder. Let your taste buds be your guide. The one thing I would change next time I make this recipe is to follow a tip that a reader left in a comment on my White Chili post. Her tip is to puree a can of white beans and add it to the chili to thicken the broth.

Do you ever add unexpected ingredients to your recipes? Are you upfront about it, or do you let your family eat it in blissful ignorance?