Pumpkin Black Bean Chili

How I wish I could say I made this fall sounding dish because we were experiencing some lovely, crisp Autumn weather. But with highs still reaching the low nineties (and humidity that makes it feel even hotter), we are no where close. Regardless of weather or season, chili is often my go-to when I am low on perishable items but still have a relatively well stocked pantry and freezer, as was the case yesterday.

As I was digging around to see what might make its way into this batch, I came across some frozen pumpkin puree. Remember that canned pumpkin shortage from last year? Well, when I finally found some- the big cans- I bought quite a few of them. Naturally, the next week, the shortage was apparently over. Many months later, when I finally used a portion of the last can, I froze the rest, and forgot about it. Digging it out from under a pile of rices and beans, I recalled various Pumpkin Chili recipes from last fall. I first saw it on Cara's Cravings and was very intrigued, but somehow had never got around to giving it a try.

My take, a meatless version made in the slow cooker, came out wonderful. I purposely didn't tell Sage what the "secret ingredient" was until he was halfway through. Although he hadn't been able to guess, he nodded slowly, wisely, as if it had been on the tip of his tongue all along. The pumpkin doesn't add an obvious pumpkin taste, but it does add a certain something, in terms of texture and another layer of flavor. This was a hit, and I will definitely be adding pumpkin to my chili again.

Pumpkin Black Bean Chili
inspired by Cara's Turkey Pumpkin Chili

1 medium onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed and coarsely chopped
1 (15.5 oz) can low sodium black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can light red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 (14.5 oz) can petite diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 cup frozen corn kernels

Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and cook on low for 5-6 hours (or high for about hours).

Garnish with your favorite chili accompaniments- sour cream/greek yogurt, cilantro, shredded cheese, etc. (I would've loved to have topped mine with sharp cheddar, but I used it all in a cheddar jalapeno cornbread that wasn't quite a success. Next time!)