When I wrote my first Bible study, No Other Gods, I invited a group of friends to my house to work through the material. They were doing me a huge favor—their insights and stories were invaluable. The only reasonable way I could repay them was of course through food. (I burned a few rounds of pine nuts that year. Lesson: if you’re going to burn a nut, burn a cheaper one.) I loved the community that was built while cooking and eating together. I think sharing a meal is by nature disarming. We ended up slipping into personal discussions. Struggles we were having or triumphs we’d experienced were shared, and what we’d learn from that week’s Bible passage seamlessly worked its way into the conversation. When it came time to finally put my first Bible study together it seemed only natural to include some of the recipes we’d shared together; It’s something I’ve included ever since.
Winter White Bean Turkey Chili
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 4 cloves of minced garlic
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried or ½ tsp fresh oregano
- 3 (15.8-ounce) cans Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
- 32 FL oz. box of chicken broth
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 diced seeded plum tomato
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (this really adds to the flavor)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Add oregano and beans; cook for another 30 seconds or so. Add broth; bring to a simmer. Cook 20 minutes.
In another pan heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and add ground turkey. Cook until crumbly and evenly browned.
While turkey is cooking and bean mixture is simmering, remove 2 cups of bean mixture and put in food processer until smooth. If you don’t have a food processer you can mash with a fork. Return pureed mixture to pan and turkey once cooked.
Continue simmering for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Add diced tomato, chopped cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper, stirring well. Garnish with lime wedges (optional).
Kelly Minter is an author, speaker, songwriter, and singer. She is passionate about women discovering Jesus Christ through the pages of Scripture. So whether it’s through a song, study, or spoken word, Kelly’s desire is to authentically express Christ to the women of this generation. In a culture where so many are hurting and broken, she loves to share about the healing and strength of Christ through the Bible’s truth. Kelly writes extensively and speaks and leads worship at women’s conferences, retreats, and events.
