The abrupt and unwelcome change in the weather that came along with November’s arrival certainly puts us in the mood for something hot and comforting. Chili always fits the bill, in this case with turkey, which is something we’ll all be seeing more of now that the holiday season has slipped into high gear.

This must-try version of the classic dish is so versatile, either on its own or transformed into other dishes. You can certainly tweak the recipe – say with a different meat or other kind of beans – to come up with a whole new meal.

Get creative and use the chili for burritos, tacos, pasta sauce, baked potatoes or to top salads.

Chili is also ideal for making in large batches and freezing into meal-size portions for later use, especially when things are a little bit hectic … another part of the holiday season.

Turkey Chili

• 500 g lean ground turkey
• 2 tsp. canola oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp. chili powder
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 can (796 ml/28 oz) diced tomatoes
• 1 can (540 ml/19 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup sodium-reduced vegetable broth or water
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves

In a large saucepan, brown turkey, breaking up with spoon. Drain using a colander and set aside. Return the empty pot to medium heat. Add oil and cook onion, green pepper, garlic, chili powder, oregano and cumin for about 3 minutes or until softened.

Stir in turkey and jalapeño pepper and cook, stirring for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, beans, broth, tomato paste and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover slightly and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes or until thickened. Remove bay leaves before serving.