PUMPKIN CHILI March 17, 2004 Susan Noble Family and Consumer Science Extension Agent

The big "Rumba on the Lumber" chili cook-off has come and gone--literally "with the wind." Though there was probably a quantity of unknown substances blown into chili pots by the wind, a good time was had by all enjoying some good chili. And if I say so myself, the chili prepared by my team was some of the best.

Actually, to quote one of our tasters, our chili was "pumpki-licious." This very clever child (mine) was referring to the pumpkin in our chili. While our pumpkin couldn't top monkey dust in the Strangest Ingredient category, it is not your typical chili ingredient. 'Round here pumpkin is for pie, not chili.

So why pumpkin for chili? Let me answer that by explaining my team. My four partners hailed from the Robeson County Health Department. They were Niakeya Jones, health promotion coordinator; Monica McVicker, nutrition director; Terri Mozingo, nutritionist; and Betsy Redman, Regional Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program coordinator. We are involved in a grant-funded project called "Eat Smart, Move More." The chili cook-off gave us the opportunity to introduce this project to Robeson County.

Eat Smart, Move More is a statewide initiative that promotes increased opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity through policy and environmental change interventions and enhanced public awareness of the need for such changes. At least that is the official explanation. In plain English, this means health advocates are working to make the public more aware of the current obesity crisis and other health concerns such as the rising diabetes rate among children. You will be seeing newspaper articles, television spots, billboards, menu labels indicating healthy food items, and more to call your attention to these health issues.

These efforts should spur citizens to lobby for changes such as encouraging more physical activity for children in school. Also, businesses and agencies may jump "on the wagon" and create environments that support increased physical activity and healthy eating. For example, a company may change their cafeteria menu to be more healthful or add a gym or walking trail to their facility, so employees will have a safe place to exercise.

Eat Smart, Move More is guided by the North Carolina Division of Public Health with many agencies and communities participating. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service is proud to be a state partner in Eat Smart, Move More.

The Robeson County Eat Smart, Move More team has several activities planned for this year. One activity is to provide training to child care providers on planning healthful menus and how to increase children's physical activity.

Another project involves local firefighters. Firemen are positive role models for children. Many a little boy has dreamed of becoming a fireman.

We will be training firemen to include an "advertisement" about physical activity and healthy eating in the presentations they do for children. Think about it -- how are you going to "stop, drop, and roll" if you're too heavy or inflexible to get off the couch? Children may not listen to us old ladies, but firemen command their attention.

Now that you've been introduced to Eat Smart, Move More, let's return to the pumpkin chili. Most Americans do not eat enough fruits and vegetables. Adding pumpkin to chili is an easy -- and sneaky -- way to increase your family's vegetable consumption. Their taste buds will never detect the pumpkin. The only tip-offs will be the beautiful color and smooth texture the pumpkin adds to the chili. Try the recipe and see if you don't agree.

At an earlier event, my partners served the pumpkin chili in miniature pumpkins that had been hollowed out. A miniature pumpkin is the perfect size for holding the correct portion of chili -- one cup. Come autumn, I plan to serve my family pumpkin chili using a large hollowed pumpkin for my bowl. I don't have the patience to hollow that many little pumpkins, but I will be monitoring portion sizes.

Please join us -- and many across North Carolina -- as we try to eat healthy and move more. Then those extra pounds many of us are carrying may also go "with the wind."

And if anyone tells you they saw me eating a donut at the cook-off, it was because of that blowing wind. I thought they said "eat more, move smart."

Brown meat in large pot. Remove meat and place on paper towels to remove excess fat. Wipe any remaining fat from the pot and coat pot with cooking spray. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté till tender. Return meat to pot. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Simmer 30 minutes to 1 hour. If chili is too thick for you, add more water and adjust seasonings.

NOTE: We kept sampling our chili throughout the cooking time and adding more spices; according to Food TV, world chili champions use this technique of "layering" spices instead of adding them all at once.

The use of brand names in this column does not imply endorsement by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service of the products or services named or criticism of similar ones not mentioned.

E-mail address: Susan_Noble@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 3/26/04