Meal sure to warm you up any season

In addition to writing several cookbooks, Ellie Krieger has hosted shows on the Food Network as well as PBS. She’s a registered dietitian and nutritionist and her recipes are themed to healthful eating, dishes that showcase vegetables, fruit, beans, nuts, lean protein, low-fat dairy and healthy oils.

Several years ago, she cooked in my kitchen, filming a video featuring a recipe from her cookbook, “So Easy” (Wiley, $29.95). She made a delicious stew with butternut squash. Over the years, I have prepared many of her recipes. My absolute favorite is her version of white chili, a tasty concoction the uses a good dollop of nonfat Greek yogurt as a garnish. I love the flavor this unexpected finish adds to the dish.

Ellie Krieger’s White Chili

Yield: 6 servings Ingredients

: 1 tablespoon olive oil

: 1 medium onion, diced (about 1K cups)

: 2 stalks celery, diced (about K cup)

: 3 medium poblano peppers (about 4 ounces each), seeded and white ribs removed, finely diced (about 1K cups); see cook’s notes

: 1 clove garlic, minced

: 1 teaspoon ground cumin : K teaspoon ground coriander

: N teaspoon cayenne pepper, more to taste

: 1 pound ground white meat turkey

: 2 (15.5-ounce) cans white beans such as cannellini, preferably low-sodium, drained and rinsed

: 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

: O teaspoon dried oregano

: 1 (15.5-ounce) can hominy, drained and rinsed

: Salt

: N cup nonfat plain Greekstyle yogurt

: 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

: Lime wedges

Cook’s notes: PoblAno chilies

Are unpredictAble in their Amount of cApsAicin, the component in chilies thAt provides spicy heAt. Over the yeArs I hAve become more sensitive, so I hAve AdApted the recipe to use 1 poblAno chili plus one 4ounce cAn of diced mild fireroAsted chilies.

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot or Dutch oven over moderate heat. Add onion, celery, poblanos, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, coriander and cayenne and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon or spatula, until the meat is no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Add the white beans, broth and oregano. Cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, for 25 minutes.

3. Add the hominy and salt and more cayenne pepper, to taste as desired, and continue cooking, partially covered, 10 minutes longer. Ladle into individual bowls and top each serving with 1 tablespoon of yogurt and 1K teaspoons of cilantro. Garnish each with a lime wedge.

ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER White chili features white beans, such as cannellini, in chicken broth spiked with poblano chilies and topped with a dollop of Greek yogurt.